Dart Game Encyclopedia
Showing 54 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.