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801 Darts Game

801 is a popular darts game that is named after the amount of points that each player starts with. There are other variations of this game called 301 and 501 that follow the same rules with a different starting point value. You will often hear of these games being referred to as '01 games because they can be played with any starting point total. The object of the game is to actually subtract all the points that you score with the end goal of having zero to win the game. 801 can be played with any number of individual players or can be played with teams where players rotate for each round.
Rules for How to Play 801 Darts
The game starts out with either a coin toss or the closest single throw to the bulls eye in order to determine who throws first. There is an advantage to throwing first as the player or team to hit zero points first wins the game and the other team doesn't have the chance to rebuttal. Like most games, 3 darts are thrown each turn and you total your points for all 3.
All the numbers are in play for this game, but you must score a double by hitting the outer ring or double bulls eye to start and close the game. Once you hit your first double, most people use the strategy of shooting for 20s since it offers a large scoring area at the top of the board compared to the bulls eye and is worth a lot of points. Plus, if you hit the outside or inside smaller rings it is worth double or triple 20, respectively. A triple 20 is worth 60 points while the double bulls eye is only worth 50.

Continue to subtract the amount you score from your total points and work your way down on each turn. To end the game, the player must also double out. For example, if you have 32 points left, aim for a double 16. If you miss and hit a single 16, your next throw should aim for a double 8. If you score more points than you have left it is called a bust. Busting means your turn is over and you start the next turn with the same score you had before the busted turn started. Once you hit a double that is equal to the amount of points you had left, you win the game.
Reading the Out Chart
The Out Chart is used to help you quickly select what to aim for when you are getting close to finishing 801 darts. Let's say you have 100 points remaining, simply refer to the bold number 100 on the chart and it will recommend that you score a T20 and D20. This means you should score a triple 20 worth 60 points and a double 20 worth 40 points. This totals up to 100 which is the amount of points you need to score in order to get out and win the game. You will notice that every final throw on the chart requires a D for double because you are required to score a double to get out. We highly recommend that you purchase an out chart so you can play '01 games if your dartboard didn't come with one.