Guides · Solo darts games · 11 min read
The best solo darts games to play on your own
The best solo darts games give you a score at the end, so every session sets a record to beat. Pick them by goal: Blackout or Shanghai for fun, Around the Clock for aim, Darts at a Number for scoring, Bob’s 27 for doubles and 121 for checkouts.
In short
- Every solo game needs a number: points, darts used or a streak.
- Pick one goal per session and two or three games for it.
- Keep the settings fixed, so this week compares with last week.
- Want a real match? Play 501 against a bot set to your average.
At a glance
Which darts games can you play on your own?
Any darts game that ends with a number works on your own: points, darts needed or a streak. The chart sorts 17 well-known games by what they train and how long one game takes.
How to build a solo session
- Pick one goalDoubles today, scoring tomorrow. One goal keeps the session honest.
- Warm up with a fun gameFive minutes of High Score or Around the Clock loosens the arm.
- Play two drills for the goalSame settings as last time, and write the score down.
- Finish with something you enjoyA game you like brings you back to the board tomorrow.
For a fixed plan with minutes per block, see the darts practice routine. This guide is the menu: what each game asks of you and how to keep score.
Score chasing
Which solo darts games are the most fun?
Blackout and Shanghai are the most fun to play alone, because one good dart can change the whole game. Each of the games below takes five to ten minutes and leaves you with a score to beat.
Blackout, fewest darts wins
- All 20 numbers are litAny hit on a lit number switches it off.
- Trebles take threeA treble also switches off both neighbours, so treble 20 clears the 5, 20 and 1.
- Count your dartsYour record is the fewest darts to a dark board. Seven is perfect.
- High ScoreEight visits, every dart scores what it hits. Record: your total, 1440 at most. The quickest warm-up there is.
- ShanghaiOne number per round, only that number scores. Alone, play 20 rounds in random order and count a Shanghai (single, double and treble in one visit) as 100 extra. Record: your total.
- Halve-ItStart on 40, one target per round, such as the 20, a double or the bull. Miss it with all three darts and your score is halved. Record: your final score.
- GolfNine holes on the 1 to the 9, par 3 each. A double is a hole in one, a miss costs five strokes. Record: fewest strokes, par is 27.
- RadarThree targets light up at once and lose value with every dart you throw. Hit them fresh for up to 24 points. Record: your total over ten rounds.
- Your own missionMake a list of tasks, such as a treble 20, a ton and an 81 checkout, and play it through. Record: fewest darts for the whole list.
Accuracy
Which solo games sharpen your aim?
Around the Clock is the classic accuracy game, because it sends every dart to a different part of the board. Zones and Bull Shooting add targets you rarely aim at in a match.
Around the Clock, fewest darts
- 1 to 20, then the bullAny ring of the number counts. A hit moves you on, even within the visit.
- Count every dartA perfect run takes 21 darts. Your record is the fewest you have needed.
- Read your hit rate21 divided by your darts is your hit rate. 42 darts means you hit every second dart.
- ZonesA new spot each round, anywhere on the board, and every dart scores by its distance to it. Record: your total over ten rounds, 150 at most.
- Bull ShootingTwo minutes at the bull: the bullseye scores 2, the 25 scores 1. Record: your points, or the longest run of hits.
- Grand NationalRound the board anticlockwise from the 20: 20, 5, 12, 9 and on. A visit without a hit ends the race. Record: how far round you get.
- Trebles Around the ClockThe same race on the trebles only. Hard, so give yourself a dart limit and count how far you get.
Scoring power
How do you practise scoring on your own?
Throw a fixed number of darts at the treble 20 and count the result. Darts at a Number shows how tight your group is, Powerscoring how many points you really make.
Darts at a Number, 100 darts
- Choose the 20Or the 19, or the bull. Stay on one number the whole run.
- Throw 100 dartsA single scores 1, a double 2 and a treble 3. Anything else scores nothing.
- Beat your total300 is the maximum. Your hit rate tells you how often you stay in the bed.
- Powerscoring99 darts or ten minutes, every dart counts what it hits, no bust. Record: your points. Divide them by 33 visits and you have your scoring average.
- Around the WorldOne round on each number from 1 to 20: single 1, double 2, treble 3. Record: your total, 180 at most. Your weak numbers show up at once.
- Treble 20 MarathonDarts at a Number with only the treble counting. Record: trebles in 100 darts.
- The 19s dayPlay the same run on the 19 once a week. Should it be your main target? The guide T20 or T19 has the maths.
Doubles
Which solo game trains your doubles?
Bob’s 27 is the standard doubles game for one player. You start on 27 points and throw three darts at every double from 1 to 20, then the bull, and a round without a hit costs you that double’s value.
- Bob’s 27Blank rounds on double 1 to 4 cost 20 of your 27 points. First goal: get through all 21 rounds. Maximum 1437.
- Doubles Around the ClockDouble 1 to double 20 and the bull, in order. Record: fewest darts.
- JDC Challenge57 darts: Shanghai on 10 to 15, one dart at every double, Shanghai on 15 to 20. Your total gets a grade from white to black.
Doubles are a topic of their own. Which doubles to practise first, how to drill them and what a good hit rate is: see darts doubles practice.
Checkouts
How do you practise checkouts alone?
Play finishes with a fixed number of darts and count how many you take out. 121 is a ladder that climbs with every checkout, Checkout King deals random finishes, and Catch 40 pays you for finishing fast.
| Game | Darts per finish | Your record |
|---|---|---|
| 121 | 9, then one number higher | Highest number checked |
| Checkout King | 3, random 41 to 98 | Longest streak |
| Catch 40 | 6, from 61 to 100 | Points, 40 is the mark |
Say the route before you throw. Calling “T19, D12” for 81 out loud trains the maths along with the arm. The checkout chart lists a standard route for every finish.
Benchmarks
What is a good score in solo darts games?
A good score is one that beats your own baseline, because there is no official scale for practice games. For a rough sense of level, the table shows what Sridu’s bots score in five drills at different 3-dart averages.
- 21darts for a perfect Around the Clock
- 300maximum for 100 darts at a number
- 1437maximum in Bob’s 27
- 120maximum in Catch 40
| Drill | Ø30 | Ø45 | Ø60 | Ø75 | Ø90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around the Clock, darts needed | 90 | 53 | 41 | 33 | 27 |
| Darts at a Number, 100 at the 20 | 48 | 85 | 116 | 144 | 174 |
| Bull Shooting, 60 darts | 9 | 24 | 38 | 54 | 70 |
| Catch 40, points | 4 | 14 | 26 | 38 | 53 |
| Bob’s 27, games survived | almost none | 1 in 12 | about half | 6 in 7 | nearly all |
| Bob’s 27, typical score | out | out | around 20 | around 275 | around 475 |
Medians of 300 to 1000 simulated games per cell with the bot model of Sridu (version 224, October 2026). A bot aims like a player and its darts scatter around the target. Real players spread differently, so read the numbers as orientation, not as a grading scale.
Set your own baseline
- Fix the settingsSame game, same number of darts, same distance, every time.
- Play it five times in a weekDifferent days, so one good or bad evening doesn’t count too much.
- Take the middle scoreSort the five and take the third. That is your baseline.
- Beat it most of the timeWhen three of your next five games beat it, the middle score of those is your new baseline.
Don’t know your average? Play three legs of 501 and divide your points by your darts, times three. The guide to the darts average has typical values for each level.
Match practice
Can you play a real darts match on your own?
Yes, against a computer opponent. A bot near your own average gives you the pressure of a match, with the other player’s score sitting there while you go for your double.
- Pick the levelAbout your own average for an even game, ten points higher to push yourself. In Sridu bots go from Ø15 to Ø110.
- Drills side by sideBots also play the drills, so you can race a Ø60 bot through Catch 40 or Bob’s 27.
Without a bot, play 501 against yourself: count the darts each leg takes and try to beat it. How the computer opponent throws is explained on play darts against the computer.
Keep going
How do you stay motivated practising darts alone?
Give every session something to win: a record, a streak or a challenge with a deadline. Small wins you can see keep you at the board far better than good intentions.
- Records per settingKeep one record for each game and setting. A record on 60 darts says nothing about 100.
- A streak of daysMark every day you throw at least one drill. A short session keeps the streak alive on busy days.
- Challenges against the clock“Hit five treble 19s in 20 minutes” is a target you can win today, unlike a better average.
- Look at weeksCompare this week’s middle score with last month’s. Single evenings go up and down.
- Switch gamesRotate two or three games per goal, so the drills stay fresh.
- Climb the bot ladderBeat the Ø45 bot’s score in a drill, then the Ø60 bot’s.
In Sridu: every drill keeps your record for each setting, and your statistics show the trend. Every hour there are four challenges from easy to extreme, each with its own clock of 15 to 60 minutes, and a won challenge keeps your day streak going.
FAQ
Questions about solo darts games
What is the best darts game to play alone?
For beginners, Around the Clock, because it takes you round the whole board and the darts you need show your progress. For regular players, Bob’s 27 for doubles and 121 for checkouts. For fun, Blackout or Shanghai.
Can you play 501 on your own?
Yes. Count the darts you need for each leg and try to beat that number: nine darts is perfect, and every dart fewer than last week is progress. Or play 501 against a bot set to your average.
Can you play Cricket alone?
Yes. Close the 15 to the 20 and the bull and count the darts it takes, as in No-Score Cricket. Cricket Count-Up is a scoring version: one round on each Cricket number, and the total is your score.
What is a good score in Bob’s 27?
There is no official scale. Your first target is to survive all 21 rounds, and after that every point above your baseline counts. In Sridu’s simulation a bot of a 75 average typically scores around 275, so a few hundred points is a strong result.
How long should I practise darts on my own?
Around 30 focused minutes on most days works for club and pub players. Short and regular beats one long session, see the darts practice routine.
How do I keep score when I practise alone?
A notebook works: write the game, the setting and the score after every run. A scoring app such as Sridu counts the darts for you and keeps the record per setting.
Guides
Related guides
Let the app keep score
Every game on this page is in Sridu, free in the browser. It counts your darts by webcam or by tapping and keeps your records.