Everybody starts on zero and races up to exactly 301. Every dart adds. The twist: you can knock somebody all the way back to nothing.
Your turn
Three darts, everything counts, and the top of the screen shows how much you have left to go. Enter them on the board.
The Gotcha
Land on exactly the same score as another player and it is a GOTCHA — their score drops to zero and they start again.
You are on 121 and they are on 180? A 59 puts you level with them and wipes them out. Being in the lead is dangerous.
Busting
Go over 301 and the turn is a bust — the darts do not count and you go back to the score you started the turn on. On 280 you need exactly 21, so a T20 busts you.
Winning
First to exactly 301. No double needed — just the right number.
A round of Gotcha, dart by dart
Three players: Ana on 180, Ben on 121, Cal on 64.
Ben's turn. He needs 59 to reach Ana. He throws T19 (57) — now on 178 — then a 2. That is 180, level with Ana: GOTCHA, Ana goes back to zero. His last dart is a 20, leaving him on 200 and now in the lead.
Cal's turn. Cal is on 64 and needs 136 to catch Ben — too far for three darts to guarantee, so he throws T20, T20, 16 for 136 and lands exactly on 200. GOTCHA — Ben is back to zero, and in one round the leader has changed twice.
Busting. Later Cal is on 290 and needs exactly 11. He throws a 20 — that is 310, over 301, so the turn is a bust and he stays on 290.
How to win at Gotcha
Gotcha is a counting-up race with a trap door. The number that matters on every turn is not your own total — it is the gap between you and everyone ahead of you. Before you throw, check each opponent's score and work out what single dart, or pair of darts, would land you exactly on them.
Being in the lead is the worst seat at the table. Everybody below you is aiming at your number. A leader on 250 with three players chasing can be sent back to zero by any of them. Many good players deliberately sit just behind the leader and let someone else carry the target.
Hunt with your early darts, finish with your last. A Gotcha counts the moment the dart lands, so use your first dart or two to try to match somebody, and save the last dart for adjusting your own position.
Watch the finish. Near 301 you need an exact number, and anything over it busts. On 280 you need 21: a single 1 then a single 20, a treble 7, or any combination that adds to exactly 21. On 295 you need 6 — a treble 2, a double 3, or a single 6. Low, controllable numbers near the bottom of the board beat hopeful trebles at the top.
Parking is legal. Nobody can Gotcha a player sitting on zero, and scores that are far from everyone else's are hard to match. Sometimes the safest turn is a modest one that keeps you out of range.
Variations and house rules
Dart Keeper plays the most common version: everyone starts at zero, the target is exactly 301, any dart scores, and going over is a bust. These are other house rules you will meet in pubs and leagues:
Different targets. Some groups race to 501 for a longer game, or a smaller number like 201 for a quick one. The strategy is the same; the finish is just further away.
Double to finish. A few leagues require the winning dart to be a double, borrowing from 501. It makes the endgame much slower and the leader much easier to catch.
Teams. Pairs share one score and take turns throwing, which turns Gotcha into a table-talk game about who shoots at whom.
Gotcha questions
What happens when you land on someone's score in Gotcha?
Their score goes back to zero and they start counting up again. In Dart Keeper it happens the moment your dart lands, and if two players are tied on that score, both go back to zero.
Can you Gotcha someone who is on zero?
No. A player on zero has nothing to lose, so matching a score of zero does nothing.
What if I Gotcha someone and then bust on a later dart?
The Gotcha stands. Busting puts your own score back to where your turn started, but the player you knocked back stays on zero.
Do you need a double to finish Gotcha?
Not in the standard game, and not in Dart Keeper — any dart that lands you on exactly 301 wins. Some leagues play a double-finish house rule.
How many people can play Gotcha?
Two or more; it is best with three to six, because more players means more targets. Dart Keeper handles up to eight.
DART KEEPER
