Use a route as a decision aid
A checkout route is one legal way to reach exactly zero with the final dart in a double or the inner bull. The best route for you also depends on your preferred doubles, how many darts remain and what you can leave when the first dart misses. A printed suggestion is not a requirement to throw at a particular treble.
Reading the notation
S means single, D means double and T means treble. T20 is worth 60; D16 is worth 32. Bull in this table means the inner bull worth 50, which is a valid finishing double. The outer bull is worth 25 and cannot be the final dart in a double-out leg.
Worked example: 100 remaining
T20 and D20 score 60 + 40 = 100 in two darts. If the first dart lands in single 20, 80 remains with two darts in hand. You must reassess the route rather than continuing with the original double 20 suggestion. The remaining score changes after each dart.
Selected legal checkout routes
This is a practical selection, not a complete checkout chart or a ranking of the best choices. Every row totals the named score and finishes on a double or inner bull.
| Remaining | One legal route | Darts in route |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | T20 · T20 · Bull | 3 |
| 167 | T20 · T19 · Bull | 3 |
| 164 | T20 · T18 · Bull | 3 |
| 161 | T20 · T17 · Bull | 3 |
| 160 | T20 · T20 · D20 | 3 |
| 158 | T20 · T20 · D19 | 3 |
| 156 | T20 · T20 · D18 | 3 |
| 152 | T20 · T20 · D16 | 3 |
| 150 | T20 · T18 · D18 | 3 |
| 144 | T20 · T20 · D12 | 3 |
| 141 | T20 · T19 · D12 | 3 |
| 140 | T20 · T20 · D10 | 3 |
| 130 | T20 · T20 · D5 | 3 |
| 120 | T20 · S20 · D20 | 3 |
| 110 | T20 · S18 · D16 | 3 |
| 100 | T20 · D20 | 2 |
| 80 | T20 · D10 | 2 |
| 76 | T20 · D8 | 2 |
| 70 | T18 · D8 | 2 |
| 60 | S20 · D20 | 2 |
| 50 | Bull | 1 |
| 40 | D20 | 1 |
| 32 | D16 | 1 |
| 24 | D12 | 1 |
| 20 | D10 | 1 |
| 16 | D8 | 1 |
| 8 | D4 | 1 |
| 4 | D2 | 1 |
| 2 | D1 | 1 |
Numbers that are not three-dart finishes
There is no standard three-dart double-out checkout for 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162 or 159. These are often called bogey numbers. If you cannot finish in the darts available, use the visit to leave a practical number for your next turn. Leaving a finish does not guarantee another turn: your opponent may check out first.
Small numbers still need care
On 32, a dart in single 16 leaves 16 and another opportunity at double 8. On 40, single 20 leaves 20. Thinking about those common misses is part of choosing a route. Going below zero, leaving exactly 1 or reaching zero without the required double is bust; the visit returns to its starting score.
Practise decisions as well as doubles
Use a 121-style challenge to practise changing a plan after a missed treble. Enter each visit honestly and confirm the finish only when the winning double was hit. Repeat the same target often enough to notice whether your setups improve, rather than judging the entire session by one spectacular finish.
Read the 121 challenge rules, work on doubles or review bust rules.