Car Rally

Be the first player to navigate a predetermined race course around the dartboard by hitting each required segment in sequence. Certain segments are designated as obstacles, requiring two hits to pass. The first player to complete the entire course wins the rally.

Use a standard dartboard and standard darts. Any number of players may compete. Before play begins, all players must agree on a race course — a specific ordered sequence of dartboard segments that defines the route from start to finish. A typical course might run through 10–20 segments, for example: 20, 18, 12, 5, 1, 14, 9, 7, 16, 8, 11, 6, 13, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, Bull.

Next, designate a number of segments along the course as obstacles. These should be clearly marked on the scoreboard. For example, in the course above you might declare segments 5, 9, 11, and 17 as obstacles. All players should record the full course and its obstacles on the scoreboard before throwing begins.

Determine throwing order by each player throwing a single dart at the bullseye; the closest dart throws first, and play proceeds clockwise from there.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. On each turn, a player attempts to hit the next segment in the course sequence. The rules for advancing depend on whether the current segment is a normal segment or an obstacle:

• Normal segments: A single hit (anywhere within the segment — single, double, or triple) is sufficient to clear that segment. The player then advances to the next segment in the course on their next dart (or, if darts remain in hand, immediately).
• Obstacle segments: The player must register two separate hits on the segment to clear it. A hit in the single, double, or triple area all count as one hit toward the required two. Both hits need not occur in the same visit — if a player hits the obstacle once in one turn, they carry that progress forward and need only one more hit on a subsequent turn.

A player may advance through multiple segments in a single visit if their three darts each hit the required targets in sequence. For example, if a player's current segment is 12 (normal), followed by 5 (obstacle), and they throw: first dart single 12 (clears 12), second dart single 5 (first obstacle hit on 5), third dart triple 5 (second obstacle hit on 5, clearing it) — that player has passed through two course segments in one turn and now moves on to the next segment.

If a dart lands in a segment that is not the player's current required target, it has no effect — it is simply a miss and the dart is wasted. There are no bust or penalty rules; missed darts simply provide no advancement.

Players must complete the course segments strictly in order. You may not skip ahead or hit a later segment for credit before clearing your current one.

Car Rally uses a progress-based scoring system rather than a points-based one. The scoreboard should list every course segment in order, and each player's current position along the course is tracked.

• For normal segments, mark the segment as cleared once the player hits it once.
• For obstacle segments, mark the first hit (often noted as ½ or a single tally) and then mark the segment as fully cleared once the second hit is registered.

For example, if the course is 20 → 18 → 12 (obstacle) → 5 → 1 and a player has cleared 20 and 18 but has only one hit on 12, the scoreboard should show segments 20 and 18 completed and segment 12 at one hit out of two required. No numerical point totals are calculated — only forward progress matters.

The first player to hit every segment in the course in the correct order — including registering both required hits on all obstacle segments — wins the rally. The winning dart is the final dart that clears the last segment of the course.

If two or more players complete the course in the same round (i.e., the trailing player finishes during the same round in which the leading player finished), the player who completed the course first in throwing order is declared the winner. For match play, players may agree to run multiple rallies (e.g., best of 3 or best of 5 courses) with alternating throwing order each race.

Pit Stop Rally: One or more points along the course are designated as pit stops. When a player reaches a pit stop segment, they must hit the bullseye (outer bull or inner bull) before they may advance to the next course segment. This acts as a mandatory detour and adds significant difficulty at key points in the race.

Speed Bonus: If a player clears three or more course segments in a single visit (three darts), they earn a speed bonus — they may skip the next normal (non-obstacle) segment in the course entirely, simulating a burst of racing speed.

Team Relay: Players form teams of two or more. Each team member completes a designated portion of the course before handing off to the next teammate. For example, on a 20-segment course, Player A races segments 1��10 and Player B races segments 11–20. The first team to have all members finish their legs wins.

Custom Course Design: Because the course is entirely customizable, players may design tracks of varying length and difficulty. A short sprint might use only 8–10 segments with one or two obstacles, while an endurance rally could span all 20 numbers plus the bullseye with five or more obstacles. The game is also sometimes played under the names Road Rally or Auto Race.

Design a balanced course: When setting up the race, include a mix of commonly practiced segments (such as 20, 19, and 18) and less-visited numbers (such as 5, 3, and 7). Place obstacles on the less-practiced segments to create genuine difficulty — an obstacle on 17 or 9 will slow players down far more than one on 20.

Don't waste darts on future segments: Since you must clear segments strictly in order, throwing at a segment you haven't reached yet accomplishes nothing. If your first dart misses the current target, stay focused and keep your remaining darts aimed at the same segment rather than instinctively drifting to a different part of the board.

Attack obstacles early in your visit: If you know an obstacle segment is next, try to clear your current normal segment with your first dart so you have two remaining darts to work on the obstacle. Ideally, you can register both obstacle hits in the same turn and avoid carrying partial progress into your next visit.

Know your averages on tricky numbers: Practice segments like 3, 7, and 9 — numbers most players neglect. In Car Rally, these off-beat segments appear frequently in well-designed courses, and comfort with the entire board is far more valuable than elite accuracy on 20 and 19 alone.

Scout the course before throwing: Before the game begins, study the full segment sequence and note where the obstacles fall. Plan your mental approach for each section of the course so you can transition quickly from one target to the next without hesitation, especially when you clear a segment mid-visit.