Double Out Rules in Darts: How to Finish a Leg | Oche

In almost every X01 game you can’t just hit zero — you have to finish on a double. This is the double-out rule, and it’s what turns the end of a leg into the most pressured part of darts.

What “double out” means

To win, the dart that brings your score to exactly zero must land in a double — the thin outer ring of the board — or in the 50 bullseye, which counts as double 25.

That has three consequences:

• You can only check out from an even number using a single double (e.g. 32 → double 16), or set one up with a single/treble first.
• If you reach zero with a single or treble, it doesn’t count — that’s a bust.
• If you go below zero, or leave exactly 1 (which can’t be a double), it’s also a bust.

Setting up your finish

Good finishing is about leaving yourself a number you like. The most reliable doubles are D20 (40), D16 (32) and D8 (16), because missing them narrowly leaves another even number to throw at. For example, from 32 a missed double 16 often lands in single 16, leaving 16 — another clean double.

Try to avoid leaving odd numbers when you can, because they force you to score a single first before you can reach a double.

The highest checkout and bogey numbers

The highest possible checkout is 170: treble 20, treble 20, bullseye. A handful of scores simply can’t be finished with three darts — the bogey numbers: 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159. If you’re left on one of these, you must score down to a finishable number first.

Look up the recommended route for any number in the checkout charts.

Double-in and straight-in

The double rule can also apply to the start of a leg:

• Straight-in — every dart counts from your first throw (standard in 501).
• Double-in — your score stays put until your first dart lands in a double (common in 301).

The X01 scorer suggests the best double-out from every score and warns you when you’ve left a bogey number.