Checkout

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The checkout is where legs are won and lost, and mastering checkout play is what separates good darts players from great ones. A checkout is the combination of darts needed to go from your remaining score to exactly zero, with the final dart landing on a double or the bullseye. The highest possible checkout is 170 (T20, T20, Bull), and the lowest is 2 (D1). Any even number from 2 to 170 can be checked out, plus some odd numbers using the 25 (outer bull) as a setup shot. For example, 131 is checkable: T20, T13, D16. Knowing your checkout routes is fundamental. Most players memorize the standard routes for common finishes: 40 is D20, 32 is D16, 36 is D18. But it gets more complex with higher numbers where you need to plan two or three darts ahead. The key principle is this: always leave yourself a "preferred double" if you miss. Professional players develop favorite doubles. Some love D16 because missing inside gives you S16, leaving D8 — still a clean double. Others prefer D20 (tops) because the single 20 leaves another even number. This "cover shot" thinking is what makes checkout play an art. For developing players, start by memorizing checkouts from 40 down, then work up to 100, then to 170. Practice finishing games from specific numbers. The more automatic your checkout knowledge becomes, the less mental energy you spend calculating and the more you can focus on actually throwing the dart.