What a checkout really is
In darts, a leg ends only when you finish on a double, and that rule turns the last part of every leg into a puzzle. A checkout is the sequence of darts that takes your remaining score to exactly zero with the final dart landing in a double, or in the bull, which counts as a double 25. If you leave one point, or if you go below zero, the leg is bust and your score returns to what it was at the start of the visit. The calculator on this page takes the score you have left and shows a clean route to the double, starting with the famous finishes every player should know and falling back to a sensible plan for anything else. Learning checkouts is the fastest way to win more legs, because many games are lost not by poor scoring but by poor finishing.
The highest possible checkout is 170, known as the big fish: treble 20, treble 20, and then the bull. It is the only three-dart finish from 170, and it is rightly celebrated when it happens, because it requires two perfect trebles followed by the hardest single target on the board. From 167 down, most scores have at least one route, but not every score can be finished in the darts you have left. Scores of 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, and 159 cannot be finished in three darts, because the maths does not work out to a double, and experienced players know to set up a finishable score instead of chasing an impossible one. That knowledge, knowing when to set up rather than attempt a finish, separates steady players from players who bust at the worst moment.
The finishes every player should memorise
A small set of checkouts covers most legs. From 40, the classic finish is a single dart at double 20, the most practised double in the game. From 32, it is double 16, another favourite because missing inside leaves double 8, a second chance. From 36, it is double 18. From 50, it is the bull, and from 60, it is treble 20 followed by double 20, or three darts at double 20 if you prefer. From 100, the standard route is treble 20 then double 20. From 80, it is treble 20 then double 10, or treble 16 then double 16 if you prefer the 16s. From 120, the common route is treble 20, 20, double 20, also known as Shanghai on the 20s when all three hit the same number. Memorising these few routes means you rarely need to calculate at the oche, and you can focus on throwing rather than arithmetic.
Doubles preference is personal, and it matters. Many players love double 16 because it sits next to double 8 and double 7, so a miss inside still leaves a double, while a miss outside leaves a single that can be corrected. Others prefer double 20 because it is the most practised target, or double 10 because it suits their throw. The best advice is to practise one or two doubles until they feel automatic, and to build your checkouts around them. If you love double 16, set up 32 whenever you can. If you love double 20, set up 40. A checkout plan that ends on a double you trust is worth more than a theoretically shorter route that ends on a double you fear.
Setting up: the skill behind the finish
Setting up is the art of leaving a finishable, comfortable score when you cannot finish in your current visit. If you are on 137 with three darts and no finish, the smart play is not to throw wildly at trebles, but to hit a single 17 to leave 120, or a single 20 to leave 117, depending on your preferred route. If you are on 99, a single 19 leaves 80, a clean two-dart finish. The principle is simple: always leave an even number that you can finish on a double you like, and avoid leaving one, which is bust, or an odd number that requires a single before the double. Good players think one visit ahead, and great players think two visits ahead, planning the set-up dart as carefully as the finishing dart.
Setting up also means managing the board. Treble 20 is the highest-scoring target, but it is not always the right target when setting up. If you need to leave 32, you might aim at single 20s rather than trebles, because a treble would overshoot the plan. If you need to leave an even score, a single is often safer than a treble that could leave an awkward number. This discipline is hard to learn because it feels cautious, but it wins legs. Players who chase maximums on every visit often leave themselves on 169 or 159 with no finish, while players who set up calmly walk to the oche with a clear, practised route and finish in two darts.
Common checkout mistakes
The most common mistake is forgetting the double rule and celebrating a score that does not finish the leg. A player who hits treble 20 to leave zero without a double has bust, not won, and the embarrassment is memorable. The second mistake is going for a finish that does not exist, such as trying to finish 169 in three darts, and busting or leaving one. The third is leaving a double you cannot hit under pressure, because you never practised it. The fourth is rushing: stepping to the oche without knowing your route, throwing the first dart, and then trying to calculate under pressure. The calculator helps here, but in a real match you must know the route before you throw, so practise checkouts at home until the common ones are automatic.
Another mistake is ignoring the opponent. If your opponent is on a finish, you may need to finish quickly rather than set up safely, and a riskier route may be correct. If your opponent is far behind, a safe set-up is usually better than a spectacular attempt. Match play is not just about your score, it is about the race to zero, and the right checkout depends on who is ahead. Beginners should first learn the routes in isolation, then learn to adjust for match pressure, and finally learn to read the opponent's position as part of the decision. That progression takes time, but it is what turns a good scorer into a good match player.
How to practise checkouts
Effective checkout practice is structured, not random. Start with the classic doubles: throw at double 20, double 16, and double 10 in turn, ten darts each, and record how many you hit. Then practise two-dart finishes from 40, 32, 36, 50, and 60, aiming to finish in two darts or fewer. Then practise three-dart finishes from 100, 80, 120, and 170, learning the route before you throw. Finish each session with a game: start at 501 against a practice partner or a scoring app, and play the leg out fully, including the set-up visits. Practising only scoring, without finishing, is like practising only driving range shots in golf and never putting.
Pressure practice helps too. Set yourself a target, such as finishing 40 in one dart three times in a row, or finishing a leg in under twenty darts, and repeat it until you succeed. Practise with a consequence, such as starting the drill again if you miss, so that missing matters in practice as it does in a match. Many players also practise the big fish, not because they expect to hit it often, but because the treble-treble-bull sequence teaches accuracy under excitement. Even if you never hit 170 in a match, the practice improves your treble 20 consistency, which helps every other part of your game.
The board, the maths, and the mental game
Darts is a game of arithmetic under pressure, and the maths is part of its charm. Subtraction must be fast and correct, because a wrong subtraction can lead to a wrong target and a bust. Players who struggle with mental maths should practise subtraction drills away from the board, learning to subtract common scores instantly: 501 minus 100 is 401, 170 minus 60 is 110, and so on. In casual play, the calculator on this page can do the work, but in league and tournament play, quick mental maths is a genuine competitive advantage, and it frees your attention for the throw itself.
The mental game of finishing deserves attention as well. Many players throw beautifully until they reach a double, then tighten up, rush, or change their rhythm. The cure is routine: the same stance, the same breathing, the same number of practice swings, whether the dart is for a double or for a treble. Treat the finishing dart like any other dart, because it is, and the double will come. Players who celebrate early or groan early break their own routine, and the next dart suffers. A calm, repeatable routine is the most underrated checkout skill in darts, and it costs nothing to build.
| Score left | Route | Darts |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | Treble 20, treble 20, bull | 3 |
| 100 | Treble 20, double 20 | 2 |
| 80 | Treble 20, double 10 | 2 |
| 40 | Double 20 | 1 |
| 32 | Double 16 | 1 |
- Always finish on a double; the bull counts as double 25.
- Memorise 40, 32, 100, and 170 first.
- Set up a finishable score when no finish exists.
- Build routes around a double you trust.
- Practise checkouts under pressure, not just scoring.
Enter your remaining score above, learn the route, and step to the oche knowing exactly where the last dart needs to go. That knowledge is what turns a good leg into a won leg.