SmartDart121 darts game: rules of the checkout practice classic
Nine darts to check out — make it and the number goes up, miss and it drops.
In short
121 is one of the best-known darts practice games for checkouts. You start on 121 and have nine darts — three visits — to reach zero finishing on a double. Check out and your next target is 122. Miss and it drops by one, never below 121. The aim is to climb as high as you can, up to the maximum of 170.
How it is played
Start on 121. You have three visits of three darts, nine darts in total.
Score down as in 501: each visit is subtracted, and you must finish on a double or the bull.
If you go bust (leaving 1, going below zero, or reaching zero without a double), the visit does not count and you return to the score before it.
Check out within your nine darts and you move up one: 122, 123 and so on, up to 170.
Miss the checkout and the target drops by one, but never below 121. Keep track of the highest number you reach — that is your high score.
Common house rules
A popular variation adds a safety net: once you have checked out a number, a miss never drops you below it. Some players use six darts instead of nine to add pressure, or start on 81 while 121 is still too hard. With two players you take turns, and the first to reach an agreed number wins.
Where it usually goes wrong
The most common mistake is throwing everything at treble 20 even when a safer set-up onto your favourite double is better — on 121, for example, treble 20, single 11 and bull, or a route via treble 17. The second is changing your route after a miss instead of repeating the same checkout until it sticks.
Playable in SmartDart?
Yes — 121 is a practice mode in SmartDart. The app keeps score, suggests the best checkout route and raises or lowers the target for you. You can play without an account; with a free account your high score and stats are saved across devices.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good score in 121 darts?
It depends on your level. Getting past 130 regularly means you know the common checkout routes. Anything above 160 is hard, because many of those numbers can only be finished via treble 20 or treble 19 — and 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 and 159 cannot be checked out with three darts at all.
Why 121?
121 sits well above 110, the highest two-dart finish, so you always have to plan with three darts — exactly the situation that decides legs under pressure. It also has several routes, such as treble 20, 11, bull or treble 17, treble 10, double 20.
What about numbers you cannot check out with three darts?
A few numbers above 158 have no three-dart finish. With nine darts you can still do it: use the first visit to leave a finish, then check out.
What else SmartDart can do
Beyond Quick Match and Training, SmartDart is a complete darts platform for pubs, clubs and leagues.