Lincoln Board Game

Be the first player (or team) to reduce a starting score to exactly zero, with the final dart landing in a double segment or the inner bullseye. The Lincoln Board — a regional dartboard with no treble ring and no outer bull — demands a distinctive approach to scoring and finishing, as the maximum score per dart is 50 (the centre bullseye) rather than the 60 available on a standard board.

The game is played on a Lincolnshire dartboard, which measures 15 inches in diameter to the outer edge of the double ring — notably wider than the closely related Yorkshire board (13.25 inches). The board uses the standard 1–20 number layout arranged in the conventional clockwise order, but differs from a standard dartboard in three critical ways: (1) it has no treble ring, (2) it has no outer bullseye (25), and (3) the entire face of the board is black, with only the wire segments and number ring providing visual reference.

Starting scores depend on the format being played. The standard competition formats in Lincoln league play are: 701 for pairs games, 501 for singles games, and 1501 for four-player team games. Record each player's or team's starting score on the scoreboard before play begins.

To determine throwing order, each player throws one dart at the bullseye; the player whose dart lands closest throws first. The game is played straight-in — no double is required to begin scoring — but a compulsory double finish is required to win.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. After all three darts have been thrown (or fewer, if the player checks out early), the combined total of the three darts is subtracted from that player's remaining score. Play then passes to the next player or team.

Because the Lincoln board has no treble ring and no outer bullseye, the scoring segments are limited to the following:

• Single segment: face value (1–20)
• Double ring (outer narrow band): 2× face value (2–40)
• Centre bullseye: 50 points (counts as a double for checkout purposes)

There is no 25-point outer bull ring on this board — the entire centre area is a single bullseye worth 50. There is no treble ring; darts landing anywhere in the main bed of a numbered segment score only single value.

Bust rule: A player's turn is declared void — and the score reverts to what it was at the start of that turn — if any of the following occur:

• The remaining score is reduced below zero.
• The remaining score is reduced to exactly 1 (since no double can produce a score of 1, a finish is impossible).
• The remaining score reaches exactly zero but the final dart did not land in a double segment or the bullseye.

For example, if a player has 40 remaining and throws a double 20 (40), that is a valid checkout. However, if that same player throws a single 20 (leaving 20) and then a single 20 again (leaving 0), the turn is void because the final dart was not a double — the score resets to 40. Similarly, if a player has 30 remaining and throws a single 20 (leaving 10), then a single 11, the total would exceed the remaining score; the turn is bust and the score resets to 30.

Darts that miss the scoring area entirely, bounce off the wire, or fall out of the board score zero and may not be re-thrown.

All scoring on the Lincoln board follows these values:

• Single: 1–20 points (face value of the segment)
• Double: 2–40 points (2× the segment number)
• Bullseye: 50 points (the single centre bull; counts as a double)

The maximum score per dart is 50 (the bullseye). The maximum score per visit (three darts) is therefore 150 — three consecutive bullseyes. This is the Lincoln board's equivalent of the 180 on a standard board and is a noteworthy achievement in league play.

For comparison, consistent scoring on the Lincoln board typically involves targeting the 20 segment. Three single 20s yield 60 per visit; mixing in bullseyes raises that ceiling. For example, two single 20s and a bullseye in the same visit would total 90.

The first player (or team) to reduce their score to exactly zero wins the leg. The final dart must land in a double segment or the centre bullseye. The highest possible checkout — the largest remaining score that can be finished in three darts — is 150 (bull, bull, bull), since the bullseye counts as a double.

In Lincoln league competition, a full match typically comprises: two pairs games of 701 (each played as best of three legs), four singles games of 501 (each best of three legs), and one four-player team game of 1501. League play in Lincoln spans approximately fifty teams across five divisions.

Yorkshire Board Game: The Lincoln board is itself a regional variation of the Yorkshire dartboard. Both boards share the same fundamental design — standard 1–20 layout, double ring, centre bullseye, no treble ring, and no outer bull — and are played under identical rules. The key physical differences are that the Lincoln board is wider (15 inches to the double ring, compared to the Yorkshire board's 13.25 inches), making its segments slightly larger and therefore marginally easier to hit, and that the Lincoln board's face is entirely black, whereas some Yorkshire boards may feature coloured segments.

Format variations within Lincoln leagues: While the rules of play remain constant, the starting score and team composition vary by format. Pairs 701 features two-player teams alternating throws against an opposing pair. Singles 501 is the standard head-to-head format. Team 1501 involves four players per side and the higher starting score accounts for the additional players sharing the same total.

Master the 20 segment: Without a treble ring, the single 20 is your primary scoring bed. Three consistent single 20s per visit (60 points) is a solid foundation; once you can group tightly in the 20 segment, begin mixing in bullseye attempts to push your average toward 70–90 per visit.

Use the bullseye strategically: At 50 points, the bullseye is the highest-value target on the board and also counts as a double for finishing. It is invaluable both for rapid scoring and for setting up or completing checkouts. Practise the bull regularly — it serves dual purpose in a way it does not on a standard board.

Learn double-out paths without trebles: Standard checkout charts assume treble availability and do not apply here. On a Lincoln board, a remaining score of 110, for example, requires creative routing: bull (50) leaves 60, then single 20 leaves 40, finished with double 20. Build your own checkout reference for scores up to 150 and memorise the most common paths.

Embrace the wider board: The Lincoln board's 15-inch diameter gives you larger target areas than the Yorkshire board. Use this to your advantage by throwing with confidence — the slightly more forgiving segments reward an aggressive, committed throw rather than a tentative one.

Plan your finish early: Because maximum checkout is only 150 (compared to 170 on a standard board), you enter finishing range sooner but have fewer route options. When your score drops below 150, begin planning your exact checkout path rather than simply throwing at 20s. Leaving yourself on a familiar double — such as double 16 (32) or double 20 (40) — gives you the best chance of closing out the leg efficiently.