Under the Hat

Under the Hat is a DARTSLIVE electronic dartboard game in which players attempt to outscore the previous player's three-dart total on every turn. Each time you succeed, you metaphorically "stack a hat" and survive the round. Each time you fail to beat the target, you lose one of your 5 lives. The goal is to be the last player standing after all opponents have been eliminated.

Under the Hat is designed for play on a DARTSLIVE electronic dartboard. The game supports 2 to 4 players in singles and 3 to 8 players in doubles format. Each player (or team) begins with 5 life points, which are tracked automatically by the machine.

Determine throwing order by any agreed-upon method — closest to the bullseye, coin toss, or random assignment by the machine. The first player's three-dart total establishes the opening target that the second player must beat. No special equipment beyond the standard electronic dartboard and darts is required.

Players take turns throwing 3 darts per visit. Standard dartboard segment values apply:

• Single segment = face value (1–20)
• Double ring (outer narrow) = 2× face value
• Triple ring (inner narrow) = 3× face value
• Outer bullseye = 25
• Inner bullseye = 50

After each turn, the player's three-dart total is compared to the previous player's three-dart total. To survive the round — to "stack the hat" — the current player must score strictly higher than the previous player's total. Matching the previous score is not sufficient; you must exceed it.

Losing a life: If a player's three-dart total is less than or equal to the previous player's total, that player loses 1 life point. For example, if Player A throws a total of 75 and Player B throws exactly 75 or anything below 75, Player B loses a life. Player B would need at least 76 to survive.

Setting the new target: Regardless of whether the current player succeeded or failed, their three-dart total becomes the new target that the next player must beat. This means a low score from a struggling player can give the following player a reprieve, while a high score ratchets up the pressure.

Elimination: When a player loses all 5 lives, they are eliminated from the game and take no further turns. Play continues among the remaining players in the established throwing order, skipping eliminated players.

Standard electronic dartboard scoring applies for each three-dart visit. The total of all three darts in a single turn is the only figure that matters — there is no cumulative score across rounds.

• Single: 1–20 points
• Double: 2–40 points (2× the segment number)
• Triple: 3–60 points (3× the segment number)
• Outer bull: 25 points
• Inner bull (double bull): 50 points

The maximum possible three-dart total is 180 (three triple-20s). For example, if the previous player scored 100, you might throw single 20, triple 19 (57), and single 18 for a total of 95 — this would not beat the target of 100, and you would lose a life. Had you instead thrown triple 20 (60), single 20, and single 19 for a total of 99, you would still lose a life because 99 does not exceed 100. You need at least 101 to survive.

The last player with at least 1 life remaining wins the game. Players are progressively eliminated as they lose all 5 of their life points, and the game concludes when only one player remains.

If playing multiple rounds or in a tournament setting, players may agree to a best-of series (e.g., best of 3 games) before the session begins.

Under the Hat is a proprietary DARTSLIVE game, and no widely recognized named variations are documented. The game itself shares conceptual similarities with other score-chasing elimination games in which players must match or exceed a threshold, but its specific "hat stacking" presentation and life-point system are unique to the DARTSLIVE platform. The core mechanic — beat the previous player's score or suffer a penalty — can be adapted to steel-tip play by manually tracking lives on a scoreboard.

Manage the target, not just your score: Under the Hat is as much about what you leave for the next player as it is about survival. Throwing an explosive 140 feels great, but if you are followed in the rotation by a weaker opponent, you have already done the damage — you do not need to set an astronomical bar. A consistent 60–80 keeps you safe without creating a target you yourself may struggle to beat when it comes back around.

Understand the escalation trap: When two strong players trade increasingly high scores, the pressure spirals quickly. If the target climbs above 120, even skilled throwers risk losing a life. Recognize when the target is already high enough to trouble your opponents and focus on just clearing it rather than padding your total further.

Target triple 19 as a safety valve: Triple 20 (60) is the highest single-dart score, but missing it often lands you in the 1 or 5 segments. Triple 19 (57) is nearly as valuable, and misses tend to land in the 7 or 3 — still reasonable single-dart scores. When you need to safely accumulate points, spreading risk across high-value trebles can be more reliable than hammering triple 20 exclusively.

Watch your opponents' life counts: A player on their last life will throw aggressively and may set a very high target. Be aware of the rotation — if the desperate player is immediately before you, brace for a tough target. If they are far away in the order, their high score may be diluted by intervening turns before it reaches you.

First-thrower advantage — use it wisely: The very first player of the game sets the opening target with no pressure to beat anyone. Use this turn to establish a strong but sustainable score (e.g., 80–100). A dominant opening throw can immediately put the second player under pressure and set the tone for the entire game.