Dart Game Encyclopedia
Showing 72 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.
901
Marathon X01 format where endurance and scoring consistency are critical. Popular in team events.
1001
Extended X01 format favored by advanced players for training or team competitions.
1101
Rare X01 variant found primarily on electronic dartboard systems.
1501
Longest standard X01 variant, reserved for expert-level team formats and marathon events.
Cut-Throat Cricket
Points scored on open numbers are added to opponents' totals. Lowest score wins. Best cricket variant for 3+ players.
Mickey Mouse
Close numbers 20-12 plus any three doubles, trebles, and bullseye. No points scored — pure race to close.
Cricket Count-Up
Practice variant — accumulate points on cricket numbers (15-20 + bull) over set rounds.
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.
180 Around the Clock
Three darts at each number 1-20. Singles count as 1, doubles as 2, trebles as 3. Named after the maximum 180 score.
Chase the Dragon
Hit trebles 10-20 in sequence, then outer bull and inner bullseye. 13 targets of increasing difficulty.
Killer
Throw with non-dominant hand to pick your number. Hit your own double to become a Killer, then target opponents' doubles to eliminate them.
Blind Killer
Secret number assignment — nobody knows who owns which number. Social deduction meets darts.
Gotcha
Count up to 301. Match an opponent's exact score to reset them to zero. Strategic targeting meets scoring.
Knockout
Beat the previous player's score or get a mark. Accumulate three marks and you're out. Last player standing wins.
Sudden Death
Lowest scorer each round is immediately eliminated. Brutal and fast group elimination.
Nine Lives
Progress through numbers 1-20. Miss the target number with all three darts and lose a life. Three lives total.
Follow the Leader
First player sets a target segment, all others must match it or lose a life. Leader rotates each round.
Halve-It
Hit predetermined targets each round. Miss all three darts and your entire score is halved. High-stakes accumulation game.
Count-Up
Accumulate the highest score over 8 rounds. Perfect game = 1,440. The simplest scoring benchmark.
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.
Legs
Beat the previous player's score or lose a leg. Last player standing wins.
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.
Loop
Follow-the-leader using wire numbering system loops. Target the loops in printed numbers like 0, 4, 6, 8, 9.
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.
Blackjack Darts
Score exactly 21 without going over. Blackjack (21 in two darts) beats a plain 21.
Survivor
Low scorers pushed toward the edge each round. Fall off the virtual platform and you're eliminated.
High and Low
Must beat or undercut the previous score depending on the current phase. Simple but engaging.
Big 6
Match the target set by the previous player or lose a life. Miss all three darts and you're penalized.
Forty-One
Score exactly 41 each round using only your assigned number. Strategic number selection is key.
Baseball Darts
Nine innings targeting the corresponding number each inning. Singles = 1 run, doubles = 2, trebles = 3.
Bullseye Baseball
Baseball variant where you must hit bullseye each inning before runs count.
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.
Grand National
Horse race themed. Race anticlockwise twice around the board with hurdles at certain numbers. Handicaps can be applied.
Prisoner
Go around the clock but missed darts stay as prisoners. Opponents can capture your prisoner darts for extra throws.
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.
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.
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.
Dartball
Played on a 4-foot board with a baseball diamond layout. Church league staple since the 1920s, primarily Midwestern USA.
Javelot
Traditional Picardy (France) game using foot-long steel-tipped darts thrown underarm at a target.
Flechettes
French version of darts using concentric scoring rings instead of numbered segments.
Vogelpik
Traditional Belgian/Dutch game played on a 7-inch straw board with birchwood darts. Name means 'bird peck.'
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.
DOLF
Golf-like dart game using all 20 segments as holes. Invented September 1, 1999 by Keith and Mike Meyer. Regulated by the World Dolf Federation (WDFF).
Golf Darts
Generic golf-darts format with 9 or 18 holes. Double ring = 1 stroke, treble = 2, miss = 5. Lowest total wins.
Big Bull
Everything inside the treble ring counts as bullseye (50 pts). Inner bull = Super Bull worth 70. Simplified scoring.
Lucky Balloon
Points inflate your balloon. Pop it and you're eliminated. Strategic — sometimes you want to miss.
Yum Yum
DartsLive party game featuring multiple mini-games with penalties for poor performance.
Eagle's Eye
Bullseye-only game. Outer bull = 25, inner bull = 50. Pure bull accuracy competition.
Beer Darts
Drinking/party game where hitting certain zones means opponents drink. The classic bar dart 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.