Up Down Count-Up

Score the highest cumulative total after a series of alternating Plus Rounds and Minus Rounds. In Plus Rounds your points are added to your running total; in Minus Rounds they are subtracted. The player with the highest score at the end of all rounds wins.

Up Down Count-Up is played on a standard dartboard. Two or more players may compete. Each player begins with a running total of 0. Prepare a scoreboard with a column for each player to track their cumulative score round by round.

Determine throwing order by having each player throw one dart at the bullseye; the closest dart throws first. The total number of rounds should be agreed upon before play begins — the game originates on the Phoenix electronic darts platform, where the round count is configurable. A common format uses 8–10 rounds, though players may choose any even number of rounds to ensure an equal number of Plus and Minus Rounds.

The game proceeds in numbered rounds. Each round is designated as either a Plus Round or a Minus Round, alternating throughout the game. Round 1 is a Plus Round, Round 2 is a Minus Round, Round 3 is a Plus Round, and so on.

On each turn a player throws three darts. Standard dartboard segment values apply:

• 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

During a Plus Round, the total of the player's three darts is added to their running score. During a Minus Round, the total of the player's three darts is subtracted from their running score.

For example, if a player scores triple 20, single 20, and single 5 during a Plus Round, they add 85 points (60 + 20 + 5) to their total. If that same throw occurred during a Minus Round, 85 points would be subtracted instead.

A player's running total may go negative during the course of play. There is no bust rule — all darts count, and no turn is ever voided. Darts that miss the scoring area (landing off the board or in the non-scoring outer rim) simply score zero for that dart.

Standard dartboard point values are used throughout:

• 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: 50 points

The maximum a player can score in a single Plus Round is 180 (three triple-20s), adding 180 to their total. Conversely, the best outcome in a Minus Round is to score 0 — hitting no scoring segment at all — so that nothing is subtracted.

For example, consider a player after four rounds: Plus Round 1 they score 85, Minus Round 2 they score 12, Plus Round 3 they score 100, Minus Round 4 they score 45. Their running total would be 85 − 12 + 100 − 45 = 128.

After all rounds have been completed, the player with the highest cumulative score wins the game. If two or more players are tied at the end of the final round, an additional pair of rounds (one Plus, one Minus) may be played as a tiebreaker, repeating until the tie is broken.

Configurable Round Count: The Phoenix electronic darts platform allows players to adjust the total number of rounds. Shorter games (e.g., 6 rounds) produce quicker sessions suited to casual play, while longer games (e.g., 12 or more rounds) reward consistency and are better suited to competitive settings.

Reverse Start: Some groups begin with a Minus Round rather than a Plus Round, reversing the standard alternation. This has no effect on total round balance when an even number of rounds is played, but it does change early-game psychology — players must immediately attempt to minimize their score.

Maximise the swing, don't just score: The game is won on the difference between your Plus and Minus Rounds. A player who averages 100 in Plus Rounds and only 10 in Minus Rounds (net +90 per pair) will beat a player who averages 120 in Plus Rounds but concedes 60 in Minus Rounds (net +60 per pair). Practising low-scoring accuracy in Minus Rounds is just as important as high-scoring accuracy in Plus Rounds.

Target triple 20 in Plus Rounds: As with any accumulation game, the triple-20 bed offers the highest possible return — up to 180 per round. Even consistently hitting single 20s yields 60, a respectable Plus Round total for club-level players.

Aim off-board or at thin wire in Minus Rounds: During Minus Rounds your goal is to score as close to zero as possible. Deliberately throwing at the non-scoring rim of the board, or at the narrow wire boundaries between segments, minimises the damage. Resist the instinct to throw accurately — this is the mind-bending core of the game.

Beware the 5–20 corridor: When aiming to miss in Minus Rounds, stray darts often land in the 5 or 1 segments near the board's edge — low-value but not zero. If you instead aim at the top of the board above the 20, a miss off the board scores nothing while a miss onto the board at worst hits single 20. In contrast, aiming at a low-value segment "to keep subtracted points small" still costs you points unnecessarily.

Track opponents closely: Because totals can swing dramatically from round to round, monitor your opponents' scores after every round. Knowing whether you need a big Plus Round to catch up — or simply a clean Minus Round to protect a lead — shapes your risk-taking on every throw.