Doubles Snakes and Ladders

Doubles Snakes and Ladders is a progressive training game in which a player must work through every double segment on the dartboard in ascending order, beginning at double 1 and finishing on the inner bullseye (double bull). The aim is to complete the entire sequence in as few rounds as possible, but beware — poor rounds will send you sliding back down the board, just like landing on a snake in the classic board game.

All that is required is a standard bristle dartboard, three darts, and a simple scoreboard (paper or whiteboard) on which to track the player's current target double. Write out the sequence of targets for reference: D1, D2, D3, D4 … D20, Bull (21 levels in total).

This is primarily a solo practice drill, though two or more players may compete simultaneously by each maintaining a separate position on the sequence. The starting target for every player is double 1. If multiple players are involved, throwing order may be decided by a single dart at the bullseye — closest throws first.

Before play begins, confirm the advancement and regression scale (see Rules of Play below). The standard scale treats two hits per round as par.

Each round, the player throws three darts at their current target double. After the three darts have been thrown, count how many of those darts landed in the required double segment. The player's position on the sequence then changes according to the following scale:

• 0 hits (out of 3): Slide back two levels on the sequence (a big snake). For example, if your target was D5, you drop back to D3.
• 1 hit (out of 3): Slide back one level (a small snake). If your target was D5, you drop back to D4.
• 2 hits (out of 3): Par — remain on the same target. You neither advance nor regress.
• 3 hits (out of 3): Advance forward one level (a ladder). If your target was D5, you move up to D6.

Boundary rule: A player can never regress below D1. If a slide-back would take the player below D1, they simply remain on D1. For example, if you are on D1 and miss all three darts, you stay on D1 rather than moving to a negative position.

Counting doubles and trebles: Because you are aiming at a double segment, each dart either lands in the target double or it does not — only darts resting in the exact required double segment count as hits. A dart in the single, treble, or any other segment of that number does not count.

The bullseye level: The final level of the sequence is the bull. For this level, the target is the inner bullseye (double bull, 50). The outer bull (25) does not count as a hit. The same hit scale applies: miss all three and you slide back two levels (to D19); hit one and you slide back one level (to D20); hit two and you hold; hit three and you complete the game.

Scoring in Doubles Snakes and Ladders is positional rather than point-based. The scoreboard tracks two things:

• Current target: Which double the player is currently aiming at (D1–D20, then Bull).
• Round count: The total number of rounds (visits) the player has taken so far.

After each round, update the player's position according to the hit scale. For example, suppose a player is currently on D12 and throws three darts at double 12. If two darts land in double 12 and one misses, that is 2 hits — par, so the player stays on D12. Next round, if all three darts miss double 12, that is 0 hits, and the player slides back to D10. The round counter increases by one regardless of whether the player advanced, held, or regressed.

The game's performance metric is the total number of rounds required to move from D1 all the way through to completing the bullseye level. Fewer rounds indicate stronger doubles proficiency.

A player wins — or, in solo practice, completes the drill — by successfully advancing past the final level (Bull). This requires hitting three inner bullseyes in a single round while on the Bull level (the only way to advance from the last position). The game is then over, and the player's final score is the total number of rounds taken.

When two or more players compete simultaneously, the winner is the first player to complete the Bull level. If players wish to compare performances across separate sessions, the lowest round count is the superior result. Note that because of the regression mechanic, the game can become very long — perseverance is part of the challenge.

Singles Snakes and Ladders: Instead of aiming at doubles, the player targets the single segment of each number from 1 to 20. This is a gentler version suited to beginners or players who find the doubles variant too punishing. The same hit-count scale applies.

Trebles Snakes and Ladders: The player targets the treble segment of each number from 1 to 20. Because treble segments are the smallest targets on the board, this is an extremely demanding drill even for advanced players.

Adjusted Par: To increase or decrease difficulty, the par threshold can be shifted. For a harder game, treat 1 hit as par (so 0 hits slides back one level and you need 2 or more to advance). For an easier game, simply reduce the regression penalties — for instance, 0 hits slides back only one level instead of two.

The parent game is the general Snakes and Ladders darts drill. The doubles-specific variant described here was notably recommended by professional player Paul Nicholson as a key doubles practice routine.

Practise every double, not just your favourites: One of the greatest benefits of this drill is that it forces you through every double on the board in sequence. Resist the temptation to skip or restart when you reach an uncomfortable double — those are precisely the ones you need to train.

Build a routine stance for each double: As you progress through the sequence, pay attention to your body position for doubles on different parts of the board. Develop a consistent stance and release for left-side doubles (e.g., D11, D14) versus right-side doubles (e.g., D9, D4) so that no segment feels unfamiliar in match play.

Start with the singles version if needed: If you find that the doubles variant causes you to spend many rounds stuck on early levels (repeatedly sliding back to D1), begin with the singles version to learn the rhythm of the game. Graduate to doubles once you can complete singles Snakes and Ladders in a reasonable session.

Track your round count over time: Record how many rounds it takes you to finish each session. Over weeks and months, your round count should decrease — giving you a concrete, measurable indicator of doubles improvement. Even a small reduction (e.g., from 90 rounds to 75) reflects meaningful progress.

Dedicate serious time to doubles: Professional player Simon Whitlock reportedly spends 75–80% of his practice time on doubles. This drill is an efficient way to structure that doubles practice with built-in consequences for misses, replicating the pressure of a real match checkout situation.