Dart Game Encyclopedia
Showing 47 of 157 dart game variants with rules, scoring, and strategy
501
The standard competition game used in PDC World Championship and all major tournaments. Players count down from 501, finishing on a double.
701
Longer X01 format traditionally used for doubles (pairs) play in leagues and team competitions.
Standard Cricket
Close numbers 20-15 and bullseye by hitting each three times. Score points on closed numbers opponents haven't closed. The most popular game in North American bars.
Slop Tactics
Relaxed Tactics where all doubles and trebles count toward closing, not just those from the target numbers.
Scram Cricket
One player scores on cricket numbers while the other tries to close them. Roles reverse after one round.
Random Cricket
Six randomly selected numbers plus bullseye replace the standard 20-15 targets.
Hidden Cricket
Target numbers are hidden at start. Players discover which numbers are in play by hitting them. Popular on electronic boards.
Select-A-Cricket
Players choose their own target numbers before the game begins, adding a strategic draft element.
Wild Cricket
Standard cricket plus an additional random wild number from 1-14 that any player can score on.
Low-Pitch Cricket
Uses numbers 1-6 and bullseye instead of standard 20-15, testing accuracy on the lower board.
Reverse Cricket
Start at 15 and work up to 20, then bullseye. Reverses the standard cricket order.
Shanghai
Progress through numbers 1-20, scoring only on that round's number. Instant win by hitting single, double, and treble in one turn (a Shanghai).
Halve-It
Hit predetermined targets each round. Miss all three darts and your entire score is halved. High-stakes accumulation game.
Fives
Three-dart total must be divisible by 5 to score. Score equals the total divided by 5. First to 50 wins.
Fifty-One by Fives
First to exactly 51 'fives.' Three-dart total must be divisible by 5. All three darts must score on the final turn.
Ho No!
Race to target score. Matching an opponent's exact total resets you to zero.
Double Down
Targets in fixed sequence: 15, 16, any double, 17, 18, any treble, 19, 20, bull. Miss all three in a round and score is halved.
Poker Darts
Build poker hands from dartboard hits. Pairs, straights, flushes, and full houses all count. Best hand wins.
HORSE
Like basketball HORSE. First player sets a target shot, next must match it exactly or earn a letter. Spell HORSE and you're out.
Three in a Bed
Only score when all three darts land in the same numbered segment. Tests grouping accuracy.
Scram
One player closes numbers (Stopper), the other accumulates points on open numbers (Scorer). Roles swap for round two.
Forty-One
Score exactly 41 each round using only your assigned number. Strategic number selection is key.
Brag
Wagering variant of Shanghai with bluffing and prediction elements. Part darts, part card game.
Football Darts
Hit bullseye for possession, score goals via doubles. First to 10 goals wins.
Castle
Build a 15-block castle on your number while knocking down opponents' castles. Defense and offense combined.
Indy 500
Car racing themed game with laps around the board and pit stops. Complete required laps to win.
Steeplechase
Race clockwise around the board. Certain segments are fences requiring treble hits to clear.
Yorkshire 501
501 on a Yorkshire board — no treble ring, no outer bull. Maximum per dart is 40 (double 20). A purer test of doubles accuracy.
Ipswich Fives 505
Same layout as London Fives but with wider beds, making it slightly more accessible.
Kent Doubles
Yorkshire-style board brought to Kent by migrating miners. No trebles ring.
Lincoln Board Game
Yorkshire-type board that is entirely black. Standard formats: pairs 701, singles 501, team 1501.
Irish Black
Yorkshire layout on an entirely black surface made from elm or poplar wood. Traditional Irish variant.
Hampshire Board Game
Standard size with standard wires but no treble ring and no outer bull. Hampshire/Basingstoke regional variant.
Norfolk Board Game
10-inch elm board that required regular soaking to prevent drying. Used until the 1940s.
Burton Board Game
Yorkshire-like board with two unique 1-inch-square boxes. Only one surviving example known. Extremely rare.
Bath Board Game
Log-end board from elm or poplar. Earliest documented use circa 1906. Historic regional variant.
American Darts
Played on a basswood board with treble on outer edge and double inside. Handmade darts with turkey feathers. Traditional in Eastern PA/NJ/DE.
JDC Challenge
Official Junior Darts Corporation grading routine. Shanghai 10-15, doubles 1-20 + bull, Shanghai 15-20. Scores earn grades A-F.
Doubles Around the World
Hit D1-D20 then double bull in sequence with 3 darts per turn. Essential doubles proficiency drill.
420
Start at 420 and count down by hitting doubles D1-D20. All twenty doubles sum exactly to 420.
Bull 500
Must hit bull first dart before scoring on 20 (or 19) with remaining darts. First to 500 points.
Under the Hat
DartsLive game. Pile hats via high scores. Miss your target and lose all stacked hats. Risk-reward mechanic.
Castle Bomber
DartsLive3 game. Destroy opponent's castle walls and king. Strategic target selection combined with accuracy.
Up Down Count-Up
Alternating plus/minus rounds. Sometimes you want high scores, sometimes you want to miss. Mind-bending strategy.
Ace
Random target each turn. Singles = 1, doubles = 2, trebles = 3, outer bull = 4, inner bull = 6. Electronic game.
Gold Hunt
Reach exactly 181 for 3 gold points. Popular on Phoenix electronic dartboard machines.
Car Rally
Auto racing themed game. Race around the board with obstacles at certain segments requiring two hits to pass.