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121 Checkout Rules - How to Play

121 Checkout is a finishing drill. Start at 121 and try to check out that exact score on a double within a set number of darts. Each success raises the next target, and each failure drops you back to your Safehouse, the last target you protected.

How to play

  1. Each round has a checkout target, starting with 121.
  2. You have 9 darts, or 3 turns of 3 darts, to check it out.
  3. Reach exactly zero with your last dart in a double. The bullseye counts as a double, .
  4. Going below zero, leaving 1, or reaching zero without a double is a bust. Your score goes back to where it was at the start of that turn, and any darts left in that turn count as used.
  5. Check out within the dart limit and the next target goes up by 1.
  6. Check out within 3 darts and that target becomes your Safehouse. If you fail a later round, the next target drops back to your Safehouse, or to 121 if you haven’t earned one yet.
  7. Play an agreed number of rounds, such as 10, and note the highest target you checked out.

For finishing routes, use the darts checkout calculator.

Co-op play

The drill also works as a team game. Everyone shares the target, the score left, the dart limit, the streak, and the Safehouse. Players take 3-dart turns until the team checks out or runs out of darts.

Custom rule options

There are many ways to play 121 Checkout. If you use DartsOn, you can play with the following options:

SettingChoicesApp Default (Standard)
Starting score81, 101, 121, 141, or 161

Custom starting score from 2 to 1,000.

121
Darts per round3, 6, 9, 12, or 159
  • None (back to starting score)
  • Checkout within 3 darts
  • Checkout within 6 darts
  • After 3 checkouts in a row
  • After 5 checkouts in a row
  • After every checkout
Checkout within 3 darts
Number of rounds
  • 10, 20, 30, or 50
  • Unlimited

Custom number of rounds from 1 to 100,000.

10
Increase on success+1, +3, or +5

Custom increase from 1 to 1,000.

+1

Every round finishes on a double. The Safehouse setting controls how much progress you keep after a failed round. With a streak rule, every checkout from the 3rd or 5th in a row onward becomes your Safehouse. The drill uses rounds rather than legs or sets, and you can add bots to a co-op session.

Stats tracked in DartsOn

At the end of each session, DartsOn shows:

Stat What it shows
Highest checkout The highest target checked out in the session.
Checkouts completed Successful checkouts out of rounds played, for example 7 of 10 checkouts completed.

In a co-op session, both figures cover the whole team.

121 Checkout FAQ

How do you check out 121?

The standard route is triple 20, triple 11, double 14. Another common route is triple 17, triple 10, double 20.

How many darts do you get for each checkout in 121?

9 in the standard drill, which is 3 turns. Aim to finish within 3 darts, because that also protects the target as your Safehouse.

What happens when you fail a checkout in 121?

In the Safehouse version described here, failing to finish within the dart limit sends your next target back to your last protected score, or to 121 if you have not earned a Safehouse. Other versions drop the target by 1 or take away a life instead. DartsOn uses the Safehouse rule you selected, with the starting score as the initial fallback.

What is a Safehouse in 121 Checkout?

A target you have earned the right to fall back to. In the standard drill, checking out within 3 darts protects that target, so a later failure sends you back there rather than to 121.

Can you play 121 Checkout with friends?

Yes, as a team. Players take turns throwing at the same score and share the dart limit, streak, and Safehouse. In DartsOn you can add bots to the team too.

Do you go up by 1 or 5 after a successful 121 checkout?

Both versions are played. In the version described here, a success raises the next target by 1, so finishing 121 leads to 122. Other players use larger steps. DartsOn defaults to +1 and lets you choose +3, +5, or a custom increase.

When does a game of 121 Checkout end?

That depends on the session you agree to play. You can set a number of rounds, a time limit, or a target to reach. You do not have to stop at 170. DartsOn defaults to 10 rounds, counting both successes and failures, and also offers longer or unlimited sessions.

Can you start 121 Checkout below 121?

Yes. Start at a lower score, such as 81 or 101, if you want more of your darts to be attempts at doubles. It is the same practice format with a different starting target. DartsOn lets you set the starting score and choose 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 darts per round.

Why play 121 Checkout with DartsOn?

DartsOn tracks the target, the score left, and the darts left in each round. At the end of each session it shows your highest checkout and how many rounds you checked out, such as 7 of 10.

How far can you go in 121 Checkout?

Start 121 Checkout in DartsOn and choose a dart limit that suits your level. The app tracks your next target and Safehouse as you practise finishing, on your own or with a friend.

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