Bob's 27 Darts Rules: The Doubles Practice Game | Oche

Bob’s 27 is the most famous doubles practice routine in darts, popularised by the legendary coach Bobby George. It is a solo game designed to do one thing: make you a reliable finisher by drilling every double on the board under real pressure. Master Bob’s 27 and your checkout percentage will follow.

How it works

You begin on a score of 27 points — the number that names the game. Then you work through the doubles in order:

Round 1 → double 1, round 2 → double 2 … round 20 → double 20, then the bullseye (the 50, which counts as double 25).

In each round you throw all three darts at that round’s double.

Scoring: the risk

This is what makes Bob’s 27 so unforgiving:

• Hit the double — add double the number to your score for each successful dart. So a hit on D20 adds 40; three darts in D20 adds 120.
• Miss the whole round — if none of your three darts hits the double, you subtract double the number from your score.

A single hit anywhere in the round saves you from the penalty, but blanking a round — especially a high one — can be devastating.

Going bust

If your score ever drops below zero, you go bust and the game is over on the spot. Early rounds are the danger zone: starting on just 27, a couple of missed low doubles can wipe you out before you have built any cushion.

If you survive all 20 doubles and the bull, you record your final score. Players track their best totals over time as a measure of finishing form.

Why it works

Real legs are won and lost on the double, yet doubles are the hardest segments to hit consistently. Bob’s 27 forces you to face every double — including the awkward ones most players neglect — with a genuine penalty for missing. That pressure is exactly what builds a dependable checkout. Pair it with the theory in our double-out guide, and for a fun multiplayer doubles game try Killer.

The Bob’s 27 trainer keeps your running score, applies the hits and penalties automatically and saves your personal bests — so you can focus on the next double, not the maths.