Yorkshire 501

Be the first player to reduce your score from exactly 501 to exactly zero, playing on a Yorkshire dartboard — a regional board that features no treble ring and no outer bullseye. The final dart must land in a double segment or the bullseye (which counts as double 25). The absence of trebles makes the maximum score per dart just 40 (double 20), fundamentally changing the pace and strategy of the classic 501 countdown.

Each player (or team) begins with a score of 501. The game is played on a Yorkshire dartboard, which uses the same 1–20 number layout and diameter as a standard London board but differs in two critical ways: there is no treble ring anywhere on the board, and there is only a single bullseye (50 points) at the centre — no outer bull (25) ring exists. The board contains only single segments, double segments (the outer narrow ring), and the single bullseye.

The oche (throwing line) is set at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) from the face of the board, and the bullseye is mounted at a height of 5 ft 3 in (1.61 m) from the floor. These measurements match standard Yorkshire league specifications.

To determine throwing order, each player throws one dart at the bullseye; the closest dart goes first. The scoreboard should display 501 for each player or team. Before play begins, confirm whether the match uses double-in (the traditional Yorkshire competition format, requiring a double to begin scoring) or straight-in (used in some leagues, where any dart counts from the first throw). In all cases, a double-out finish is mandatory.

Players take turns throwing three darts per visit. After each visit, the total of all three darts is subtracted from the player's remaining score. Play alternates until one player reaches exactly zero.

Because the Yorkshire board has no treble ring, the available scoring segments are:

• Single segment – face value (1–20)
• Double ring (outer narrow ring) – 2× face value (2–40)
• Bullseye – 50 points (counts as double 25)

There are no treble segments and no outer bullseye (25) on the Yorkshire board. Any dart landing outside the double ring or off the board scores zero. Darts that bounce out of the board or miss entirely may not be re-thrown.

Double-in rule (when in effect): No score is recorded until a player lands a dart in a double segment or the bullseye. For example, if a player's first dart is single 20 and second dart is double 16, only the double 16 (32 points) and any subsequent darts in that visit count. The single 20 is disregarded because it preceded the opening double.

Bust rule: If a player's remaining score would go below zero, reach exactly 1 (since no double can score 1), or reach zero without the final dart landing in a double, the entire turn is void and the score reverts to what it was at the start of that visit. For example, if you have 40 remaining and throw single 20 (leaving 20), then single 19 (which would leave 1), that turn is bust — your score resets to 40. Conversely, if you have 40 remaining and throw double 20 with your first dart, you have checked out and won the leg immediately; the remaining two darts are not thrown.

The bullseye as a finishing double: Because the bullseye counts as double 25, it is a valid checkout dart. If you have 50 remaining, you may finish with a single bullseye hit.

Point values on the Yorkshire dartboard are as follows:

• Single: 1–20 points (face value of the segment)
• Double: 2–40 points (2× the segment number)
• Bullseye: 50 points (functions as double 25 for starting and finishing purposes)

Because no treble ring exists, the maximum score per visit (three darts) is 120 — achieved by hitting three double 20s (3 × 40 = 120). This compares to 180 on a standard London board. In practice, a strong three-dart visit on a Yorkshire board might look like: double 20 (40) + double 20 (40) + single 20 (20) = 100. A more typical club-level visit of three single 20s scores just 60.

The highest possible checkout (the score you can finish from in a single three-dart visit) is 120 — double 20, double 20, double 20 — though this is exceptionally rare. A more practical high checkout is 110: bullseye (50) + double 20 (40) + double 15 (30), or similar combinations. Standard London board checkout charts do not apply to Yorkshire 501; players must learn Yorkshire-specific finishing paths.

The first player or team to reach exactly zero wins the leg. The final dart of the game must land in a double segment or the bullseye (double 25). If playing a match format, players typically compete over multiple legs (e.g., best of 3, best of 5) as agreed before the match or as specified by league rules.

Because the maximum three-dart score is only 120 (compared to 180 on a standard board), legs of Yorkshire 501 generally take more visits to complete, placing a premium on sustained accuracy and consistent doubles finishing throughout the game.

Straight-in Yorkshire 501: Some Yorkshire leagues dispense with the double-in requirement, allowing any dart to score from the first throw. The double-out finish remains compulsory. This speeds up the opening phase of each leg and is the more common format in casual play.

Yorkshire 301: The same Yorkshire board rules applied to a starting score of 301. With a lower starting total, legs are shorter but the double-in requirement (when enforced) becomes proportionally more significant, as failing to hit an early double wastes a greater share of the game.

Yorkshire 701: A longer-format variant starting at 701. This extended countdown rewards stamina and consistent scoring, as players must sustain their accuracy over many more visits before reaching checkout range.

Relation to standard 501: Yorkshire 501 is a regional variant of the parent game 501, adapted for the Yorkshire dartboard. The Yorkshire board was historically the dominant board in Northern England until the 1970s, when many leagues transitioned to the London (standard) board. However, it remains in active competitive use in parts of Yorkshire to this day.

Master the doubles — they are everything: On a Yorkshire board, the double ring is both the highest-scoring segment (double 20 = 40) and required for checkout (and often for starting). Unlike standard 501 where treble 20 is the power-scoring zone, here your doubles accuracy is your scoring rate. Practise doubles relentlessly — they serve double duty in every phase of the game.

Use the bullseye as a strategic weapon: The bullseye scores 50 and counts as a double, making it the single highest-value target on the board. It can open your game (in double-in formats) and close it out from 50. Integrate bullseye practice into your routine — it is far more important in Yorkshire 501 than in standard 501.

Learn Yorkshire-specific checkouts: Standard London board checkout charts are useless here because they rely heavily on treble segments that do not exist. Build or memorize a Yorkshire checkout table from 120 downward. For example, to finish 80 you might throw double 20 (40) then double 20 (40), whereas on a London board you would simply hit treble 20, double 10.

Plan your finish earlier than you would on a London board: With a maximum three-dart score of only 120, you enter realistic checkout range sooner but have fewer high-value combination paths available. Begin thinking about your finishing route when you reach approximately 120 remaining, and try to leave yourself on a comfortable even number — ideally 40 (double 20) or 32 (double 16) — with your penultimate darts.

Stay patient — the game takes longer: A standard 501 leg on a London board can be won in 9 darts by a professional; on a Yorkshire board, the theoretical minimum is 13 darts (twelve double 20s and a single 1 to check out, or similar routes). Expect legs to take significantly more visits. Maintain focus and avoid frustration at the slower pace — consistency over many turns wins Yorkshire 501.