Hare and Hounds

Hare and Hounds is an asymmetric two-player chase game played around the physical layout of a standard dartboard. One player assumes the role of the Hare and the other the Hound. The Hare's goal is to complete a full lap around the board and return to the starting number before being caught. The Hound's goal is to close the gap and catch or pass the Hare before the lap is complete.

Because each player begins at a different position on the board, the game creates a tense pursuit in which the Hare must move quickly while the Hound tries to run down its quarry — making it an ideal game for players of mixed ability when paired with the optional handicap system.

Only two players are required, plus a standard dartboard and a set of three darts per player. Designate one player as the Hare and the other as the Hound. Roles may be decided by a coin flip or by each player throwing a single dart at the bullseye, with the closest choosing their preferred role.

The Hare begins on number 20. The Hound begins on number 5 — one position clockwise from 20 on the physical board. Both players will move clockwise around the board following the standard clockwise number order: 20 – 1 – 18 – 4 – 13 – 6 – 10 – 15 – 2 – 17 – 3 – 19 – 7 – 16 – 8 – 11 – 14 – 9 – 12 – 5. Note that this is the physical arrangement of segments around the board, not numerical order.

No numerical score is tracked. Instead, the scoreboard (or a simple piece of paper) should list the twenty numbers in clockwise order and show each player's current position. Mark the Hare's starting position at 20 and the Hound's starting position at 5.

Players alternate turns, each throwing three darts per visit. On each turn, a player attempts to hit the number on which they currently sit. A valid hit on that number — whether it lands in the single, double, or treble segment — advances the player one position clockwise to the next number in the sequence. Players may not skip ahead; every number in the sequence must be hit in order.

If a player hits their current number more than once in a single turn, they advance one position for each hit. For example, if the Hare is on 18 and throws two darts into the 18 segment (in any combination of single, double, or treble) and the third dart misses, the Hare advances two positions — first from 18 to 4, then from 4 to 13 — and will begin the next turn on 13.

Darts that land in any segment other than the player's current target number have no effect and are simply wasted. There are no bust rules, no penalties, and no point values to track — only forward movement along the clockwise sequence matters.

Important clarifications:

• A hit on the double of your current number counts as one advance (not two), because it is the number that matters, not the multiplied point value.
• Likewise, a treble of your current number counts as one advance.
• The Hare always throws first, since the Hare is the quarry and must try to stay ahead.

Hare and Hounds uses no numerical scoring. The only information to track is each player's current position on the board. After each turn, update the player's marker to reflect how many positions they advanced (zero, one, two, or three).

The full clockwise sequence for reference is:

• 20 – 1 – 18 – 4 – 13 – 6 – 10 – 15 – 2 – 17 – 3 – 19 – 7 – 16 – 8 – 11 – 14 – 9 – 12 – 5

For example, if the Hound starts on 5 and hits 5 once in the first turn, the Hound moves to 20. If the Hound then hits 20 twice in the next turn, the Hound moves from 20 to 1, then from 1 to 18, and now sits on 18. Meanwhile, a quick Hare who hits all three darts on 20 in the opening turn would advance from 20 to 1, 1 to 18, and 18 to 4 — sitting on 4 after just one visit.

The Hare wins by completing a full lap around the board and returning to 20 before being caught. Because the Hare starts on 20, this means the Hare must travel through all 19 remaining numbers in clockwise order (1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5) and then hit 20 once more to finish the circuit.

The Hound wins by catching up to or passing the Hare's position on the board at any point during play. If, after any dart or turn, the Hound occupies the same number as the Hare or has moved beyond the Hare's position in the clockwise sequence, the Hound wins immediately — the Hare has been caught. In practice, because the Hound starts just one position behind the Hare (5 is one step clockwise past 12 and one step behind 20), the Hound must traverse the board faster than the Hare to close the gap from behind.

Fox Hunt (Fox and Hounds): This is the most common alternate name for the same game. The Hare is called the Fox and the Hound remains the Hound. All rules are identical; only the thematic naming differs.

Handicap Start: To balance a game between players of unequal skill, adjust the Hound's starting position to give the Hare more breathing room. For example, start the Hound on 9 or 12 instead of 5, which places the Hound several extra positions behind the Hare. The greater the skill gap, the farther back the Hound should start. This makes Hare and Hounds one of the best pub games for mixed-ability groups.

Doubles-Only Advancement: In this stricter variant, a player must hit the double of their current number to advance. Single and treble hits do not count. This dramatically slows the pace and increases difficulty, making it better suited to experienced players.

Head-Start Hare: Some house rules allow the Hare to throw for two or three turns before the Hound begins, giving the Hare a significant positional lead. This is an alternative to adjusting the Hound's starting position and serves the same balancing purpose.

Multi-Player Hounds: A single Hare can be chased by two or more Hounds, each starting on 5 (or staggered positions). The Hare must outrun all of them. Hounds take individual turns in rotation with the Hare, increasing the pressure on the fleeing player.

Build an early lead as the Hare: The opening turns are critical. The Hare starts on 20 — the board's most familiar target — so capitalize on this advantage by hitting 20 multiple times in your first visit. Every position of daylight you create early forces the Hound into a longer chase.

Stay composed as the Hound: The Hound begins only one position behind the Hare and effectively has the structural advantage of pursuit — if both players advance at roughly the same rate, the Hound wins. Resist the urge to rush or panic; calm, consistent throwing will close the gap naturally.

Drill the awkward middle numbers: Segments like 17, 3, 19, and 7 sit in the lower-left quadrant of the board, an area many players neglect in practice. Games are frequently decided here, as one player stalls on an unfamiliar number while the other advances smoothly. Spend practice time targeting these segments specifically.

Use doubles and trebles tactically: While a double or treble of your current number still counts as only one advance, remember that the bed you aim for matters. If you find the treble ring of a particular number easier to group on than the single, aim there — any hit in the correct number's segment advances you. Choose the largest or most comfortable target area for each number.

Negotiate a fair handicap before playing: If there is a clear skill difference between players, use the handicap system. Moving the Hound's start back to 9 or 12 (two or three extra positions behind) can turn a lopsided game into a genuine contest. Agree on the handicap before the first dart is thrown.