London Fives 505

Be the first player to reduce your score from exactly 505 (or another agreed starting total) to exactly zero on a London Fives dartboard — a specialized 12-segment board where the numbers 5, 10, 15, and 20 each appear three times around the face. The final dart must land in a double segment or the inner bullseye.

London Fives 505 requires a London Fives dartboard, a distinctive 12-segment board featuring only multiples of five: 5, 10, 15, and 20, each repeated three times around the board. The board's doubles (outer narrow ring) and trebles (inner narrow ring) are extremely narrow — noticeably thinner than those found on a standard dartboard or even the wider Ipswich Fives board. This is the defining physical characteristic of the London Fives variant.

The centre of the bullseye is mounted at a height of 5 ft 6 in from the floor. The throwing distance (oche) is set at 9 ft from the face of the board. Each player begins with a score of 505, clearly marked on the scoreboard. Other agreed starting totals — 305, 705, 805, or 1005 — may be used, but 505 is the standard.

Throwing order is determined before play by each player throwing a single dart at the bullseye (closest to the centre throws first), or by coin toss. Players should confirm before the match begins whether double-in (first scoring dart must be a double) or straight-in (any dart scores immediately) rules are in effect. Traditional league play typically requires double-in and double-out; competition formats increasingly favour straight-in with double-out.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. After each visit, the total of the three darts is subtracted from the player's remaining score. Play follows the same core mechanics as standard X01 games, adapted to the London Fives board layout.

The board's scoring segments are as follows:

• Single – face value of the segment (5, 10, 15, or 20)
• Double ring (outer narrow ring) – 2× the segment's face value
• Treble ring (inner narrow ring) – 3× the segment's face value
• Outer bullseye – 25 points
• Inner bullseye – 50 points (counts as a double for finishing purposes)

Bust rule: If a player's remaining score goes below zero, reaches exactly 1 (since no double can produce a score of 1), or reaches zero without the final dart landing in a double (or inner bullseye), the entire turn is void. The player's score reverts to what it was at the start of that visit. For example, if a player has 30 remaining and throws a single 20 (leaving 10), then a single 15, the total of 35 exceeds the remaining 30 — the turn is bust and the score resets to 30.

Only darts whose points are touching the scoring surface of the board count. A dart that bounces off the wiring, falls from the board, or misses the board entirely scores zero and may not be re-thrown.

If double-in rules are in effect, no darts score until the player lands a dart in a double segment or the inner bullseye. Darts thrown before a valid double-in do not reduce the player's score. Once the double-in is achieved, any remaining darts in that visit score normally.

Because the London Fives board contains only multiples of five, all segment values are divisible by 5:

• Singles: 5, 10, 15, or 20 points
• Doubles: 10, 20, 30, or 40 points (2× the segment number)
• Trebles: 15, 30, 45, or 60 points (3× the segment number)
• Outer bullseye: 25 points
• Inner bullseye: 50 points

The maximum score per visit (three darts) is 180 — three treble-20s. Because the number 20 appears in three separate segments on the board, players have three distinct treble-20 beds to target, though the extremely narrow treble ring makes consistent 180s exceptionally difficult. A strong scoring visit of three single 20s yields 60 points. A visit of treble 20, treble 15, and treble 10 would score 60 + 45 + 30 = 135 points.

Because every segment value is a multiple of 5 and the bulls are 25 and 50, a player's remaining score will always end in 0 or 5 throughout the game — a distinctive feature of Fives dartboard play that simplifies scorekeeping but does not reduce the physical difficulty of hitting the board's narrow target areas.

The first player to reach exactly zero wins the leg. The final dart must land in a double segment or the inner bullseye. For example, a player on 40 remaining could finish with a double 20; a player on 50 could finish with the inner bullseye; a player on 10 could finish with double 5.

In match play involving multiple legs, the winner of the previous leg starts the next odd-numbered leg, while the loser starts even-numbered legs. Matches may be played as a single leg or as a best-of series (e.g., best of 5 legs). Players should agree on the match format before play begins.

Ipswich Fives (Wide Fives): The same game played on an Ipswich Fives dartboard, which features wider double and treble segments than the London board. The wider wiring makes the Ipswich variant significantly more forgiving, producing higher averages and more frequent checkouts. All other rules — three darts per turn, X01 countdown, double-out finish — remain identical. Ipswich Fives is sometimes preferred by newer players or in social settings.

Alternative starting scores: While 505 is the standard, leagues and players may agree on other starting totals: 305 for shorter games, or 705, 805, and 1005 for longer, more demanding contests. The rules of play are unchanged regardless of starting score.

Straight-in vs. Double-in: Traditional London Fives league play generally requires double-in (no darts score until the player hits a double or the inner bullseye). Many modern competition formats use straight-in (any dart scores from the first throw), retaining only the double-out requirement. Players or tournament directors should confirm which format is in effect before play.

Know your 20-segment positions: The number 20 appears in three separate segments around the London Fives board. Identify and memorise the positions of all three treble-20 beds. When scoring down, these are your primary targets — treble 20 (60 points) is the highest single-dart score available, and having three segments to choose from gives you options if one bed is obscured or you are grouping darts poorly in a particular area.

Respect the narrow wiring: The defining challenge of London Fives is the extremely narrow double and treble rings. Unlike a standard dartboard or even an Ipswich Fives board, errant darts will frequently slip into the single bed. Dedicate significant practice time specifically to the London Fives board — muscle memory from a standard board does not transfer directly due to the different segment widths and layout.

Plan your checkouts around available doubles: Only four double values exist on the board: double 5 (10), double 10 (20), double 15 (30), and double 20 (40), plus the inner bullseye (50). Learn the checkout paths that leave you on your strongest double. Many players favour double 20 because missing inside leaves single 20, which then sets up double 10 — maintaining a viable two-dart finish.

Use the bulls strategically: The outer bull (25) and inner bull (50) are valuable for both scoring and finishing. Since all segment values are multiples of 5, a score ending in 5 (e.g., 75, 55, 25) can only be zeroed out via the inner bullseye (50) combined with appropriate setup darts, or by hitting an odd combination through the bull itself. Recognising when to target the bullseye is essential for efficient checkouts.

Start with double-in practice if your league requires it: Under double-in rules, your first scoring dart must be a double or the inner bullseye — and on the London Fives board, those doubles are punishingly narrow. A slow start due to missed double-ins can put you several visits behind. Practise hitting double 20 and double 15 cold (without warm-up throws) to simulate the pressure of opening a leg.