Unders

Be the last player standing by consistently scoring under your own previous turn's total with each successive visit to the oche. Every time you fail to beat your target downward, you lose a life. The game demands increasingly precise control as your target shrinks round after round, making Unders the more challenging half of the classic Overs/Unders pub-darts pairing.

Unders requires a standard dartboard, a set of darts for each player, and a scoreboard. Two or more players may compete. Write each player's name on the scoreboard and assign 3 lives to every participant (represented by tally marks or any clear notation).

Determine throwing order by each player throwing a single dart at the bullseye; the closest dart throws first, with subsequent order proceeding clockwise or as agreed. Beside each player's name, leave space to record their current target score — this will update after every turn.

The game proceeds in rounds. On each turn, a player throws three darts and totals the score of all three using standard dartboard values:

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

First turn (setting the target): Each player's opening visit is a free turn used to establish their personal target score. There is no penalty on this turn — the three-dart total simply becomes that player's target for the next round. Players should aim to score as high as possible; a maximum of 180 (three triple-20s) is the ideal opening because it provides the widest margin for subsequent turns.

Subsequent turns: From the second turn onward, a player must score strictly less than their current target. If the player succeeds, the score they just threw becomes their new (lower) target for the following round. If the player fails — scoring equal to or greater than their current target — they lose one life, and their target is updated to whatever they actually scored on that failed turn.

Example: A player's current target is 85. They throw single 20, single 14, and single 10 for a total of 44. Because 44 is less than 85, the turn is successful and the player's new target becomes 44. On their next visit, they must now score under 44. If instead they had thrown triple 20, single 18, and single 7 for a total of 85, that would equal the target — which counts as a failure. The player would lose a life, and their new target would be set at 85.

Zero scores: If a player misses the board entirely with all three darts, that counts as a score of 0. Whether deliberate misses are permitted varies by house rule — confirm before play begins. A score of 0 is always under any positive target, so it is a valid (if desperate) survival tactic where allowed.

When a player loses their final life, they are eliminated. Play continues among the surviving players until only one remains.

Standard dartboard point values apply to all three darts thrown per turn:

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

The three-dart total is what matters each turn. For example, if a player's target is 60 and they throw single 5, single 12, and double 10 (5 + 12 + 20 = 37), they succeed because 37 is under 60. Their new target is now 37. On the scoreboard, record each player's current target alongside their remaining lives so all participants can track the state of play.

The maximum possible three-dart total is 180 (triple 20 × 3). The minimum possible score while hitting the board is 3 (three single 1s). These boundaries illustrate why a high opening score is so valuable — and why the game grows progressively more difficult as targets contract.

The last player retaining at least one life wins the game. There is no tiebreak required because players are eliminated one at a time; if two players lose their final life in the same round, the player who threw later in the round is considered to have survived longer and wins. In casual play, groups often play multiple games, and players may agree to a match format such as best of 3 or best of 5 games.

Random Target (Version 2): Instead of each player tracking their own progressive target, a single random number between 4 and 179 is generated at the start of each round (using a random number app, a spinner, or any agreed method). All players must score under that number with their three-dart visit. Any player who fails loses a life. A new random target is drawn for the next round. This version removes the progressive-squeeze mechanic and replaces it with shared, unpredictable targets.

Overs/Unders Hybrid: Some groups alternate rounds of Overs (where players must score above their target) with rounds of Unders, combining both games into a single contest that tests the full range of scoring control.

Adjustable Lives: For shorter or longer sessions, groups may start with fewer lives (e.g., 2) or more lives (e.g., 5). Increasing the life count favours newer players and extends the game.

Unders is the companion game to Overs, which uses the same life-loss structure but requires players to score higher than their previous turn. Unders is generally regarded as the harder variant because deliberately scoring low with precision is more challenging than simply aiming for high-value segments, and the target continually shrinks toward increasingly narrow margins.

Maximise your opening score: Your first turn sets the ceiling for the entire game. Aim for triple 20 with all three darts. Even landing two triple-20s and a single 20 (140) gives you substantial room to work with. A weak opening — say, 45 — leaves almost no margin and puts you in survival mode immediately.

Decrease in controlled steps: Resist the temptation to score as low as possible on any single turn. If your target is 120, aim for something around 80–100 rather than trying to land 20. Gradual reductions keep your future targets manageable across many rounds, whereas a dramatic drop can leave you needing to hit single-digit totals far too early.

Know your low-scoring segments: When targets become tight, shift your aim to the lower-numbered segments. The 1, 5, and 20 segment cluster on one side of the board and the 3, 19, and 7 cluster on the other both offer routes to consistently low totals. Three single 1s scores just 3 — know where that segment is without hesitation.

Use the board geography to your advantage: If your target is, say, 15, you need all three darts to average 4 or less. Aim at single 1; even a stray dart into the adjacent 20 could bust your turn. At very low targets, some house rules allow deliberately missing the board for a score of 0 — confirm this option before you need it.

Watch your opponents' targets: Unders is a survival game, not a race. Keep an eye on which opponents are being squeezed into dangerously low targets and how many lives they have left. If you are comfortably ahead, play conservatively — there is no reward for flair, only for outlasting everyone else.