Killer

Become a Killer by hitting your own double, then eliminate other players by hitting their doubles. Last player standing wins.

Each player throws one dart with their non-dominant hand at the board. Whatever number the dart lands in becomes that player's number for the game. If two players hit the same number, the second player re-throws. Write each player's name next to their number on the scoreboard, along with three lives (shown as marks or tally lines).

Killer works best with 3–8 players, though it can accommodate up to 20 if the board is large enough. With more than 8 players, some numbers may be shared (house rules vary).

The game has two phases for each player:

Phase 1: Become a Killer

On your turn, throw three darts trying to hit your own double (the double segment of your assigned number). Once you hit your own double, you become a Killer — mark a K next to your name on the board.

Phase 2: Eliminate Opponents

Once you are a Killer, your three darts each turn should target other players' doubles. Each hit on another player's double removes one of their three lives. When a player loses all three lives, they are eliminated.

Friendly fire: If a Killer accidentally hits their own double, they lose their Killer status and must re-earn it. Some house rules add a life penalty as well.

Non-Killers: Players who haven't yet become Killers cannot eliminate anyone. They can only work on hitting their own double.

Each player starts with 3 lives. There is no point-based scoring — only life tracking. Each time a Killer hits your double, you lose one life. At zero lives, you're out.

The last player remaining (the last one with at least one life) wins. Games with many players can take 20–30 minutes; with 3–4 players, typically under 15 minutes.

Blind Killer: Numbers are assigned secretly (drawn from a hat). No one knows who has which number, creating paranoia and bluffing.

5-Lives Killer: Each player starts with 5 lives instead of 3, extending the game for smaller groups.

Team Killer: Players are divided into teams. Teammates cannot target each other. Last team standing wins.

Killer Cricket: Hybrid where players must close their number (three hits) before becoming a Killer, rather than hitting a single double.

Choose your non-dominant throw wisely: Some players deliberately aim for numbers with easy-to-hit doubles (like 20 or 16, which have large double segments). Others aim for less common numbers to reduce incoming fire.

Become a Killer quickly: The longer you spend in Phase 1, the more vulnerable you are. Practice your own double before the game.

Pick your targets: Eliminate the strongest throwers first. There's no benefit in targeting weak players while a good player systematically takes you apart.

Watch for alliances: In larger games, informal alliances form. Be aware of who's targeting whom and adjust your strategy.