...also
available in Coach's Corner on the Darts
Ontario website
This page
has been viewed
times since April, 2005
Many thanks goes to Catherine
Haycock from Darts Ontario for the endless debates and learnings
Last updates:
April 5, 2006 - fixed finish for 150 (typo
was T19-T19-D16...bad math...duh...thanks to Perry Decker from Brampton
for pointing that one out)
March 15,
2006 - new option for 78
February 12, 2007 - Thanks to Michael Abbott from North Oakland Dart Association in Michigan for showing a better option for 17. This also caused me to rethink and update 13 & 15.
March 9, 2007 - Thanks to KM Matheson from the Canadian Armed Forces for pointing out a typo in 38.
March 9, 2007 - Here are a couple of posters to put up near your board - poster #1 and poster #2
August 2012 - Thanks to Logan Dodds for pointing out a typo on 66.
August 2012 - Thanks to Morten Frederiksen from DenMark for pointing out typo on 115 and offering his opinion on a Shanghai finish using 18's for 108.
August 2012 - changed options for 108, 104, 68
September 2012 - Thanks to Reese Williams from Boston, MA for making me think about 90. Originally I had DB-D20 but after some discussion, it's clear that T20-D15 is the way to go since if you hit a S20 another crack at T20 will leave you with either D5 or DB. If you're not under pressure to finish, just take the T18-D18 route.
May 2013 - Morten Frederiken from Denmark found another type on 118. Thanks!
May 2013 - And just when you think you have it all figured out, Jeff Richardson from Georgetown, Ontario pointed out that on 54 with 2 darts, S18-D18 offers a safety with S4.
May 2013 - Jeff also pointed out that on 63 with 3 darts, T9 leaves 36 and S9 leaves 54 with 2 darts in hand.
May 2013 - Jeff Richardson also does something a little different on 68 with 2 darts. Most people shoot for T18 since S18 leaves a bull safety. Some people just shoot for the fat 18 to better their chances for a shot at DB. Jeff shoots for the bottom of D18 since D18 leaves 32 and S18 has that bull safety. They all have merits and I like them all.
If you're
serious about investing the time to learn this strategy, you
WILL create more opportunities
to shoot for a double out.
If you're aiming for the T20 and often
hitting the 18 or 12, then I'm not sure this strategy will help much. You need
to practice more first.
The basis for this strategy is to aim for
a number that will give a favorable result if you hit it and at the same
time will leave you in a good situation if you happen to stray a little
from your target. This strategy can help compensate for a lesser skill
level and is critical for competing at higher levels where your opponent
isn't likely to miss the D20 finish with 3 darts in their hand. You need
every opportunity the board can give you. Quite often players put themselves
into a situation where if they miss the triple, they won't have a shot
at a double finish. The best they can hope for is a chance to fix it up
for their next turn and that'sIF there
is a next turn.
Let's start with some ground rules:
All Doubles and Triples
are exactly the same size. The fact that players have "favorites" is
a mind game that is based on their confidence to hit it. Practice will
increase your confidence in hitting
them
all.
Leaving an even number for your next turn is not always an advantage (unless you're at 40 or less). Some numbers
have advantages that are based on neighbouring numbers and possible combinations. It often has little to do with whether the number
is odd or even. For example, I'd rather be at 107 than 106.
The bullseye is actually a fairly large area of the
board and is much larger than the triple space
It's necessary to learn the finishes starting with
the lower numbers
The main difference
between a "bad" double
and a "good" double is that if you hit a single, a "good" double
will still leave you on an even number.
When you have one
dart in your hand, there is no such thing as a "bad" double.
Any double is better than not having one at all.
The fact that D16 breaks down evenly 5 times is no
real advantage when you're down to your last 3 darts (D16-D8-D4-D2-D1)
D20 and D12 are just as good as D16 when you're on
your last 3 darts:
D20 breaks down evenly 3 times (D20-D10-D5)
D12 breaks down evenly 3 times (D12-D6-D3)
Using your first
dart to leave D18, D14 or D10 is perfectly acceptable when
you're on your last turn:
D18 breaks down evenly 2 times (D18-D9)
D14 breaks down evenly 2 times (D14-D7)
D10 breaks down evenly 2 times (D10-D5)
To understand the philosophy behind the
following strategy, it's important to realize what your personal odds are
in favor of hitting the triple that you so desperately need in order to
leave yourself a double out. If you hit a Triple every
time you shoot for it, you should probably stop reading this and get yourself
on a plane headed
to England.
For the rest of us, let's assume that T20 is the number that
you typically aim at for the majority of the game. If you're
hitting a T20 at least once every turn, then you're a pretty good player.
Even so, your chance of hitting that triple is only 1-in-3 or 33%. Consider
the darter that's hitting the T20 once every 2 turns (16%) or every 3 turns
(11%) or...etc.
Now consider where that dart ends up if
not in the T20 that you were aiming at. Most likely it ends up in the S20
although it often strays to the S5 or S1. Landing in the T5 or T1 is the
next most likely scenario, depending on your skill level.
Are you willing to risk giving up ANY chance
at a double if you miss the triple?
A good example is that your opponent is
on a double and you have 64 points with 2 darts in hand. If you shoot for
the T16 and only hit S16 you will be left with 48 and 1 dart. All you can
do is lower your score and wish for another turn. The strategic alternative
is to shoot for the T14. If you hit the triple then you're left with D11.
If you hit S14
then you're left with DB. Agreed, these aren't the most desirable doubles
but at least you've increased your chances for getting a shot at one. Using this strategy is like having a backup parachute; it's really nice to have it if you need it.
Consider finishing 80. T16-D16 is popular
but if you hit a single you're left with 64. T20-D10 is the better way
to go.
If you hit a single 20 you're left with 60.
Which would you rather be shooting for
with only 2 darts in your hand?
Another great example is 101 with 3 darts
in hand. A lot of people will go for T17 to leave 50 which is still a 2
dart finish (unless you're feeling especially cocky like Daryl Viscount
on my Monday night team). T17-DB is the 2 dart solution for 101. With
3 darts, you should never do this because if
you
hit
a single
2, you're left with 99 and no way to finish. The safer alternative is to
go for T20. The only number that will prevent you from a second chance
is the D1. Watch for this one on your typical out charts. It's mathematically
correct but strategically inferior.
Don't forget about your personal odds of
hitting a triple. Remember that the odds are against you (we
won't even mention the additional game winning pressure of hitting a
particular triple!).
The bottom line is that you will get more
shots at doubling out and earn the respect of better players by knowing
what to shoot for. Even if
you
don't hit it every time, the fact that you're using every ounce of opportunity
in your favour shows that you shouldn't be taken for granted.
It's important to note that the numbers around
the board alternate from odd to even except for the highlighted areas.
If you need to hit an odd number the best place
to aim for is the purple area at the bottom.
If you need to hit an even number the best place
is one of the yellow regions.
Out Charts (for the average darter...)
2-32: This
is the best place to be.
2
D1
3
S1-D1
This one intimidates a lot of people which is a good reason to practice
it
4
D2
5
S1-D2
6
D3
Hitting a S3 leaves S1-D1. If you're feeling comfortable in your
lead you might consider S2-D2
7
S3-D2
8
D4
9
S1-D4
10
D5
11
S3-D4
12
D6
13
S11-D1
Safety Hitting a
S8 still leaves you with a 2 dart finish. Avoid S5-D4 - hitting a S12 or S20 will bust
14
D7
If you're willing to waste a dart, shooting the 6/10 will leave either
a D4 or D2
15
S13-D1
Safety Hitting a S4 or S6 still leaves you with a 2 dart finish. Avoid S7-D4 - hitting a S16 or S19 will bust. Option #2 You could also shoot for S11-D2
16
D8
17
S13-D2
Safety Hitting a
S4 or S6 still leaves you with a 2 dart finish. Avoid S1-D8
- hitting a S20 or S18 will bust
18
D9
If you're willing to waste a dart, shooting the
6/10 will leave either a D6 or D4
19
S11-D4
Safety
Hitting a S8 or S14 won't bust. Option
#2 - S3-D8 - Hitting a
S17 or T3 still leaves a double out but hitting a S19 will bust
20
D10
21
S17-D2
Safety Hitting a
S3 still leaves a double out. Option #2 S19-D1.
Hitting a S7 or S3 still leaves a double out
22
D11
23
S19-D2
Safety Hitting a S7
or S3 still leaves a good double out.
24
D12
25
S17-D4
Safety Hitting a S3 still leaves a double out
26
D13
if you're willing to waste a dart, shooting the 6/10 will leave either
a D10 or D8
27
S19-D4
Safety Hitting a S7 or S3 still leaves
a good double out
28
D14
29
S17-D6
Safety Hitting a S3 still leaves a double
out
30
D15
if you're willing to waste a dart, shooting the 6/10 will leave either
a D12 or D10
31
S7-D12
Safety Hitting a S19 still leaves a good
double out
32
D16
33-60: This is a good place to be. You
only need 2 darts to finish and you don't need a triple or DB. If your
opponent is also on a double or if you only have 2 darts in your hand,
you should consider the 2 dart safety shots
Option1
2 Dart Safety
Comments
33
S1-D16
S17-D8
Safety S3 or T3 will leave
a one-dart finish. Beware - D17 or T17 will
bust
34
D17
35
S3-D16 or S19-D8
Split Decision - Shoot the wire between
3 & 19 which will leave a D16 or D8. Beware D19
or T19 will bust
36
D18
37
S5-D16
S17-D10
Safety S3 or T3 will leave a one-dart
finish. Beware T17 will bust
38
D19
If you're willing to waste a dart, another option is S6-D16 or S10-D14
- shoot the wire between 6 & 10
39
S7-D16
7/19 split
Safety With only two darts, shoot the
wire between 7 & 19
40
D20
41
S9-D16
S17-D12
Safety S3 or T3 will leave a one-dart finish
42
S10-D16
6/10 split
Safety Shoot for S10
closest to S6. You'll end up with 36 or 32
43
S11-D16
S3-D20
Safety S17 or S19 leaves a one-dart finish
44
S12-D16
8/16 or 18/4 split
Safety S8, T8 , S16 or S18, T4, S4 leaves
a one-dart finish
45
S13-D16
7/19 split
Safety All triples around 13 are safe.
7 or 19 will guarantee a double out
46
S14-D16
6/10 split
Safety S6 or S10 leaves a one-dart finish
47
S15-D16
7/19 split
Safety S7, T7 or S19 will leave a one-dart
finish. Beware T19 will bust
48
S16-D16
8 / 16 split
Safety S8, D8, T8, S16, D16 will all
leave a one-dart finish. Beware T16 will
bust
49
S9-D20
Avoid S17-D16. Hiting the S3 or S2 will
not leave a one-dart finish and T17 will bust
50
T10-D10
Safety S10, D10, T10, T6, D6 all leave
a one-dart finish. S15 leaves 35 and that’s
easy to fix with 2 darts. DB only with 1
dart left
51
S11-D20
Avoid S19-D16. T19 will Bust
52
S12-D20
T16-D2
Avoid S20-D16. T20 will
Bust. T12 is okay too since it will leave D8. Safety S16, D16, T8,
D8 all leave a one-dart finish
53
S13-D20
S17-D18
Safety With 2 darts, S3 or T17 will leave a one-dart finish
54
S14-D20
S18-T18
Avoid S18-D18 with 3 darts. T18 will
bust. With 2 darts, T18 is good since S4 leaves a safety on the bull.
55
S15-D20
56
S16-D20
T8 / T16 split
Safety All combinations of 8 or 16 on
your first dart leave something good!
57
S17-D20
Avoid S19-D19. T19 will
bust. Try SB-D16 if you’re
well ahead and feeling full of Bull
58
S18-D20
59
S19-D20
60
S20-D20
Beware of the dreaded T20!
61-70:Learn
this range!! With 3 darts, you can still finish
without hitting a triple. Pay close attention when you only
have 2 darts in your hand since you
should ALWAYS shoot for
the triple that will leave 50 if you only hit
a single
. Don't
put all of your eggs in the triple basket. Instead, leave yourself
a "backup parachute" shot at the Double Bull with your
last dart.
3 Darts
2 Darts
Comments
61
SB-D18
T11-D14
Safety If you miss the Bull, any number will get you under 60
62
T10-D16
T12-D13
63
T9-D18
T13-D12
Safety S9 leaves a 2 dart 54 finish and a safety on S4. The 2
dart option is okay with 3 darts as well. I know some people that shoot bull first to get 2 darts at D19
64
T16-D8
T14-D11
Any 8
/ 16 combination is great
65
SB-D20
T15-D10
If
you miss the SB, hopefully you'll hit a S5 or greater. If not,
then use the 2 dart safety from this chart.
66
T10-D18
T16-D9
S10 leaves
56. I love 56 since S16, D16, T16, D8, T8 all
leave a finish.
Only S8 will stop you.
67
T9-D20
T17-D8
Safety S9,
S12, S14 will all get you below 60. Avoid T17
with 3 darts since S2 or S3 will force you into a triple or Bull
68
T16-D10
T18-D7
Safety S8 leaves 60 which leaves a Single-Double finish. No Bull! S20 is popular but S5 or S1 leaves a much harder finish.D18 with 2 darts leaves 32...hmmm
69
T11-D18
T19-D6
Avoid! Safeties are scarce here.
70
T10-D20
T20-D5
Another
option is T18-D8
71-80:You're
now into the tough finishes. If you find yourself here with only
2 darts, you MUST hit a triple to finish
. If you're in this
situation AND your opponent is also on a finish,
it makes sense to go for an "unconventional" triple
in
order
to leave 60 or less with your last 2 darts. If
you hit the intended triple it may leave you a "bad" double
but a bad double is better than no double at all.
3 Darts
2 Darts
Comments
71
T13-D16
T19-D7
2 dart Safety T7 will leave DB
72
T16-D12
S16 leaves 56! I
love 56 since S16, D16, T16, D18, T8 all
leave a finish. Only
S8 will stop you.
73
T19-D8
74
T14-D16
T16-D13
2 dart Safety T8 will leave DB
75
T17-D12
SB-DB
76
T16-D14
T20-D8
T20-D8 is popular with
3 darts but S1 or S5 will force you into a triple to finish. Safety S8
or S7 will get you below 70
77
T19-D10
78
T14-D18
T18-D12 is popular but T14 is safer since hitting
the S11 or S9 will leave an easier 2 dart finish than S1 or S4
79
T19-D11
T13-D20
T13-D20 is popular with 3 darts but S13 leaves 66 which is
much tougher than 60 with 2 darts
80
T20-D10
T16-D16
T16 with 3 darts. Hitting S16 leaves
64 and forces you to hit a triple or DB to finish.
81-95:Now
you're into the finishes that require at least a Triple or a
Bull. For most of these, it makes sense to go for SB on the first
dart. It might seem strange but it means not having
to hit a triple. If you only have 2 darts, you MUST hit
a triple to finish so don't worry about the bull.
3 Darts
2 Darts
Comments
81
SB-56
T19-D12
SB leaves 56 which is easier with 2 darts than 62
82
DB-32
T14-D20
SB leaves 57 which is easier with 2 darts than 68. If you hit the
DB, then it's a bonus
The 18's are popular but S18 leaves 72 which forces a triple
on the next dart. If you hit S20, then another crack at the T20 will leave you with D5 or DB.
91
SB-66
T17-D20
S17 leaves 74 and forces a triple on the next dart
92
SB-67
T20-D16
S20 leaves 72 and forces a triple on the next dart (although T20-D16
is sooooo tempting and worth it if you're hitting T20 consistently)
93
SB-68
T19-D18
S19 leaves 74 and forces a triple on the next dart
94
SB-69
T18-D20
S18 leaves 76 and forces a triple on the next dart
95
SB-70
T19-D19
S19 leaves 76 and forces a triple on the next dart
96-110:This
range is the highest of the possible 2 dart finishes. What makes
this range very interesting is that half of them cannot be finished
with 2 darts. Welcome to the minefield! With 3 darts in
your hand, pay attention to the numbers on either side of your
target. If you stray and hit the number next door, will you still
have a chance at a 2 dart finish, or will you guarantee your
opponent another turn?
101 is a great example. T17 is popular as
the first of 3 darts since it leaves 50. If you hit S2, that leaves
99 and your opponent is guaranteed another turn.
3 Darts
2 Darts
Comments
96
T20-D18
same
97
T19-D20
same
98
T20-D19
same
99
T19-42
Impossible
6/10 safety on second dart. Refer to the finish for 42.
100
T20-40
same
Beware Hitting S1 on the first of 3 darts
is very bad. You can't finish 99 with 2 darts.
101
T20-41
T17-DB
Beware Never go for T17 with 3 darts since
S2 will leave 99. Safety T19 is another
option since any version of 7 or 3 leaves a 2 dart finish.
102
T20-42
Impossible
Safety S1 or S5 leaves a 2 dart finish. Beware T1
will leave 99.
103
T19-46
Impossible
Safety Any version of 7 or 3 leaves a
2 dart finish.
104
T16-56
T18-DB
Safety S8 and S7 leaves a 2 dart finish that doesn't require a Bull. Whether you hit S16 or T16, you just stay on the 16's. 18 is not a good choice with 3 darts in hand since S1 will stop you in your tracks. T19 is sandwiched between 2 very safe numbers. Any
version of 7 or 3 leaves a 2 dart finish but this will require a Bull finish.
105
T20-45
Impossible
Safety S1and S5 leaves a 2 dart finish. Beware T1
will stop you.
106
T20-46
Impossible
Safety S5 and T5 leaves a 2 dart finish.
107
T19-50
T19-DB
Safety Any version of 7 or 3 leaves a
2 dart finish.
108
T16-60
Impossible
Safety of S8 or S7 to leave a 2 dart finish. Another good option is T18-S18-D18 with safeties of hitting a S1 or S4 on your first dart. S8 is the best miss since it leaves 100.
109
T20-49
Impossible
Safety S5 leaves a 2 dart finish
110
T19-53
T20-DB
Debatable. With 3 darts, S5 or S1 will stop
you. T19 only has S7 as a danger. It's a matter of 50 or 53 with
the last 2 darts
111-119:From
here on, you'll need all three darts to finish. You'll need to
know the danger spots from the previous range in order to avoid
them.
3 Darts
Option 2
Comments
111
T19-54
Safety S7 or T7 leaves a 2 dart finish
112
T20-52
Avoid T5 and D1 are the only safeties
on this number. Try not to leave yourself here.
113
T19-56
Safety S3 or T3 leaves a 2 dart finish
114
T19-57
T18-60
Safety S7 or T7 leaves a 2 dart finish. Safety S4
leaves a 2 dart finish (T4 doesn't)
115
T20-55
Safety S5 or T5 leaves a 2 dart finish
116
T19-S19-40
Safety T7 or T3 leaves a 2 dart finish. The T19 can happen on the
first or second dart.
117
T19-60
Safety S7 leaves a 2 dart finish
118
T20-58
Avoid T18 leaves 64 which forces a
triple or DB to finish. 58 is much easier with 2 darts.
119
T19-62
Safety T3 leaves a 2 dart finish. Avoid S20 leaves 99!
120-130:This
range is very interesting. It's very similar to the 60's. You must
always shoot for the triple that will leave you a 2 dart finish
if you only hit a single. You have to know the 100-110 range. If
you do hit the triple, you're left with a 2 dart 60-something finish.
(Learn
those
ones
first!)
128 & 129
should be avoided if possible. If you follow the above rule and
only hit a single
you'll
be forced to hit a triple on your second dart.
Remember that
with 2 darts, if you're above 70 then you MUST hit a triple to
finish. Being above
70 means that you lose the "hail mary" throw at the DB.
Option 1
Options 2
Comments
120
T20-60
Safety S20 leaves a 2 dart finish
121
T20-61
SB-96 / T17-70
Safety All 3 options leaves a 2 dart finish
122
T18-68
Safety S18 leaves a 2 dart finish
123
T19-66
Safety S19 leaves a 2 dart finish
124
T20-64
Safety S20 leaves a 2 dart finish
125
SB-100
T18-71
Safety S18 or SB leaves a 2 dart finish.
Taking the T18 option forces you to hit 2 triples to finish this number.
126
T19-69
Safety S19 leaves a 2 dart finish
127
T20-67
Safety S20 leaves a 2 dart finish
128
T18-74
Safety S18 leaves a 2 dart finish.
129
T19-72
SB-104
Safety S19 or SB leaves a 2 dart finish.
130
T20-70
Safety S20 leaves a 2 dart finish
131-140:This
range is the first that requires you to hit 2 triples in order
to finish. You have to know your 2 dart 70-something finishes.
The exception to
the 2 triples rule is 132 and 135 where you can start with a
SB.
Option 1
Option 2
Comments
131
T19-74
Safety T7 leaves a 2 dart out
132
DB-82
T20-72
Safety SB leaves an easier 2 dart finish
than S20
133
T20-73
134
T20-74
135
DB-85
T20-75
Safety SB leaves a 2 dart finish. S20 doesn't.
136
T20-76
137
T20-77
138
T20-78
T19-T19-D12
Both good choices
139
T20-79
T19-82
140
T20-80
141-158:These
are tough and don't have safety nets. The good news is that they're
simpler since you must hit 2 specific triples to finish them.You
have to know your 2 dart 80-90's finishes.
There isn't much
point worrying about whether the number is odd or even. Most likely
there's going to be a T19 or T20 involved so just throw your first
dart at the triple you're most comfortable with. If you get the triple,
then you can evaluate where to go next. If you hit a single you can't
finish it anyhow so keep pounding your favorite triple.
Eventually, you'll
see how to get to a preferred finish for
your next turn. It's important that you know the lower finishes before
you have to worry about this aspect of the game.
For simplicity, you can start with
T20 on all of these if you prefer.
Option 1
Option 2
Comments
141
T20-81
T19-84
142
T20-82
T19-T19-D14
143
T20-83
T19-86
144
T20-84
T19-87
145
T20-85
T19-88
146
T20-86
T19-T19-D16
147
T20-87
T19-90
148
T20-88
T19-91
149
T20-89
T19-92
150
T20-90
T19-T19-D18
151
T20-91
T19-94
152
T20-92
T19-T19-D19
If you love 19's
153
T20-93
T19-96
154
T20-94
T19-97
155
T20-95
T19-98
156
T20-96
Avoid T19 will leave 99 and can't be finished with 2 darts
157
T20-97
T19-100
158
T20-98
Avoid T19 will leave 101 which means that this finish would be T19-T17-DB.
159-170:You're
at the end. Remember the minefield from 99-110? Here is the same
minefield + 60.If you're starting
your turn on one of the impossible finishes, the good news is
that you don't have to worry about taking it out.
When you're under
200 with one dart in hand, you need to avoiding shooting at a
number where the single will leave you on an impossible finish.
You can even look to the neighboring numbers and consider if
there is a safety there as well.
Remember that 158
and below are all safe for your next turn.
For example,
If
you're at 195 with one dart left, the only single that will leave
you an opportunity on you next turn would be SB.
If you're at 188
with one dart left, S20 would leave you stranded on 168, whereas
S18 would leave 170.
If you're at 168
with one dart left, shooting at the T16 is a good option. It
is surrounded by numbers that will guarantee you a chance at
a finish on your next turn. T20, T19, T18, T17 all have traps
around them.
Option 1
Option 2
Comments
159
Impossible
160
T20-T20-D20
161
T20-T17-DB
162
Impossible
163
Impossible
164
T20-T18-DB
T19-T19-DB
165
Impossible
166
Impossible
167
T20-T19-DB
168
Impossible
169
Impossible
170
T20-T20-DB
The highest finish possible and coveted as a significant accomplishment.