501 Double Out

The basic rule

Both players start with 501 points. Each visit consists of up to three darts; the score is subtracted from what is left. The Leg goes to whoever reaches exactly zero and puts the last dart into a Double or the Bullseye. Anyone who drops below zero, lands on one, or hits zero without a Double has gone bust: the visit does not count, the remaining score stays as it was before the visit, and it is the opponent's turn.

Throw-off and changeover

Before the first Leg you bull up: each player throws one dart at the Bull and the closer dart starts. If both are equally close, it is repeated. The following Legs start alternately, and in Sets usually alternately per Leg as well. Whoever throws first has the advantage of the first visit; winning a Leg against the throw is called a break.

An example Leg

1. Visit 1: 100 (T20, 20, 20) → 401 left
2. Visit 2: 60 (20, 20, 20) → 341 left
3. Visit 3: 140 (T20, T20, 20) → 201 left
4. Visit 4: 100 → 101 left
5. Visit 5: T20, 1 → 40 remaining (setup for D20)
6. Visit 6: D20 → Leg won in 16 darts

Setups: leaving yourself a good number

From around 170 remaining, experienced players stop thinking only about points and start thinking about what's left after the visit. The aim is even numbers with good doubles: 40, 32, 36, 24, 16. Example: on 81, T19 and D12 is a two-dart finish; miss the T19 and hit 19 instead and you're on 62, then 22 (a single) leaves 40.

Special cases

• 1 remaining can't be checked out; if you land on 1, it's a bust
• 50 remaining: the Bull wins the Leg, alternatively 10 and D20 or 18 and D16
• A dart that falls out or bounces off doesn't count; it can't be thrown again
• Darts stuck in the wire don't count; darts in the board score the segment the point is sitting in
• If a player finishes the Leg with fewer than three darts, the visit counts with the darts actually thrown

Variants of 501

• 301 Double In/Double Out: a shorter format in which the start also requires a Double; common in soft-tip darts
• 701 and 1001: long Legs for doubles and team matches
• Master Out: finishing on a Double, Treble or Bull, often on machines
• Straight Out: finishing on any segment, only usual in beginner rounds

Tactics from 100 remaining

With 100 to 170 remaining, your route depends on how many darts are left. With three darts everything up to 170 is checkable except the bogey numbers; with two darts everything up to 110 except a few numbers like 109 or 103. For the setup, the key question is: which number is left if I miss the Treble and hit the Single? A good setup still leaves a finish on a Double even after a missed dart.

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