Guides · Mental game · 8 min read
The darts mental game: routine, pressure and dartitis
The darts mental game is what happens between two darts: a fixed routine, a calm breath, one small target and a plan for pressure. Train it like your technique, and a match double starts to feel like a practice double.
In short
- One routine before every dart, at the same tempo.
- Breathe out, aim small: one spot inside the bed.
- Practise with a stake, so match darts feel familiar.
- Dartitis: try a new trigger, tempo or grip, and get help.
Routine
How do you build a pre-throw routine for darts?
A pre-throw routine is a short, fixed sequence you run before every dart, so your body starts the throw the same way whatever the score. Adapt the six steps until they feel like yours, then stop changing them.
- Set your feetFront foot on the same spot on the oche, every visit.
- Name the targetPick a spot in the bed. On a finish, know the whole route first.
- Breathe outOne slow breath, shoulders down.
- Settle the gripSame grip, no squeezing. The darts grip guide shows how firm is firm enough.
- Throw in your tempoLift, draw back, release, with the same timing for every dart.
- Hold the finishArm out until the dart lands. A full follow-through stops you pulling it when you are nervous.
Same length, every time. Under pressure most players either speed up or aim far longer. Time a few routines in practice, then hold that rhythm in matches.
Focus
How do you stay focused at the oche?
Narrow your attention while you throw and relax it in between. Nobody can concentrate hard for a whole match, so switch on for the visit and off on the walk back.
Aim small, miss small
The treble 20 is about 3 cm wide and only 8 mm deep. Look at one spot inside it, not at the number.
Breathe out as you step up
Many coaches suggest about four counts in and six out while you step up. Some players then hold the breath briefly at release, others throw on a gentle exhale: try both and keep the steadier one.
- Eyes on the spotKeep looking at it until the dart lands, not at the flight. Looking away early often goes with a dropped arm.
- One cue word“Smooth” or “through” keeps your mind busy with something useful. Avoid “don’t” thoughts mid-throw.
- Switch off between visitsLook away, loosen the hand, have a sip of water. Replaying the last visit costs energy.
Pressure
How do you handle darts nerves and pressure on doubles?
Darts nerves mostly change your tempo and your grip, so keep both exactly as they are in practice. Plan the route early, commit to the dart and let the routine do the rest.
Do
- Keep your practice tempo on a match double
- Work out the route between visits
- Take a full breath after a missed double, then the same plan
- Know which finishes you go for and which you set up
Don’t
- Aim much longer than usual on the first match dart
- Work out the checkout while you are already aiming
- Rush to make up for a miss
- Go for a finish that is not on and leave nothing
Plan the leave
A dart that drops into the single on double 16 leaves double 8, and a miss there leaves double 4. Leaving a favourite double on purpose takes one decision out of the pressure moment.
The checkout chart helps you learn the routes by heart, so you never add up on the oche.
Even the best players miss more darts at doubles than they hit. A miss is part of the game, not a sign that something is wrong.
Reset
How do you stay calm after a bust or a bad visit?
A bad visit costs you one visit, unless you carry it into the next. Use the walk to the board as your reset and keep the analysis for after the match.
- Pull the darts, let it goThe walk to the board and back is your reset. Some players add a small cue, such as shaking out the throwing hand.
- Check the new scoreAfter a bust you are back on the score you started the visit with. Know your target before you step up again.
- Leave your technique aloneOne wide visit is normal scatter. Changing grip or stance mid-match usually makes the next visit worse.
- See the bigger pictureA 26 is one visit in a leg of 501. Your darts average already includes plenty of them.
Tactics
Should you play the opponent or play the board?
Most coaches say play the board: your routine and your targets, whatever the other player does. Their score matters for a few tactical choices, so notice it, then set it aside.
Play the board
Almost always
- You only control your own darts
- The routine never depends on the scoreboard
- You can miss a tactical moment
Watch their score
- Tells you when a risky checkout is worth it, for example when they are on a two-dart finish
- Their big visits start to change your tempo
Watch them throw
- Some players like the rhythm of a quick match
- Their misses give you hope, their 180s make you tense
A useful habit. Check both scores once as you step up, decide, then look only at your target. While the other player throws, plan your next route or look away.
Training
How do you train the darts mental game in practice?
Give each drill a stake, a clock or a record that one dart can ruin. Put one of these into your darts practice routine every week.
- Checkout KingOne missed finish resets your streak. With sudden death it ends the run.
- Hourly challengesA clock you cannot pause and one go per task. Giving up counts as a miss.
- Bob’s 27Drop to zero and the game is over, so a blank round on a small double hurts.
- X01 against a botSet it to your own average, and every leg is one you can lose.
- Must-finish ruleYou may not end the session until you hit your chosen double in one visit.
- A real opponentA league night, a friend or an online match at your level brings nerves no drill can copy.
Sridu builds the stakes in. In Checkout King the panel turns amber before the dart your streak depends on, and red in sudden death. Bots play any 3-dart average from 15 to 110, so a close match is always there.
Dartitis
What is dartitis, and what can you do about it?
Dartitis, often called the darts yips, is a sudden inability to release the dart smoothly after years of throwing well. Its cause is not fully understood: players describe anxiety about the throw, and some cases resemble focal dystonia, the movement disorder behind writer’s cramp.
Five-time world champion Eric Bristow is the best-known example: dartitis took hold of his throw from 1986 onwards.
Typical signs
- The arm freezesIt stops at the point of release and will not go on.
- Endless draw-backsYou pull back again and again without letting go.
- A jerky or early releaseThe dart jumps out of the hand or slips out too soon.
- Worse under pressureIt often shows first in matches or on doubles.
What players try
- Take the target awayThrow without a score, at a blank part of the board, or from closer and then move back.
- Change the triggerRelease on a count, on the breath out or after a fixed number of draw-backs, not when it “feels right”.
- Change the tempoA quicker throw leaves less time for the freeze. Others do better with a slow, smooth draw-back.
- Change the feelA new grip, or darts with another weight or barrel shape, can break the link to the old hitch.
- Talk to someoneA darts coach or sports psychologist has seen the yips before and can help you build a new routine around the release.
See your doctor if it lasts for months, spreads to other movements, or comes with cramp, twisting or pain in the hand or arm. They can check for a physical cause such as focal dystonia and refer you on.
Sources: NHS: Dystonia, British Psychological Society: what research knows about the yips
FAQ
Questions about the mental side of darts
How important is the mental game in darts?
Very, once your technique is reasonably consistent. Many players throw far better in practice than in matches, and that gap is mostly about routine and handling pressure.
How do I stop missing doubles under pressure?
Keep your routine and tempo the same as in practice, know your route before you step up and commit to each dart. Then train doubles with something at stake, such as Checkout King with sudden death or Bob’s 27, so that match doubles feel familiar.
How long should a pre-throw routine take?
A few seconds. The exact length matters less than keeping it the same for every dart. If you aim much longer on doubles than on the treble 20, work on that first.
Can dartitis be cured?
Many players get their release back after changing their trigger, tempo, grip or darts, often with help from a coach or sports psychologist. Others learn to manage it and keep playing, and there is no guaranteed fix. The guide to dartitis has a step plan and a checklist for when to get help. If it comes with cramp or pain, see a doctor and read the guide to pain when playing darts.
What are the first signs of dartitis?
Usually a small hesitation at the point of release, an extra draw-back you did not intend, or a dart that slips out early. It tends to show up first under pressure, such as on match doubles, before it appears in practice.
How do I deal with nerves before a darts match?
Nerves before a match are normal and usually mean the result matters to you. Warm up with the same short routine you use at home, for example a few visits at the treble 20 and a round of your favourite doubles. Then think only about your first visit and let the scoreboard look after itself.
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