Finishing Pyramid

Complete checkouts at progressively higher scores, climbing from 60 all the way to the maximum checkout of 170 in 10-point increments. The "pyramid" structure reflects the steadily increasing difficulty: as the target checkout rises, so does the demand on your knowledge of checkout paths, setup shots, and finishing accuracy under pressure.

This is a solo training exercise designed to systematically build and test your ability to finish across the full range of realistic checkout scores.

You will need a standard dartboard, a set of three darts, and a scoresheet or whiteboard to track your progress through the pyramid levels. Write down the checkout levels in order: 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170 — twelve levels in total.

This is a solo practice game for one player. Begin at the 60 level. No throwing-order determination is needed, though if two players wish to train side by side, each maintains an independent pyramid and they may alternate turns for pacing.

Play begins at the 60 checkout level. On each attempt, you have 3 darts to reduce the level's score to exactly zero. As in standard darts, the final dart of a successful checkout must land in a double segment (the outer narrow ring) or the inner bullseye (which counts as double 25).

Standard dartboard segment values apply throughout:

• Single segment = face value (1–20)
• Double ring (outer narrow) = 2× face value (2–40)
• Triple ring (inner narrow) = 3× face value (3–60)
• Outer bullseye = 25
• Inner bullseye = 50 (counts as a double for checkout purposes)

Advancing: If you successfully check out, move up 10 points to the next level. For example, after completing the 60 checkout, your next target becomes 70; after 70, you attempt 80, and so on up through 170.

Failing a level: If you do not check out within your 3 darts, you remain at the same level and reattempt it. Standard bust rules apply within each attempt — if a dart causes your remaining score to drop below zero, to reach exactly 1 (since no double can finish from 1), or to reach zero without the final dart being a double, the remaining darts in that attempt are void and the attempt is recorded as a failure.

Example — Level 100: You throw triple 20 (60), leaving 40. You then throw double 20 (40) — that's a successful 2-dart checkout. You advance to the 110 level. Alternatively, if your first dart lands in single 20 (20), leaving 80, and your second dart hits single 20 again (leaving 60), and your third dart lands in single 20 (leaving 40), you have failed to reach zero and must reattempt level 100.

The difficulty jump: Note that checkouts up to 110 can be completed in 2 darts or fewer, while checkouts from 111 to 170 require all 3 darts, dramatically increasing the difficulty in the upper half of the pyramid.

Track the following statistics to measure your performance:

• Highest level achieved: The highest checkout you successfully completed (your "ceiling").
• Success rate: The number of successful checkouts out of total attempts at each level.
• Total darts used: The cumulative number of darts thrown across all attempts, which reflects overall efficiency.

For a more granular scoring system, award points based on how efficiently you complete each checkout:

• 3 points — checkout completed with 1 dart (possible only at the 60 level or below, e.g., hitting double 20 for a remaining 40 after a bust reduction is not applicable here since each level starts fresh; a 1-dart finish at 60 would require hitting single bull 25 — which does not finish on a double — so in practice, 1-dart finishes apply only at levels like 50 via inner bull, if using a variant starting level).
• 2 points — checkout completed with 2 darts (e.g., at level 80: triple 20 leaving 20, then double 10).
• 1 point — checkout completed with all 3 darts (e.g., at level 130: triple 20, triple 20, double 5).
• 0 points — failed attempt.

A perfect run through all twelve levels yields a maximum of 24 points if every checkout is completed in 2 darts, or 36 points if a 3-point scale is applied and all checkouts are completed in the minimum number of darts possible. Use your cumulative score to benchmark progress over multiple training sessions.

As a solo training exercise, the ultimate goal is to complete the full pyramid — successfully checking out every level from 60 through 170 in sequence. Reaching the summit at 170 (typically thrown as triple 20, triple 20, inner bullseye) represents mastery of the entire practical checkout range in darts.

Track your ceiling (the highest level you can consistently reach) and your success rate at each level over multiple sessions. Improvement is measured by pushing your ceiling higher and increasing your first-attempt success percentage. If two players train simultaneously, they may compare final scores or highest levels achieved to introduce a competitive element.

Beginner Pyramid: Start at a lower checkout, such as 20 or 40, to build confidence with easier finishes before attempting the standard 60–170 range. This is recommended for players still learning basic checkout paths.

Step-5 Pyramid: Use increments of 5 instead of 10 (e.g., 60, 65, 70, 75, …, 170) for a more gradual progression. This creates 23 levels instead of 12 and provides additional practice at odd checkout numbers that demand different setup shots.

Lives System: Add a stakes element by giving yourself 3 lives. Each failed attempt costs one life. If you lose all 3 lives, you must restart the pyramid from 60. This variation adds pressure that simulates match-play nerves.

Reverse Pyramid: Start at 170 and work downward to 60. This front-loads the hardest checkouts when you are freshest, and the descending difficulty provides positive momentum as the session progresses. Also known informally as Checkout Pyramid in some training circles. A related formalized variant is the GoDartsPro Checkout Challenge, which starts at 21, adds 10 on each success, subtracts 1 on each failure, and is played for a fixed 20-minute period.

Memorize the standard checkout table: Before stepping to the oche, study the optimal checkout paths for every number from 60 to 170. Knowing instantly that 120 is best approached as triple 20, single 20, double 20 — or that 170 requires triple 20, triple 20, inner bull — eliminates hesitation and lets you focus entirely on execution.

Master the setup shot: The first dart (or first two darts) of a checkout are just as important as the finishing double. For example, at the 100 level, hitting triple 20 with your first dart leaves a clean double 20 — but missing into single 20 leaves 80, which now demands a precise second dart to set up your double. Practice deliberate setup shots, not just doubles.

Favor forgiving doubles: When you have a choice of checkout path, route toward doubles that leave useful numbers if you miss. Double 16 is the professional favorite because missing inside (hitting single 16) leaves 16, which sets up double 8; missing double 8 inside leaves double 4, and so on. Build your checkout paths around D20, D16, and D8 whenever possible.

Respect the 110-to-120 wall: The jump from 2-dart checkouts (up to 110) to mandatory 3-dart checkouts (111–170) is the single largest difficulty increase in the pyramid. If you consistently stall at this threshold, dedicate focused sessions to the 111–130 range before attempting the full climb.

Log your sessions: Record your ceiling, success rate per level, and total darts used each time you play. Over weeks of practice, these numbers reveal exactly where your checkout game is weakest — and targeted practice on those specific levels will push your ceiling higher far faster than repeating the full pyramid every session.