dartbase.com - The Dart Thrower
How do you play the x01 games?

How do you play the x01 games?

By far the most popular darts games are "301", "501", and other, higher, "x01". In both 301 and 501 the basic principle is subtraction of your score from the initial score of either 301 or 501, the winner being the first to reduce his score to exactly zero.

The following rules were provided by Winmau with one of their dart boards:

GENERAL RULES OF DARTS

1. Each side starts with 301 points. The method of scoring is to subtract each score from the remaining total. The score 301 [and 501] is used mainly for games between two individuals. For team play the opening score should be increased to 501 [701] or 1001 depending on team size.

2. Tournament games are usually started straight, but as an alternative, can be played by starting with any double.

3. The first to reduce his score exactly to zero is the winner.

4. To finish, a double (or bullseye) which exactly reduces the score to zero must be thrown.

5. For the purpose of Rules 3 and 4, "Bullseye" counts as double 25. [50]

6. If a greater score is thrown than is required to reduce the remaining score exactly to zero, then none of the three darts count for that throw and the score remains as it was before that particular throw was taken. [Did anybody not know this was called a "bust"?]

7. Each game is called a "leg". Three legs make a match and the ultimate winner is the player who first wins 2 legs. This can be varied.

Note from Bob & Perry:

Generally, when two individuals are playing, 301 is played with the double-in rule while 501 is played straight-in.

A DOUBLE-OUT CHART

A double out chart is a collection of possible finishes or out-shots usually for three darts. Memorization or at least familiarity is recommended to improve a player's competitive edge.

Wayne Newberry (wayne@zen.cac.stratus.com) has kindly provided us with an "out chart" showing various finishes:

"I have one out-chart which I obtained from a dart supply store in Detroit, about three or more years ago. There will always be disagreement from someone about whether a given three-dart out is the best choice, but this one seems to be reasonable."

Suggested Three-Dart Finishes

170

T20-T20-D25

128

T18-T14-D16

93

T19-D18

167

T20-T19-D25

127

T20-T17-D8

92

T20-D16

164

T20-T18-D25

126

T19-S19-D25

91

T17-D20

161

T20-T17-D25

125

T18-T13-D16

90

T18-D18

160

T20-T20-D20

124

T20-T16-D8

89

T19-D16

158

T20-T20-D19

123

T19-T10-D18

88

T16-D20

157

T20-T19-D20

122

T18-S18-D25

87

T17-D18

156

T20-T20-D18

121

T20-T15-D8

86

T18-D16

155

T20-T19-D19

120

T20-S20-D20

85

T15-D20

154

T20-T18-D20

119

T19-T10-D16

84

T16-D18

153

T20-T19-D18

118

T20-S18-D20

83

T17-D16

152

T20-T20-D16

117

T20-S17-D20

82

D25-D16

151

T20-T17-D20

116

T20-S16-D20

81

T15-D18

150

T20-T18-D18

115

T20-S15-D20

80

T16-D16

149

T20-T19-D16

114

T20-S14-D20

79

T13-D20

148

T20-T16-D20

113

T20-S13-D20

78

T14-D18

147

T20-T17-D18

112

T20-S20-D16

77

T15-D16

146

T20-T18-D16

111

T20-S19-D16

76

T20-D8

145

T20-T15-D20

110

T20-S18-D16

75

T15-D15

144

T20-T20-D12

109

T20-S17-D16

74

T14-D16

143

T20-T17-D16

108

T20-S16-D16

73

T19-D8

142

T20-T14-D20

107

T20-S15-D16

72

T20-D6

141

T20-T19-D12

106

T18-S20-D16

71

T13-D16

140

T20-T16-D16

105

T19-S16-D16

70

T18-D8

139

T20-T13-D20

104

T20-S12-D16

69

T19-D6

138

T20-T18-D12

103

T17-S20-D16

68

T20-D4

137

T20-T15-D16

102

T20-S10-D16

67

T17-D8

136

T20-T20-D8

101

T20-S9-D16

66

T10-D18

135

D25-T15-D20

100

T20-D20

65

T11-D16

134

T20-T14-D16

99

T19-S10-D16

64

T16-D8

133

T20-T19-D8

98

T20-D19

63

T13-D12

132

T20-T20-D6

97

T19-D20

62

T10-D16

131

T20-T13-D16

96

T20-D18

61

T15-D8

130

T20-T18-D8

95

T19-D19

60

S20-D20

129

T19-T16-D12

94

T18-D20

T= TRIPLE D = DOUBLE S = SINGLE

 

The usual rule when playing more than one game is that the loser of the diddle starts first in the second game. If you're playing more games, re-diddle is usually required. Some play "mugs away", which means loser goes first on the next game.