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 |
|
|
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.