Outdoor & pub games
Darts Cricket
- players
- 2–4
- minutes
- 25
- years
- 10+
In the box
1 target · 3 darts per player
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- DexterityArea MajorityPaper and Pencil
Where to buy it
Near you
In a shop
Within 50 km.
The basics
Close the game's seven targets (15 to 20 and the bull) before your opponent, scoring on those they have not yet closed. Each player throws three darts per visit: three marks close a number, a double counting as two and a treble as three, and every further hit on a number still open on your opponent's side scores its value. You win by having closed everything with at least as many points as your opponent.
The rules, step by step
Setup
3 darts, Numbers 15 to 20, Plus the bull
- A standard dartboard, three darts, two to four players or two teams.
- Only seven numbers count: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull. The rest of the board is dead.
- Each player throws one dart to decide who starts: the closest to the bull goes first.
How to play
3 marks close a number, Double 2, treble 3
- Each player throws three darts per visit, in turn.
- You must hit a number three times to close it: a single counts as one mark, a double as two, a treble as three.
- The bull follows the same rule: the outer ring is worth one mark, the bullseye two.
- A number closed on your side but still open on your opponent's scores points with each new hit.
- As soon as every player has closed a number, it scores nothing for anyone any more.
Scoring
Scores the number, Bull 25, bullseye 50
- Each hit on a number closed on your side and open on your opponent's scores its value: a treble 20 is worth 60 points.
- The bull scores 25 points per single hit, 50 for the bullseye.
- The scorer tracks the points scored; the closing marks are recorded on the board on the wall.
End of the game
7 targets closed, As many points or more
- You win by having closed all seven targets and having at least as many points as your opponent.
- Closing everything with fewer points does not win: you must keep scoring on what is still open.
House rules and pitfalls
20 is the most profitable target, and therefore the first one everyone closes.
- 20 is the most profitable target, and therefore the first one everyone closes. The real advantage is gained on 19 while the other player is battling away at 20.
- Cut-throat variant: the points scored are added to the opponent's score, and the lowest total wins. It completely changes the tactics.
Going further
Variants · Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Variants
Game mode
Standard cricket
You score on numbers closed on your side and open on your opponent’s. The highest total, once everything is closed, wins.
Cut-throat
Points scored are added to your opponents’ scores: the lowest total wins.
Race to close
No points are counted: the first to close all seven targets wins. Ideal for beginners.
choose them when you start a game: the scorer adapts
Frequently asked questions
Which targets count in cricket?
Only seven: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull. The rest of the board is dead: a dart in the 12 does nothing at all.
How do you close a number?
By hitting it three times. A single counts as one mark, a double as two, a treble as three: a single treble 20 closes the 20 in one go.
When do you score points?
Only on a number you have closed and that at least one opponent has not yet closed. As soon as everyone has closed it, it scores nothing for anyone any more.
Can you win with everything closed but fewer points?
No. You must have closed all seven targets *and* have at least as many points as your opponent. Closing too fast without scoring is the classic way to lose a game you were leading.
What is cut-throat?
The variant in which the points scored are added to your opponents' scores instead of your own: the lowest total wins. It turns the tactics upside down — you avoid scoring and look to close.
What is the bull worth?
One mark for the outer ring, two for the bullseye; and 25 or 50 points when it scores.