Snooker Darts

Snooker Darts faithfully simulates a frame of snooker on a standard dartboard. The goal is to outscore your opponent by alternately potting reds (numbers 1–15) and colours (16–20 and the bullseye), accumulating points exactly as you would at the snooker table. The player with the highest total score after all balls have been potted wins the frame.

Snooker Darts is played between 2 players on a standard dartboard. The board segments are mapped to snooker balls as follows:

• Reds: Numbers 1–15 on the dartboard represent the 15 red balls. Each red is worth 1 point when potted.
• Yellow: Number 16 — worth 2 points
• Green: Number 17 — worth 3 points
• Brown: Number 18 — worth 4 points
• Blue: Number 19 — worth 5 points
• Pink: Number 20 — worth 6 points
• Black: Bullseye (inner or outer) — worth 7 points

Prepare a scoreboard with a running points total for each player. You should also maintain a clear record of which reds (1–15) have been potted, as each red may only be potted once. Determine the order of play by having each player throw a single dart at the bullseye — the player closest to the bull throws first.

Players alternate turns. Unlike most dart games, each turn in Snooker Darts typically involves throwing one dart at a time, mirroring the shot-by-shot nature of snooker. The fundamental rule is that you must always pot a red before attempting a colour, alternating between the two throughout the frame.

Potting reds: On your turn, you must first attempt to pot a red by hitting any segment numbered 1–15 that has not already been potted. Only the single, double, and triple segments of that number count as hitting that number. If you successfully hit an available red, you score 1 point, that red is permanently removed from play, and you proceed to attempt a colour.

Potting colours: After potting a red, you must nominate (call) your colour before throwing — announce which colour (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or bullseye) you intend to pot. You then throw one dart at your nominated colour. If you hit the called colour, you score its point value (2–7 points), and the colour is respotted — meaning it remains available for future attempts. You then continue your break by attempting another red.

Misses and fouls: If you miss your target on either a red or a colour attempt — that is, your dart lands in a segment other than the one you need — your turn ends immediately and your opponent comes to the table. A miss also constitutes a foul, which awards penalty points to your opponent. The foul penalty is the higher of 4 points or the point value of the ball you were attempting. For example:

• If you miss a red (worth 1 point), your opponent receives 4 points (the minimum foul value).
• If you miss the Brown (18, worth 4 points), your opponent receives 4 points.
• If you nominate the Pink (20, worth 6 points) and miss, your opponent receives 6 points.
• If you nominate the Black (bullseye, worth 7 points) and miss, your opponent receives 7 points.

The final colours phase: Once all 15 reds have been potted (and the final colour following the last red has been attempted), the game enters the final colours phase. The six colours must now be potted in ascending order: Yellow (16), then Green (17), then Brown (18), then Blue (19), then Pink (20), then Black (bullseye). In this phase, each colour is permanently removed from play once potted — they are no longer respotted. If a player misses a colour in this phase, the same foul rules apply and the opponent takes over, attempting that same colour.

Points are accumulated across the frame as a running total. The point values are:

• Red (segments 1–15): 1 point each
• Yellow (segment 16): 2 points
• Green (segment 17): 3 points
• Brown (segment 18): 4 points
• Blue (segment 19): 5 points
• Pink (segment 20): 6 points
• Black (bullseye): 7 points

A player's score increases each time they pot a ball. Additionally, foul points awarded by an opponent's miss are added directly to your total. For example, if you have 20 points and your opponent misses a nominated Pink (worth 6), your score immediately becomes 26 points.

The maximum possible break — potting all 15 reds, each followed by the Black, then clearing the final colours in order — yields 147 points, exactly as in real snooker. This is calculated as: 15 × (1 + 7) = 120 from the red-black pairs, plus 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 27 from the final colours. In practice, achieving a 147 in Snooker Darts requires hitting the bullseye 15 consecutive times as your colour choice, which is an extraordinary feat of accuracy.

The frame ends when all balls have been potted — all 15 reds and all 6 colours in sequence. The player with the higher cumulative score wins the frame. Note that because foul points are awarded to the non-offending player, it is possible for a player to win without having potted as many balls, if they accumulated enough foul penalties from their opponent.

For match play, frames may be played in a best-of-3 or best-of-5 format, as agreed upon before the match begins. If a frame ends in a tie (rare, but theoretically possible due to foul point distributions), the Black is re-spotted and both players throw one dart at the bullseye — the player who hits it (or lands closer) wins the frame.

Simplified Snooker: In this casual variant, players are not required to call their colour before throwing. After potting a red, the player simply attempts any colour of their choosing without announcing it in advance. This speeds up play and reduces disputes but removes the strategic element of declaration.

Short-Frame Snooker: For a quicker game, only segments 1–6 serve as reds (6 red balls instead of 15). All other rules remain the same. This significantly reduces the frame length and is well-suited to pub play where time is limited.

Speed Snooker: A timed variant in which each player is given a strict time limit per throw (e.g., 10 or 15 seconds). Failure to throw within the allotted time counts as a foul, awarding the minimum 4 points to the opponent.

Doubles and Trebles Count: In some house rules, hitting the double or triple ring of a red segment counts as potting two or three reds in a single throw, respectively. For example, hitting double 7 would pot both a red worth 1 point and a second red worth 1 point (2 points total), and the player would then attempt colours for each red potted. This accelerates play but departs from the one-ball-per-shot spirit of snooker.

Always nominate the Black for maximum points: After every red, the optimal play is to call the Black (bullseye) worth 7 points. A successful red-black pair earns 8 points compared to just 3 points for a red-yellow pair. Over 15 reds, this difference is enormous — 120 points versus 45 from red-colour combinations alone. If your bullseye accuracy is reasonable, always go for Black.

Weigh risk against foul penalties: The minimum foul penalty of 4 points is substantial — it is four times the value of a red. If you are not confident in hitting the bullseye, consider nominating a lower colour you can hit reliably. Missing the Black gives your opponent 7 free points, while missing the Yellow gives only 4. A safe 2-point colour pot is far better than a speculative Black attempt that gifts your opponent 7 points.

Track the remaining reds carefully: As the frame progresses, fewer reds remain available on the board. With only a handful of reds left, the board narrows your options — you may need to hit specific single segments you rarely practice. Be aware of which reds are still in play so you can plan your throws accordingly and avoid aiming at already-potted numbers, which would count as a miss.

Calculate the points gap and adjust strategy: Just as in real snooker, keep a running count of the difference between your score and your opponent's, and the maximum points remaining on the table. If you are trailing by 30 points with only 4 reds left, the maximum you can earn from reds and blacks is 32 plus the final colours (27) — leaving very little margin. In such situations, you may need to rely on your opponent incurring fouls or take risks on higher-value colours to close the gap.

Master the final colours sequence: The endgame — potting Yellow, Green, Brown, Blue, Pink, and Black in order — is worth 27 points and can completely change the outcome of a close frame. Practice hitting segments 16 through 20 and the bullseye in sequence. Many players neglect the lower-left quadrant of the board (where 16, 17, and 18 reside), and this is precisely where the endgame begins.