Guides · Darts games for 2 · 12 min read
The best darts games for 2 players
The best darts games for 2 players are 501 for a proper match and Cricket for tactics. For a lighter evening, Scram, Tic-Tac-Toe and Darts Football stay close even when one of you is better, and Bob’s 27 turns practice into a duel.
In short
- A real match: 501, first to 3 legs.
- Tactics: Cricket, Scram or Tic-Tac-Toe.
- Ten minutes: 21 Blackjack, Shanghai or Beat It.
- Practising together: Bob’s 27 or Catch 40 head to head.
- Uneven levels: a handicap, such as 301 against 501.
Finder
Which darts game for 2 players suits you?
Choose by the time you have and by the level of the weaker player. A game that only one of you can win is no fun for either.
| Game | Players | Time for two | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 501 (X01) | 2+, teams | 5 to 10 min a leg | Regulars |
| Cricket | 2+, teams | 10 to 20 min | Some practice |
| Scram | Exactly 2 | 10 to 15 min | Some practice |
| Tic-Tac-Toe | 2 or 2 teams | 5 to 10 min | Anyone, four levels |
| Connect Four | 2 or 2 teams | 10 to 15 min | Anyone, four levels |
| Hare & Hounds | 2+ | 10 to 15 min | Anyone |
| Darts Football | Exactly 2 | 10 to 20 min | Regulars |
| Tennis Darts | Exactly 2 | 20 to 30 min | Some practice |
| Snooker Darts | 2 or 2 teams | 20 to 30 min | Some practice |
| English Cricket | Exactly 2 | 20 to 30 min | Some practice |
| Battleship | 2 sides | 15 to 25 min | Anyone |
| Golf | 1+ | 10 to 15 min | Anyone |
| 21 Blackjack | 2+ | 5 min | Anyone |
| Beat It | 2+ | 5 to 10 min | Anyone |
| Bob’s 27 | 1+ | 15 to 20 min | Regulars |
| Catch 40 | 1+ | 30 to 40 min | Regulars |
Times are rough guides for two players of club level, and beginners take longer. “1+” means the game also works alone. Every linked game has a page with its full rules, and the darts games A to Z lists many more.
A real match
Which darts game makes the best match for two?
501 makes the best match for two players: count down from 501 to exactly zero and finish on a double. Play first to 3 legs and swap who starts each leg, as in every league.
- 10040185416
- 14026160356
- 95166100256
- 1264045211
- D200
501 in three rules
- Three darts a visitWhatever you score comes off your total.
- Finish on a doubleThe last dart has to land in a double or the bullseye.
- BustGo below zero, leave 1 or reach zero without a double, and the whole visit counts nothing.
The checkout chart shows the way out from 170 down. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Quicker: 301Same rules, but a leg is over much sooner. Good on a weeknight.
- Tougher: Double InYour score only starts counting once you hit a double. A classic with 301.
- Fairer: alternate the throwBull for the first leg, then take turns. Throwing first is a real advantage in 501.
Tactics
Which darts games for two are about tactics?
Cricket is the tactical classic for two, followed by Scram and the board games Tic-Tac-Toe and Connect Four. You often win by choosing the right target, not only by hitting it.
Cricket for two
- Close 15 to 20 and the bullThree marks each. A double counts two, a treble three.
- Score where you leadHits on a number you closed score while your opponent still has it open.
- Close and lead to winAll seven closed with at least as many points.
- ScramOne player only closes numbers, the other only scores on the open ones. Then you swap, and the second scorer chases the first total. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Connect FourSeven columns, and every stone reveals a harder field above it. Four in a row wins. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Hare & HoundsThe hare runs clockwise from the 20, the hound starts one number behind. Catch it, or get home first. Rules · Play in Sridu
Tic-Tac-Toe: win with a fork
Each of the nine cells is a target, from a single number to a points total for the whole visit. Hit it and the cell is yours, and three in a row wins.
The strongest move threatens two rows at once, so your opponent can block only one. Sridu deals the grid at four levels, from plain numbers up to a 180.
Quick games
Which darts games for 2 take less than 10 minutes?
21 Blackjack, Nine-Dart Century, Shanghai and Beat It are over in a few minutes each. They are ideal while the pizza is in the oven or as a warm-up before a match.
The four fastest duels
- 21 BlackjackOne visit per round, darts at full value. Go over 21 and you are bust, closest to 21 takes the round.
- Nine-Dart CenturyNine darts to get as close to 100 as you can. Over 100 and you are out.
- ShanghaiOne number per round, usually seven rounds. Single, double and treble of it in one visit wins on the spot.
- Beat ItScore more than the visit before yours or lose a life. It works with two and with ten.
Play them in Sridu: 21 Blackjack, Nine-Dart Century, Shanghai and Beat It. The rules pages for 21 Blackjack, Shanghai and Beat It have worked examples. Higher or Lower is just as quick with one life each: the first visit caught between the two bars ends it.
Training together
Which darts training games can two players play together?
Any drill with a score becomes a duel: same targets, same number of darts, higher score wins. Bob’s 27 for doubles and Catch 40 for checkouts are the two best.
Turn a drill into a duel
- Same targetsBoth throw the same round, one visit each, in turn.
- Same dartsFix the number of darts or rounds before you start.
- One scoreHighest total, or first through, wins. Swap who starts next time.
- Bob’s 27Start on 27 and work from double 1 to the bull. Hits add, a blank round costs that double’s value. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Catch 40Check out 61 to 100, six darts each. Two darts pay 3 points, three darts 2, more 1. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Doubles Around the ClockThe first to hit every double in order wins. Play in Sridu
- Missions head to headBuild a list of tasks and race through it, or steal tasks off each other. Rules · Play in Sridu
For a full session with warm-up and drills, see the darts practice routine.
Fun duels
Which fun darts games for 2 feel like another sport?
Darts Football, Tennis Darts and Snooker Darts copy the rules of other sports, which makes them easy to explain to friends. They are made for exactly two players or two teams.
- Darts FootballOnly the player on the ball scores, one double after another. The other goes for the bull to win it back. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Tennis DartsServe into a half, return on the same number, and count 15, 30, 40, deuce. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Snooker Darts1 to 15 are the reds, 16 to 20 the colours, the bull is the black. Build breaks over several visits. Rules · Play in Sridu
- English CricketThe batter scores everything over 40 as runs, the bowler aims at the bull for wickets. Rules · Play in Sridu
- GolfNine holes, par 3 each, and the double is a hole in one. Fewest strokes win. Rules · Play in Sridu
- BattleshipHide a fleet on the board, then shoot at the other one, three darts a visit. Rules · Play in Sridu
Uneven levels
How do you play darts against a much better player?
Give the weaker player a head start that the game itself understands, so the stronger player can still throw their best. Start small and adjust after every leg or two.
- Whoever wins twice in a row gives away a little more next time.
- Change only one thing at a time, so you can tell what made the difference.
- Games with some luck such as Tic-Tac-Toe, Battleship or Beat It need no handicap at all.
| Game | Head start for the weaker player | In Sridu, per player |
|---|---|---|
| 501 (X01) | A lower start, such as 301 against 501, or Single Out | Starting score, checkout, Double In |
| Cricket | The 15, or 15 to 17, closed from the start | Closed numbers, or 1 or 2 marks on every number |
| Scram | As the stopper, a few numbers already closed | Numbers closed as stopper, head start in points |
| Darts Football | A goal or two up | Head start of 1 to 3 goals |
| Golf | A few strokes off the total | Strokes given, last or best dart |
| Around the Clock | Start a few numbers ahead | Fields ahead, own ring, fewer darts per visit |
| Bob’s 27, Halve-It, Shanghai | Extra points at the start | Head start in points |
Nobody to play? A bot set to your own 3-dart average gives you a close duel at any hour, see play darts against the computer. To play a friend at another board, Sridu connects two boards online.
Three players
Which darts games work for three players?
Cut-Throat Cricket is made for three, and Killer, Shanghai and Halve-It work just as well with three as with two. Games for exactly two, such as Scram or Darts Football, need a rotation.
- Cut-Throat CricketPoints you score land on the opponents who still have that number open, and the lowest score wins. Two players can gang up, so it stays lively. Play in Sridu
- KillerShort and spiteful with three. Rules · Play in Sridu
- Winner stays onFor any game for two: the loser sits out the next leg, and the one waiting keeps score or calls.
For four or more players and for parties, the guide to darts games for every situation has the group games.
FAQ
Questions about darts games for two
What is the best darts game for 2 players?
501 for a real match and Cricket for tactics. If one of you is much better, choose Tic-Tac-Toe, Darts Football or Beat It, or give the weaker player a handicap.
What darts games can 2 beginners play?
Around the Clock, 21 Blackjack and Golf. Any hit counts, there is no checkout, and a game takes ten minutes or less. The guide darts for beginners covers the basics.
Can you play Cricket with 2 players?
Yes, Cricket is a classic duel. With two players every hit on a number you closed scores, as long as your opponent still has it open. Cut-Throat Cricket, where the points go to your opponents, needs three or more to make sense.
How long does a game of 501 take with two players?
A single leg takes about 5 to 10 minutes for two club players, and a match of first to 3 legs half an hour or more. Beginners need more darts per leg, so allow longer.
What can two players play when one is much better?
Give the weaker player a head start, such as 301 against 501 or the 15 closed in Cricket. Games with luck in them, such as Battleship or Tic-Tac-Toe, stay close even without one.
Can two players play darts online against each other?
Yes. Each player needs their own board and a device, and an app connects the two. In Sridu that is an online match, board against board, with no account needed.
What darts games are good for 3 players?
Cut-Throat Cricket, Killer, Shanghai and Halve-It. For games made for exactly two, play winner stays on.
Guides
Related guides
Pick a duel and play tonight
Open Sridu in your browser, add your opponent or a bot and choose a game. It keeps score for every linked game on this page, by webcam or by tapping the board, and handicaps are set per player.