Perfect game

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A "perfect game" in darts means the same thing as a nine-darter: completing a 501 leg in the minimum possible nine darts. The term "perfect game" is borrowed from bowling, where it describes 12 consecutive strikes for a 300 score. In darts, perfection means 501 points in three visits. The beauty of calling it a "perfect game" is that it emphasizes what's truly happening: every single dart counts, none are wasted, and the leg is won in the absolute minimum number of throws. There's no room for error — miss one treble and the nine-dart path is usually gone. What makes a perfect game mathematically interesting is that there are many possible routes. The classic 180, 180, 141 (T20, T19, D12) is the most common, but you could also throw 180, 177 (T20, T20, T19), and a 144 checkout (T20, T20, D12). Or 180, 180, 141 via T17, T18, D18. Each route requires hitting specific trebles and a specific double, and the combination you choose often depends on what you're comfortable with. Some purists argue that the "truest" perfect game follows the 180, 180, 141 path because it maximizes treble 20 attempts and finishes on the clean D12. Others say it doesn't matter — nine darts is nine darts. For context on how rare this is: Phil Taylor, who played professionally for over 25 years and is considered the greatest ever, hit 11 televised nine-darters. In tens of thousands of legs played, even the greatest managed it just a handful of times on camera.