Darts — Free

What is Darts?

Darts is the classic pub and tournament game where players throw small pointed missiles at a circular board divided into twenty numbered wedges, plus a green ring and a red bullseye at the centre. Every part of the board is worth something different: the wide beds score the plain number, the thin ring near the middle triples it, the thin ring on the outer edge doubles it, the small green ring around the centre is worth 25, and the red bullseye is worth 50. Because a single dart can be worth anything from a miss to a treble 20 — a full 60 points — the board packs an enormous range of outcomes into one throw, which is exactly what makes the game so gripping.

The version you play here is 501, the standard singles format used in professional darts. Both sides begin on a total of 501 and race to bring that number down to precisely zero. It sounds simple, but there is a twist that turns the finish into the tensest moment in the sport: your very last dart must land in a double. That single rule transforms 501 from a shooting gallery into a game of arithmetic and nerve, where planning your route home matters as much as raw aim. On vygam you can practise the whole thing solo to sharpen your throwing and your finishing, or step up against a computer opponent and try to check out first.

How to Play

The double-out rule creates the two situations every darts player learns to watch for. A throw is a bust — the whole turn is wiped and your score jumps back to where it stood at the start of that turn — whenever:

• a dart takes your remaining score below zero (you scored more than you had left);
• it leaves you on exactly 1, because 1 can never be finished with a double;
• it brings you to 0 but the last dart was not a double or the bullseye.

Everything else is a legal checkout. If you are sitting on 40, one dart in the double 20 bed finishes the leg; on 50 the bullseye does it; on 32 you aim double 16. The running score, the three-dart turn total and a suggested checkout route are all shown above the board so you always know where you stand.

Scoring & the Dartboard

Learning where the points live is half the battle. The numbers are not arranged in order — they run 20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5 clockwise from the top, deliberately placing high numbers next to low ones so a small miss is punished. The 20 sits at twelve o'clock with a black bed, flanked by the meagre 1 and 5. Directly opposite, at the bottom, is the 3; the 19 and 17 down the lower-left quadrant are the other favourite scoring beds when the top of the board gets crowded.

Two thin rings cross every wedge. The one about two-thirds of the way out is the treble, and it multiplies that wedge's number by three — the treble 20 is the single most valuable target on the board at 60 points. The ring right on the outer rim is the double, worth twice the number, and it is where every leg must end. In the centre, the outer green ring scores 25 and the red bullseye scores 50, and the bull counts as a double for checkout purposes. Miss the scoring area entirely and you get nothing, so control always beats brute force.

Darts Tips & Strategy

Anyone can fling a dart, but scoring well and finishing cleanly are skills you build. These ideas will lift your game whether you are practising solo or hunting down the computer.

1. Live at the treble 20

   The fastest way to shrink 501 is a steady rhythm on the treble 20, worth 60 a dart and 180 for a perfect visit. Even if you only clip a treble occasionally, aiming there keeps your stray darts in the fat 20 bed rather than the tiny 1 and 5 either side, so your scoring stays high and consistent.

2. Plan your finish early

   Good players think about the checkout long before they get there. Try to leave yourself an even number under 40 so a single double closes the leg — 40, 32, 24 and 16 are all comfortable. If you are on an awkward odd number like 41, take a single first to drop to 40, then double 20. Setting up the double is as important as hitting it.

3. Respect the bust

   When your remaining score is small, greed is expensive. Firing at the treble 20 with only 30 left risks blowing past zero and handing the whole turn back. Once you are inside checkout range, aim for the specific bed the situation calls for and be willing to take a safe single to keep a tidy number for your next dart.

4. Groove a repeatable throw

   Accuracy comes from doing the same thing every time — the same stance, the same smooth release. In this game the crosshair drifts with a gentle wobble, just like a real hand does, so throw on the beat when it drifts across your target rather than fighting it. On the harder settings the wobble grows, rewarding patience and timing over rushing.

Common Checkouts to Remember

Memorising a handful of finishes will save you turns and turn near-misses into wins. From 170 the famous "big fish" is treble 20, treble 20, bullseye — the highest possible checkout. Below that, 100 is treble 20 then double 20, 96 is treble 20 then double 18, and 80 is treble 20 then double 10. The straightforward doubles you will use most are 40 (double 20), 32 (double 16), 24 (double 12) and 16 (double 8). Whenever you can, steer your score toward one of these clean numbers so the last dart is a shot you have practised a hundred times.

FAQ

Games like Darts