Same race as 501, from 301 down to exactly zero — but you have to open with a double and finish with one.
Doubling in
Nothing counts until you hit a double. Throw 20, 20, 20 to start and you are still sitting on 301 — the app flashes a reminder and the score does not move.
The moment you hit a double it opens you and scores. D20 as your opener puts you on 261.
Your turn
Three darts, then Score It — either punch the total into the calculator or press 🎯 Dart Board and tap each dart. On the board the app knows a double when it sees one, so it opens you automatically.
Finishing
The dart that lands you exactly on zero must also be a double (thin outer ring, or the Double Bull). Past zero, or left on 1, is a bust — turn wiped, back to where you started it.
Good to know
301 is short, so the double-in is most of the game. Two players stuck outside the double can trade blanks for a while — that is normal, and the scoreboard shows a warning until you are in.
How to win at 301
The double-in is the game. 301 is short, so the player who gets in first usually wins. Aim at a double you like and can hit often, rather than the double 20 by habit.
Get in big if you can. The doubling dart itself scores, and every dart after it counts. Double 20 to open followed by two treble 20s is 160 in a turn.
Plan the finish early. From 301 you are only a few good turns from the checkout, so start leaving even numbers — 40, 32, 16 — as soon as you are under about 100.
Variations and house rules
Dart Keeper plays 301 with double in and double out. Other versions:
Straight in. Scoring starts with the first dart, with only the double out — a quicker, friendlier game.
Straight in, straight out. The simplest version, often used for beginners and children.
301 questions
What does double in mean in darts?
Nothing you throw counts until you hit a double. The double that opens you scores, and so does every dart after it.
Does the bull's-eye count as a double in 301?
Yes. The inner bull is double 25 (50 points), so it can both open and finish a game.
What is the difference between 301 and 501?
The starting score, and in most rules the double to start. 301 is a faster, more tactical game where getting in first matters most.
DART KEEPER
