Darts Checkout Chart: Every Finish From 170 Down, With a Second Route
170 is the highest checkout on the board — treble 20, treble 20, bullseye — and 110 is the highest you can do in two darts. Seven scores between 2 and 170 cannot be finished in three darts under any combination: 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159. Below 111 the question stops being which route and starts being which double it leaves you on.
By the Darts Fella Editorial Team
170 is the ceiling: treble 20, treble 20, bullseye, and there is no other way to do it. 110 is the highest finish available in two darts — treble 20 then bull. 40 is the highest one-darter, a plain double 20.
Everything between those is arithmetic and preference, and the three tables below cover all of it: every score from 170 down to 2, with a preferred route, a second route that starts on a different bed, whether a two-dart finish exists at all, and the fewest darts the score can possibly take.
Seven numbers can't be checked out in three darts however you arrange them — 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159 — and they're flagged where they sit. Four more can only be done with the bull in the last dart.
One thing worth saying before the tables. Read the chart for the double it leaves you on, not for the route it takes to get there. Two routes to 96 both add up. The one that leaves double 18 rather than double 9 is the one you'll actually convert on a Tuesday night.
Notation, in one line
Bare numbers are singles. Everything else is prefixed.
- 20 — single 20
- T20 — treble 20, worth 60
- D16 — double 16, worth 32
- 25 — outer bull, worth 25 and not a double
- Bull — inner bull, worth 50, and it counts as a double so you can finish on it
- — — no route exists
Routes are written in throwing order. Where a route ends on a double, that double is the finish; the darts before it are setup and their order can be swapped without breaking anything.
170 down to 111: three darts, and the bull does the heavy lifting
No score in this band has a two-dart finish, because the most you can score with two darts and still land on a double is 110. So every row here is a three-dart plan, and the setup darts are almost always trebles.
The seven blank rows are the bogey numbers. They're not a chart error and there's no clever route that beats them: the arithmetic simply doesn't close. From 169 your best move is to score down deliberately to a number you like rather than throwing at the treble 20 out of habit.
Score Preferred route Alternative route Double left Fewest darts Flag 170 T20, T20, Bull — Bull 3 Highest checkout on the board 169 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 168 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 167 T20, T19, Bull T19, T20, Bull Bull 3 Bull compulsory 166 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 165 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 164 T20, T18, Bull T19, T19, Bull Bull 3 Bull compulsory 163 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 162 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 161 T20, T17, Bull T19, T18, Bull Bull 3 Bull compulsory 160 T20, T20, D20 T20, Bull, Bull D20 3 Cleanest of the big ones 159 No three-dart finish exists — — 4 Bogey number 158 T20, T16, Bull T19, T17, Bull Bull 3 — 157 T20, T19, D20 T19, T20, D20 D20 3 — 156 T20, T20, D18 — D18 3 Only one route 155 T20, T15, Bull T19, T16, Bull Bull 3 — 154 T20, T18, D20 T19, T19, D20 D20 3 — 153 T20, T19, D18 T19, T20, D18 D18 3 — 152 T20, T20, D16 T19, T15, Bull D16 3 — 151 T20, T17, D20 T19, T18, D20 D20 3 — 150 T20, T18, D18 T20, Bull, D20 D18 3 — 149 T20, T19, D16 T19, T20, D16 D16 3 — 148 T20, T16, D20 T19, T17, D20 D20 3 — 147 T20, T17, D18 T19, Bull, D20 D18 3 — 146 T20, T18, D16 T19, T19, D16 D16 3 — 145 T20, T15, D20 T19, T16, D20 D20 3 — 144 T20, T20, D12 T18, Bull, D20 D12 3 — 143 T20, T17, D16 T19, T18, D16 D16 3 — 142 T20, T14, D20 T20, Bull, D16 D20 3 — 141 T20, T19, D12 T19, T20, D12 D12 3 — 140 T20, T16, D16 T19, T17, D16 D16 3 — 139 T20, T13, D20 T19, Bull, D16 D20 3 — 138 T20, T18, D12 T19, T19, D12 D12 3 — 137 T20, T15, D16 T19, T16, D16 D16 3 — 136 T20, T20, D8 T19, T13, D20 D8 3 — 135 T20, T17, D12 T19, T18, D12 D12 3 — 134 T20, T14, D16 T19, T15, D16 D16 3 — 133 T20, T19, D8 T19, T20, D8 D8 3 — 132 T20, T20, D6 T19, T17, D12 D6 3 — 131 T20, T13, D16 T19, T14, D16 D16 3 — 130 T20, T18, D8 T19, T19, D8 D8 3 — 129 T20, T19, D6 T19, T20, D6 D6 3 — 128 T20, T20, D4 T19, T13, D16 D4 3 — 127 T20, T17, D8 T19, T18, D8 D8 3 — 126 T19, T19, D6 T20, Bull, D8 D6 3 — 125 T20, T19, D4 T19, T20, D4 D4 3 — 124 T20, T20, D2 T19, T17, D8 D2 3 — 123 T20, T17, D6 T19, T16, D9 D6 3 — 122 T20, T18, D4 T19, T19, D4 D4 3 — 121 T20, T19, D2 T19, T20, D2 D2 3 — 120 T20, 20, D20 T18, Bull, D8 D20 3 — 119 T20, T17, D4 T19, T18, D4 D4 3 — 118 T20, T18, D2 T19, T19, D2 D2 3 — 117 T20, 17, D20 T19, 20, D20 D20 3 — 116 T20, T16, D4 T19, T17, D4 D4 3 — 115 T20, T17, D2 T19, T18, D2 D2 3 — 114 T20, 14, D20 T19, 17, D20 D20 3 — 113 T20, T15, D4 T19, T16, D4 D4 3 — 112 T20, T16, D2 T19, T17, D2 D2 3 — 111 T20, 19, D16 T19, Bull, D2 D16 3 — Scan the fourth column first. If the preferred route leaves you a double you're cold on, take the alternative — the setup is worth changing to get the finish you trust. The four bull-compulsory finishes are 170, 167, 164 and 161. Every one of them ends on the inner bull because nothing else fits, and every one of them starts with a treble 20 or treble 19. If you're on one of those and you don't fancy the bull, you're not finishing this turn — score to a number you like instead.
156 is the odd one out in this band: treble 20, treble 20, double 18 is the only route that exists. There's no plan B to write in the third column.
110 down to 41: two darts, if the treble goes in
This is where most legs are actually won. Nearly every score in this band has a two-dart finish, and the preferred route is that finish — a treble to set up, a double to close.
Seven of them don't: 109, 108, 106, 105, 103, 102 and 99 have no two-dart route at all, so they need three whatever you do. Those seven are the reason experienced players will deliberately leave 100 rather than 101 when they have the choice.
Score Preferred route Alternative route Two-dart out Fewest darts Flag 110 T20, Bull T20, 18, D16 T20, Bull 2 Highest two-dart finish 109 T20, 9, D20 T19, 12, D20 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 108 T20, 16, D16 T19, 19, D16 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 107 T19, Bull T19, 18, D16 T19, Bull 2 Bull route 106 T20, 14, D16 T20, 10, D18 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 105 T20, 5, D20 T19, 16, D16 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 104 T18, Bull T20, 12, D16 T18, Bull 2 Bull route 103 T20, 3, D20 T19, 6, D20 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 102 T20, 2, D20 T19, 5, D20 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 101 T17, Bull T20, 9, D16 T17, Bull 2 Bull route 100 T20, D20 20, T20, D10 T20, D20 2 — 99 T20, 7, D16 T19, 2, D20 None — three darts minimum 3 No two-dart finish 98 T20, D19 T16, Bull T20, D19 2 — 97 T19, D20 T20, T7, D8 T19, D20 2 — 96 T20, D18 T19, 7, D16 T20, D18 2 — 95 T19, D19 T15, Bull T19, D19 2 — 94 T18, D20 T20, D17 T18, D20 2 — 93 T19, D18 T20, 17, D8 T19, D18 2 — 92 T20, D16 T18, D19 T20, D16 2 — 91 T17, D20 T19, D17 T17, D20 2 — 90 T18, D18 Bull, D20 T18, D18 2 — 89 T19, D16 T17, D19 T19, D16 2 — 88 T20, D14 T16, D20 T20, D14 2 — 87 T17, D18 T19, D15 T17, D18 2 — 86 T18, D16 T20, D13 T18, D16 2 — 85 T15, D20 T19, D14 T15, D20 2 — 84 T20, D12 T16, D18 T20, D12 2 — 83 T17, D16 T19, D13 T17, D16 2 — 82 Bull, D16 T14, D20 Bull, D16 2 — 81 T19, D12 T15, D18 T19, D12 2 — 80 T20, D10 T16, D16 T20, D10 2 — 79 T19, D11 T13, D20 T19, D11 2 — 78 T18, D12 T20, D9 T18, D12 2 — 77 T19, D10 T15, D16 T19, D10 2 — 76 T20, D8 T12, D20 T20, D8 2 — 75 T17, D12 T19, D9 T17, D12 2 — 74 T14, D16 T18, D10 T14, D16 2 — 73 T19, D8 T11, D20 T19, D8 2 — 72 T20, D6 T16, D12 T20, D6 2 — 71 T17, D10 T13, D16 T17, D10 2 — 70 T18, D8 T20, D5 T18, D8 2 — 69 T19, D6 T15, D12 T19, D6 2 — 68 T20, D4 T16, D10 T20, D4 2 — 67 T17, D8 T19, D5 T17, D8 2 — 66 T10, D18 Bull, D8 T10, D18 2 — 65 25, D20 T19, D4 25, D20 2 — 64 T16, D8 T20, D2 T16, D8 2 — 63 T17, D6 T19, D3 T17, D6 2 — 62 T10, D16 T18, D4 T10, D16 2 — 61 25, D18 T19, D2 25, D18 2 — 60 20, D20 T16, D6 20, D20 2 — 59 19, D20 T17, D4 19, D20 2 — 58 T18, D2 Bull, D4 T18, D2 2 — 57 17, D20 25, D16 17, D20 2 — 56 T16, D4 16, D20 T16, D4 2 — 55 15, D20 19, D18 15, D20 2 — 54 Bull, D2 T14, D6 Bull, D2 2 — 53 13, D20 17, D18 13, D20 2 — 52 T16, D2 T12, D8 T16, D2 2 — 51 19, D16 11, D20 19, D16 2 — 50 Bull T14, D4 T14, D4 1 — 49 17, D16 9, D20 17, D16 2 — 48 16, D16 T12, D6 16, D16 2 — 47 15, D16 7, D20 15, D16 2 — 46 6, D20 14, D16 6, D20 2 — 45 13, D16 5, D20 13, D16 2 — 44 T12, D4 20, D12 T12, D4 2 — 43 11, D16 3, D20 11, D16 2 — 42 10, D16 18, D12 10, D16 2 — 41 9, D16 25, D8 9, D16 2 — Use the fourth column to decide whether to attack. If it reads 'none', you're on a three-dart finish and the first dart is a setup, so throw it at something you can hit rather than at the treble. 101, 104 and 107 are the bull rows. Treble 17 then bull, treble 18 then bull, treble 19 then bull. They're two-darters on paper and a lot of players quietly treat them as three, because a missed bull from 41 leaves you a mess and a missed treble leaves you nothing worse than a big number.
The pattern to internalise is the treble-20 ladder: 100 is T20 D20, 96 is T20 D18, 92 is T20 D16, 88 is T20 D14, 84 is T20 D12, 80 is T20 D10, 76 is T20 D8, 72 is T20 D6, 68 is T20 D4 and 64 is T20 D2. Ten finishes, one setup dart, and each one steps the double down by two. Learn that column and you've learned a third of the band.
40 and below: choose the split rather than inherit it
Every even number from 2 to 40 is a one-dart finish. What the table below adds is the two things that matter when it isn't your last dart: a deliberate split if you'd rather set up a double you like, and where a miss into the single leaves you.
That last column is the useful one. From 32, a single 16 leaves 16, which is double 8 — the same shape again. From 30, a single 15 leaves you on 15 and an awkward split. That's the whole argument for the power-of-two doubles.
Score Preferred route Alternative route Where a missed single leaves you Fewest darts Flag 40 D20 8, D16 S20 leaves 20 → D10 1 One-dart finish 39 19, D10 7, D16 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 38 D19 6, D16 S19 leaves 19 → 3, D8 1 One-dart finish 37 5, D16 17, D10 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 36 D18 4, D16 S18 leaves 18 → D9 1 One-dart finish 35 19, D8 3, D16 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 34 D17 2, D16 S17 leaves 17 → 9, D4 1 One-dart finish 33 17, D8 1, D16 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 32 D16 16, D8 S16 leaves 16 → D8 1 One-dart finish 31 15, D8 7, D12 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 30 D15 14, D8 S15 leaves 15 → 7, D4 1 One-dart finish 29 13, D8 5, D12 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 28 D14 12, D8 S14 leaves 14 → D7 1 One-dart finish 27 19, D4 11, D8 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 26 D13 10, D8 S13 leaves 13 → 5, D4 1 One-dart finish 25 17, D4 9, D8 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 24 D12 8, D8 S12 leaves 12 → D6 1 One-dart finish 23 19, D2 7, D8 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 22 D11 6, D8 S11 leaves 11 → 3, D4 1 One-dart finish 21 17, D2 5, D8 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 20 D10 4, D8 S10 leaves 10 → D5 1 One-dart finish 19 3, D8 11, D4 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 18 D9 2, D8 S9 leaves 9 → 1, D4 1 One-dart finish 17 9, D4 1, D8 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 16 D8 8, D4 S8 leaves 8 → D4 1 One-dart finish 15 7, D4 3, D6 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 14 D7 6, D4 S7 leaves 7 → 3, D2 1 One-dart finish 13 5, D4 1, D6 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 12 D6 4, D4 S6 leaves 6 → D3 1 One-dart finish 11 3, D4 1, D5 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 10 D5 2, D4 S5 leaves 5 → 1, D2 1 One-dart finish 9 1, D4 5, D2 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 8 D4 4, D2 S4 leaves 4 → D2 1 One-dart finish 7 3, D2 1, D3 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 6 D3 2, D2 S3 leaves 3 → 1, D1 1 One-dart finish 5 1, D2 3, D1 First dart is already a single 2 Must split first 4 D2 2, D1 S2 leaves 2 → D1 1 One-dart finish 3 1, D1 — First dart is already a single 2 Must split first; only one route 2 D1 — S1 leaves 1 — you cannot finish from 1, so the turn is dead 1 One-dart finish; a single 1 kills the turn Column four is why 32 is a better leave than 30 even though 30 is smaller. Work back up the halving chain — 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 — and every miss into the single hands you another double. Odd numbers under 41 all need two darts minimum, and the setup dart should be a single you can hit rather than a clever treble. Nobody needs treble 11 to check out 37; a single 5 into double 16 is the same score with a fraction of the risk.
2 is the cruellest number on the board. The double 1 bed is the same 8 mm-deep strip as every other double, so it is not physically harder to hit. It is the only one where missing inward ends the turn outright: a single 1 leaves you on 1, and 1 cannot be finished at all.
When the first dart misses
The mistake almost everyone makes is chasing the original plan. You're on 96, you throw at the treble 20 for T20 D18, and the dart lands in the single 20. You are not on 96 any more. You're on 76 with two darts, and 76 is treble 20 into double 8.
Recompute from the score in front of you, every time. The tables above are built to be re-entered mid-turn, which is why the 'fewest darts' column exists — it tells you instantly whether the leg is still live with the darts you have in hand.
Three miss patterns are worth having pre-loaded, because they come up constantly. Miss a treble into its single and you've dropped by twice the segment value — a missed T20 leaves you 40 higher than planned. Miss a treble into the neighbouring bed and you've dropped by three times the difference, which from the 20 means the 5 or the 1 and a mess. Miss a double outward and you've scored nothing, which keeps the score intact and is by far the best kind of miss.
That last point is worth dwelling on. Missing a double thin — outside the wire — costs you nothing but the dart. Missing it inward into the single costs you half the score and usually the leg. If you're going to miss double 16, miss it high.
Busts, and the scores you must not leave
In 501 double-out you bust the turn if you score more than the remaining total, if you leave exactly 1, or if you reach zero on anything that isn't a double. A bust puts the score back to whatever it was at the start of the turn and any darts left in hand are dead.
Which makes 1 the number to avoid above all others, and 3 the score most likely to produce it — from 3, a single 1 leaves 2 (fine), but from 2 a single 1 leaves 1 (finished, and not in the good way).
The odd numbers just above the doubles are the other trap. On 41 with one dart, throwing at the treble is pointless; on 41 with two, a single 9 into double 16 is the route and a single 1 into double 20 is the alternative. What you must not do is throw a dart that can leave you on 1 when a safer split exists.
Bogey scores work the same way in reverse. Sitting on 169 you can't finish, so the first dart's only job is to leave a number you can. Treble 19 leaves 112. Single 20 leaves 149. Both are finishable; throwing at the treble 20 out of reflex leaves 109, which has no two-dart out, and you've wasted the turn.
Setting up from above 170
Everything over 170 is a scoring visit, not a finishing one, and the only decision is what to leave. Leave a number from these tables that has a route you've actually practised.
The conventional targets are 170 or below with an even leave, and preferably one of the treble-20 ladder scores. From 200, three darts at the treble 20 leaves 20 — a one-dart finish. From 180 the same visit leaves nothing at all, which is a bust waiting to happen, so most players will take the 20 down to a leave of 40 or 32 instead of chasing the maximum.
The rule of thumb that survives contact with a Tuesday league: never leave an odd number if an even one is available for the same or less effort, and never leave one of the seven no-two-dart scores when a neighbouring number will do. Leaving 100 instead of 99 costs you one point and gains you a two-dart finish.
Print the three tables, put them on the wall next to the board at eye height, and stop reading them within a month. That's the point of them.