Castle

Be the first player to build a complete castle of 15 bricks on your assigned number. You build your castle by hitting your own number on the dartboard, while simultaneously attempting to demolish your opponents' castles by hitting their assigned numbers. The game demands a constant strategic balance between construction and destruction — pure offense leaves your lead vulnerable, while pure defense ignores the threat of a rival completing their castle first.

Castle accommodates 2 to 20 players, making it one of the most scalable dart games available. Each player is assigned a unique number from the standard dartboard (1–20). Number assignment is typically determined by each player throwing one dart with their non-dominant hand; the dart closest to the bullseye earns first pick of numbers, the next closest picks second, and so on. Alternatively, numbers may be assigned by random draw or by each player simply throwing one dart and claiming whichever number they hit.

Prepare a scoreboard listing each player's name alongside their assigned number. Next to each player's entry, draw 15 empty boxes (or squares) representing the 15 bricks required to complete their castle. As bricks are built or destroyed during play, these boxes are filled in or erased accordingly. Throwing order follows the same sequence established during number selection — the player who picked first throws first.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. On each turn, a player may divide their three darts between two objectives: building their own castle and destroying opponents' castles. There is no requirement to dedicate all three darts to one objective; a player may freely mix building and attacking darts within a single turn.

Building your castle: Any dart that lands in your own assigned number adds bricks to your castle. The number of bricks added depends on the segment struck:

• Single = 1 brick
• Double (outer narrow ring) = 2 bricks
• Triple (inner narrow ring) = 3 bricks

Fill in the corresponding number of boxes on the scoreboard. A castle cannot exceed 15 bricks — any excess bricks beyond 15 are simply ignored.

Destroying an opponent's castle: Any dart that lands in an opponent's assigned number removes bricks from that opponent's castle, using the same values: a single removes 1 brick, a double removes 2, and a triple removes 3. Erase or cross out the corresponding boxes on the scoreboard. You may target any opponent's number on any turn, and you may target multiple opponents within the same three-dart visit.

Important: A castle cannot be reduced below zero bricks. If an opponent has only 1 brick remaining and you hit their double, only 1 brick is removed — you cannot knock down what does not exist. Similarly, if an opponent has zero bricks, hitting their number has no effect.

For example, suppose your assigned number is 18 and an opponent's number is 14. You throw your first dart into the triple 18 — that adds 3 bricks to your castle. Your second dart lands in the single 14 — that removes 1 brick from your opponent's castle. Your third dart hits the single 18 — that adds 1 more brick to your castle. In total, you built 4 bricks and destroyed 1 this turn.

Scoring in Castle is tracked as bricks rather than traditional point totals. Each player's brick count ranges from 0 to 15 throughout the game. The scoreboard's filled and empty boxes provide an at-a-glance picture of every player's progress.

• Single segment of any number = 1 brick (added to your castle if it is your number, or removed from an opponent's castle if it is theirs)
• Double segment = 2 bricks added or removed
• Triple segment = 3 bricks added or removed

For example, if you have 12 bricks and hit a triple on your own number, you add 3 bricks to reach your maximum of 15 — your castle is complete. Conversely, if an opponent has 5 bricks and you hit their triple, their castle is reduced to 2 bricks. Darts that miss all relevant numbers (landing in numbers not assigned to any active player, or missing the board entirely) have no effect on any player's brick count.

The first player to fill all 15 boxes on their scoreboard — completing their castle — wins the game immediately. There is no requirement to finish on a specific segment; the 15th brick may come from a single, double, or triple. If a player reaches exactly 15 bricks during a three-dart visit, the game ends at that moment — any remaining darts in the visit are not thrown.

In the event that two players theoretically reach 15 bricks during overlapping turns (which cannot occur since turns are sequential), the player whose turn it is has priority. For extended match play, players may compete over multiple rounds, with the overall winner being the first to claim a set number of round victories (e.g., best of 3 or best of 5).

Short Castle (10 Bricks): Reduce the required bricks from 15 to 10 for a faster-paced game. This variation is well-suited for large groups where individual turns come less frequently, or when time is limited.

Grand Castle (20 Bricks): Increase the required bricks to 20 for a longer, more strategic contest. The extended game length amplifies the impact of attacking, as players have more time and incentive to tear down leaders.

Bullseye Finish: In this variant, completing 15 bricks is not sufficient to win. After filling all 15 boxes, a player must then hit the bullseye (inner or outer) to seal the victory. Until the bullseye is struck, the player's completed castle remains vulnerable to attack — opponents may knock bricks off, forcing the player to rebuild before attempting the bullseye again. This variant adds a dramatic endgame phase.

Team Castle: Players divide into teams and share a single castle. Teammates' building and opponents' attacks all apply to the shared brick total. This variation works especially well with 4–8 players divided into 2–4 teams, and encourages coordinated strategy between partners.

Build aggressively in the early rounds: In the opening phase of the game, most opponents will have zero or very few bricks — meaning attacks against them are wasted darts. Dedicate your early turns almost entirely to building your own castle. A strong early foundation of 8–10 bricks gives you a commanding lead before opponents can meaningfully threaten you.

Target the leader relentlessly: Once a player pulls ahead, they become the primary threat to end the game. Coordinate your attacks — even informally — with other players to knock down the leader's castle. Removing 3 bricks with a single triple is a devastating swing, especially against someone at 13 or 14 bricks who is one good turn from victory.

Choose your number wisely: If you have first pick, select a number whose triple you can hit reliably. The triple is enormously valuable in Castle — it builds 3 bricks per dart (meaning a perfect turn of three triples adds 9 bricks) or destroys 3 per dart. A comfortable triple on your own number is arguably more important than picking a traditionally popular segment like 20.

Spread your attacks when no one is close to winning: Rather than focusing all your destructive darts on a single opponent, consider spreading attacks across multiple players to prevent anyone from quietly accumulating bricks unchallenged. A single dart removing 1 brick from three different opponents is often more strategically sound than removing 3 from one.

Watch the scoreboard and count remaining darts: If an opponent needs only 3 more bricks and their turn is next, you must weigh whether your three darts are better spent attacking their castle (potentially removing 3–9 bricks) or building your own. Always count: can they finish on their next visit? If yes, go on the offensive. If not, keep building.