Darts Checkouts: How to Finish the Score You're Left With
Standard 501 and 301 darts games use the "double-out" rule, which requires the final dart that ends the leg to land on a double ring or the bullseye's double (50 points). This calculator takes your remaining score and the number of darts you have left, then searches through triples, doubles, singles, and the bull for a path that finishes on a double.
The typical checkout strategy is to burn through the highest-value throws first, usually triple 20 (60 points), then adjust so the remaining score is even before finishing on a double. For example, a remaining score of 170 finishes with T20-T20-Bullseye(50), the highest possible three-dart checkout.
Not every score can be checked out. 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, and 159 are known as "bogey numbers" — they're mathematically impossible to finish with three darts under double-out rules. If you land on one of these, it's strategically better to throw a combination that adjusts your remaining score rather than wasting a dart chasing an impossible finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Double-out means the final dart that ends the game must land on a double ring or the bullseye's double (50 points). It's the most common finishing rule in standard 501/301 darts games.
169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, and 159 are well-known "bogey numbers" that can't be finished with three darts under double-out rules. Even throwing the maximum triple 20 (60) twice leaves a remainder that can't end on a double.
Generally, yes. Standard strategy is to burn through high-value throws like triple 20 first, leaving an even number that's easy to finish with a double. That said, hitting a reliable double you're comfortable with sometimes matters more than chasing a triple.