How to Play
Darts Checkout Calculator: Find the Finish for Any Score
Type any score from 2 to 170 and get the checkout route instantly, with the bogey numbers, bust rules and the finishes worth learning first.
Read moreHow to Play & Rules
Rules, 501, cricket and checkouts
Learning the Game
Everything you need to start playing properly: the rules, how 501 and cricket work, how to hang a board at the right height, and how to find a finish for any score.
Most players start with 501. Each player begins on 501, throws three darts a turn and has to finish exactly on zero, with the last dart in a double or the bullseye. How to play 501 walks through a full leg, and the darts rules cover the finer points, busts included.
At home, the bullseye hangs 5ft 8in (1.73m) from the floor and the oche sits 7ft 9¼in (2.37m) from the face of the board. How to set up a dartboard has every measurement and a quick way to check them.
Once you are scoring, the checkout chart and checkout calculator give a route for every finish. Fancy a change from 501? Cricket is the classic alternative, and you can play both against the computer in our free games.
Looking for something else? Browse all our guides.