Downstairs

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"Downstairs" refers to the lower half of the dartboard — roughly the numbers 3, 19, 7, 16, and 8. You'll hear commentators say "he's gone downstairs" when a player targets numbers in the bottom portion of the board, usually during a checkout attempt. Most of the time in darts, you're aiming "upstairs" at the 20 segment for maximum scoring. Going downstairs is typically a strategic move during checkouts. For example, D16 is a popular finishing double located in the lower half. Checkout routes through 19, 16, or 8 all take you downstairs. The shift from upstairs to downstairs can be challenging because it requires adjusting your throwing arc and eye position. Players who spend most of their practice time on the top of the board can feel uncomfortable when forced to aim lower. The dart needs a slightly different trajectory to reach the bottom segments cleanly. The 19 segment, just below and to the left of the 20, deserves special mention. It's the alternative power-scoring number. When your aim is drifting and you can't hit treble 20, some players switch to treble 19 (57 points), which can be a smart tactical adjustment. Three treble 19s score 171, only 9 less than a maximum, and some players find the 19 bed more natural to hit. Understanding the board geography — upstairs versus downstairs, left versus right — helps you think about darts more strategically. Instead of just "aiming at the number," you start to feel where different targets are relative to each other and develop an intuitive sense of board navigation.