301 Darts Rules | Scoring, Winning, How to Play [ Players Guide ]

If you have ever witnessed your friends playing with darts, then you must have probably thought for a while how simple and interesting this game is!

Certainly, to play darts 301, you needed to get familiar with 301 darts rules, scoring, other rules, etc.

This brief guide is dedicated to the purpose of letting you know the rules of darts 301 in a simplified way.

301 Darts Game

Contents

301 darts is a popular game. Since the game is 301, everyone starts with 301 points. That is to say, the name of the game is the starting point.

301 darts rules how to play

Compared with the starting point, the number of hits is reduced, and the score is exactly 0 when the game ends.

Your score should be 0 to win! In this type of competition,  players also start with 501 or 701 and try to  Get the score quickly and reduce it to zero.

Overview of the Game

 Basically, darts or dart-throwing is a competitive game. In this game, two or more game players throw small sharp-pointed missiles at a round target referred to as a dartboard.

These pointed things are referred to as darts. Darts gamers are also called “dartists”.  2-4 players can play this game (one-on-one or two-person groups) ;

It is suitable for all ages. Although it is a simple game, there is still a calculator needed to keep track of the situation.

So, the first player who brings down the score from 301 to zero wins the game.

Related Post: How to Play Irish Poker | Players Guide

Game Elements

Following are the essential game elements

1. The Dartboard

For quality gameplay, players use a standard tournament size. Usually, an 18 inches board will work perfectly.

If you get a smaller board, the game will become too tough for beginners to enjoy. If you select a larger model, there’s no challenge for more skilled players.

2. Darts

For games with fellow adults, a trendy set of steel-tipped darts measuring no extra than 12 inches in length will work perfectly.

On the other hand, if the children are playing, you’ll likely locate it more securely to play on a digital dartboard with soft-tip darts.

3. Scoreboard

If you already have a dart with a separate cabinet, there is a separate counting space inside the cabinet. In this case, all you need to do is grab the chalk and start working.

Performing a lot of mathematical operations and purchasing digital equipment will save you tedious work and make you unable to concentrate or waste time on the calculator.

The Game Set Up

  • Make sure to place the board in a way that the porthole is 5 feet 8 inches from the ground.
  • The starting distance should be 7 feet 9 inches from the surface of the board.
  • It can be reduced to 7 feet when playing with children or beginners.
  • The starting line should be at least 18 inches and clearly marked.
  • This line can be anything from a simple line drawn or drawn with chalk on the floor to a real object such as a piece of wood.
  • Before throwing the dart, the player must ensure that his toes do not stick out of the edge of the line.

301 Darts Rules

To decide who goes first, you can toss a coin or use the traditional method, every player throws arrows at the board. Whoever is closest to the destination will go first.

Game strategy

  • As the name indicates, each player gets 301 points at the beginning of the game.
  • After that, the score is reduced according to the number of points obtained by throwing arrows on the board.
  • The number/digits of the area where the arrow falls determine the points to be awarded.
  • For example, if you landed the first dart at 20, another at 5, and the third at 10, your total score for this move is 35.
  • Now you’ll subtract that number from the total score.
  • So if this is your first step, subtract 35 from 301 to put your score to 266.
  • In the next step, you add up the total number of points on the board and subtract that score from 266, and so on.
  • The game goes on like this until the winner reaches zero and is declared the winner.

Final Stages

  1. In the official version 301, when the game reaches its end stage, an additional challenge will appear.
  2. The challenge is that you not only have to reach zero, but you also have to do it with twice the points.
  3. For example, if you only have 10 points, to win the game, you must get those points by earning twice.
  4. For this, you have to throw five.
  5. If you are only five points away from winning, then you must throw a solo and then add a double two.
  6. For experienced players, doubles completion is still fun.
  7. The beginners can postpone this part of the game and focus only on reducing the score to zero.

Scoring Doubles and Triples

  • If you hit the arrow in the smaller red or green ring outside this part, the points in that part will double.
  • While landing on the inner ring will triple the points.
  • With the arrow in the outer circle of the part labeled “1”, you will get two points.
  • If your second arrow falls on the inner ring of the first section, you will get 3 points.
  • Basically, the goal of 301 is to return to zero accurately.
  • Therefore, if the points you earn exceed the points required to complete the game, none of the points from that turn will count.
  • For example, you need 36 points to win. Your goal is to double 18, but in the end, you get 40 in double 20.
  • This means that your move was actually canceled, and you will have to try the next move again to get zero points.

501 or 701 Darts Games

After playing 301 for a while, it became too easy. With this in mind, you can consider increasing the score to 501 or 701 to take the game to a new level.

Every game has the same rules and goals as 301 but starts with a higher number.

Related Post: How to Play Hedbanz | A Complete Players Guide

Commonly Asked Questions

1.  What’s the Fastest Way to Win at 301 Darts?

The best strategy to win 301 points is to fight for doubles and threes until it reaches the desired points.

2. What’s the Best Way to Get Better at 301?

  1. Practice aiming for double and triple rings.
  2. Check the scores needed to win the game as soon as possible.
  3. The more times you remember these results, the fewer mental calculations will be done in the next game.

 3. What happens if the player’s score exceeds the number required?

All players start with 301/501 points and try to drop to zero. If the player’s score exceeds the number required to reach zero, the player busts.

This means that the score is returned to the score at the beginning of the round. When a player reaches zero, the game is over.