Dart Game Encyclopedia
Showing 83 of 157 dart game variants with rules, scoring, and strategy
301
Players start at 301 and subtract scores each turn, finishing on a double. Fast format ideal for beginners or quick multi-leg matches.
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.
Tactics
UK version of cricket adding doubles and trebles as separate closing objectives alongside 20-15 and bullseye.
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.
Killer Cricket
Additional hits on already-closed numbers remove marks from opponents. More aggressive than standard cricket.
Low-Pitch Cricket
Uses numbers 1-6 and bullseye instead of standard 20-15, testing accuracy on the lower board.
Double-Only Cricket
Only darts in the double ring count as marks. Extreme doubles accuracy test.
Single-Only Cricket
Every dart in the target number counts as exactly one mark regardless of segment. Great for beginners.
Reverse Cricket
Start at 15 and work up to 20, then bullseye. Reverses the standard cricket order.
Mickey Mouse
Close numbers 20-12 plus any three doubles, trebles, and bullseye. No points scored — pure race to close.
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).
Around the Clock
Hit each number 1-20 in sequential order then bullseye. The most fundamental dartboard game.
Chase the Dragon
Hit trebles 10-20 in sequence, then outer bull and inner bullseye. 13 targets of increasing difficulty.
Gotcha
Count up to 301. Match an opponent's exact score to reset them to zero. Strategic targeting meets scoring.
Nine Lives
Progress through numbers 1-20. Miss the target number with all three darts and lose a life. Three lives total.
Halve-It
Hit predetermined targets each round. Miss all three darts and your entire score is halved. High-stakes accumulation game.
Hare and Hounds
Asymmetric chase game around the board. Hare starts on 20, Hound on 5. Hare wins by completing a lap, Hound wins by catching up.
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.
Overs
Must score higher than your own previous turn each round. Fail to beat your score and lose a life.
Unders
Must score lower than your own previous turn each round. Fail and lose a life.
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.
Shove Ha'penny
Based on the traditional British pub game. Hit beds 1-9 three times each. Excess hits are gifted to your opponent.
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.
Baseball Darts
Nine innings targeting the corresponding number each inning. Singles = 1 run, doubles = 2, trebles = 3.
Football Darts
Hit bullseye for possession, score goals via doubles. First to 10 goals wins.
Bowls Darts
Modeled on lawn bowls. Set a target (jack), then throw to get closest. Nearest to jack scores.
Bowling Darts
Simulates ten-pin bowling on a dartboard. Strikes and spares scored like real bowling. Max 300.
Noughts and Crosses
3x3 grid on scoreboard mapped to dartboard segments. Claim squares by hitting their target. Three in a row wins.
Warfare
Board split into two armies. Hit opponent's numbers to eliminate their soldiers. Last army standing wins.
Castle
Build a 15-block castle on your number while knocking down opponents' castles. Defense and offense combined.
Mulligan
Six random numbers drawn. Each must be hit three times in order, finishing with bullseye. Only trebles count for scoring.
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.
Bingo Darts
Complete lines on a bingo-style grid by hitting mapped dartboard segments. First to complete a line wins.
Roulette Darts
Dartboard used as a roulette wheel. Place bets on segments, throw to determine payouts.
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.
London Fives 505
Played on a 12-segment board numbered only in multiples of 5 (5/10/15/20) with extremely narrow doubles and trebles.
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.
Tonbridge Trebles
Outer ring is trebles, doubles in tiny triangular beds. No conventional trebles ring. Unique regional design.
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.
Flechettes
French version of darts using concentric scoring rings instead of numbered segments.
Tikanheitto
Finnish dart game played on a 34cm board with concentric rings scored 1-10. Popular at Midsummer celebrations.
Casino 301
French casino-inspired game. Score between 31-40, with the closest to 31 winning.
Bob's 27
The gold standard doubles practice game. Start at 27, cycle through D1-D20 then bullseye. Hits add double value, misses subtract it.
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.
121
Take out scores from 121 upward in max 9 darts. Popular professional training game for high checkouts.
Bull 500
Must hit bull first dart before scoring on 20 (or 19) with remaining darts. First to 500 points.
Sevens Heaven
DartsLive game. Score only counts if your three-dart total contains the digit 7. Misses go to a shared pool.
Under the Hat
DartsLive game. Pile hats via high scores. Miss your target and lose all stacked hats. Risk-reward mechanic.
Multiple Count-Up
DartsLive game where your 2nd dart scores double and 3rd dart scores triple. Rewards accuracy on later darts.
Castle Bomber
DartsLive3 game. Destroy opponent's castle walls and king. Strategic target selection combined with accuracy.
Yum Yum
DartsLive party game featuring multiple mini-games with penalties for poor performance.
Beer Darts
Drinking/party game where hitting certain zones means opponents drink. The classic bar dart game.
Light Connection
DartsLive3 2026 game. Connect dart spots to extend a line across the board. Visual and strategic.
Up Down Count-Up
Alternating plus/minus rounds. Sometimes you want high scores, sometimes you want to miss. Mind-bending strategy.
Lawn Darts (Indoor)
Indoor adaptation of lawn darts using ring-shaped targets on the board. Ringers = 3 pts. Play to 21.
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.
Random Checkout
Random score between 40-170, must check it out within 3 darts. Great for checkout path memorization.