Finishing is where most darts games are won and lost. You can score 140s all night, but if you can't close out a leg you'll keep handing your opponent chances. This guide covers how checkouts work, which finishes to learn first, and how to practise them so they become automatic.
What is a checkout?
A checkout is the final visit that takes your score to exactly zero. In standard 501 and 301 you must finish on a double (the thin outer ring of the board) or the bullseye, which counts as a double 25 worth 50. So with 40 left you need double 20, and with 50 left you can hit the bull.
The highest possible checkout is 170: treble 20, treble 20, bullseye. Any score of 170 or below can be checked out in three darts, apart from seven exceptions covered below.
Learn the finishes in this order
- Single-dart finishes (even numbers up to 40, plus 50). Every even number up to 40 is a double, and 50 is the bull. Know these instantly.
- Two-dart finishes. Many scores up to 110 are "one setup dart, then a double". For 60, hit single 20 then double 20. For 81, hit treble 19 then double 12.
- Three-dart finishes (111 to 170). These usually start with one or two trebles, then a double. For example, 121 is treble 17, treble 10, double 20.
The big finishes worth memorising
| Score | Route |
|---|---|
| 170 | T20, T20, Bull |
| 167 | T20, T19, Bull |
| 164 | T20, T18, Bull |
| 161 | T20, T17, Bull |
| 160 | T20, T20, D20 |
| 141 | T20, T19, D12 |
| 121 | T17, T10, D20 |
| 100 | T20, D20 |
Routes vary by player and by which doubles you hit best. The chart on the trainer shows one widely used route for each score.
The bogey numbers
Seven scores cannot be finished in three darts: 159, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168 and 169. If you're on one of these, the aim of the visit is to leave yourself a finish next time, not to force an impossible checkout.
Set up your favourite double
Don't just take whatever finish is next on the chart. If you have 100 to go, you could aim for T20 then D20. But if you score 60 with two darts and leave 40, you have a full visit at D20. Smart players plan two visits ahead and leave the double they hit most often.
Even numbers also halve down cleanly. Leaving 32 gives you D16, and if you miss into single 16 you're left on 16 (D8), then 8 (D4), and so on. Leaving an odd number means you can't go straight to a double, and leaving 1 is a bust, because no double can finish from 1.
How to practise
- Pick one number at a time. Choose a score from the chart and repeat it until you can find the route without thinking.
- Practise the finish you leave, not just the finish you want. Miss the double and you'll often be left with a different number. Practise those too.
- Use Random checkout. Practising only numbers you already know builds false confidence. Random mode trains you to work out a route under pressure.
- Aim small. Doubles are narrow. Work on grouping your darts into the double ring rather than throwing hard.
Ready to try? Head to the checkout trainer and pick a score.