← Darts rules & guides

Bob's 27 Rules - How to Play

Bob’s 27 is a doubles practice game. You start on 27 points and throw 3 darts at each double from to , then the bullseye. Each hit adds the double’s value, and missing with all 3 darts takes it away.

Also known as: Bobs 27, Bob Anderson’s 27, or 27s.

How to play

  1. Everyone starts on 27 points.
  2. Throw 3 darts at the round’s double. Round 1 is , round 2 is , and so on up to .
  3. Round 21 is the bullseye, .
  4. Each hit adds the double’s value. Miss with all 3 darts and you lose that value instead.
  5. If your score drops to 0 or below, you are out. Some players keep going below 0 for practice.
  6. After 21 rounds, the highest score wins.

Scoring

ResultEffectExample on
Hit the doubleAdd the double’s value for each hit+10 per hit
Miss with all 3 dartsSubtract the double’s value-10 points

Every hit counts, so 2 darts in add 20 points. Only the double counts. A single or triple on the same number is a miss.

Misses cost more as the doubles rise. Missing costs 40 points, and missing the bullseye costs 50. A perfect game, with all 3 darts in every double and the bullseye, scores 1,437.

Custom rule options

There are many ways to play Bob’s 27. If you use DartsOn, you can play with the following options:

SettingChoicesApp Default (Standard)
Difficulty
  • Hard Mode: out when your score falls to 0 or below
  • Easy Mode: play all 21 rounds, even at 0 or below
Hard Mode

The starting score is always 27 and the sequence is always to , then . In Hard Mode, the last player left plays the remaining rounds. There are no leg or set settings.

Stats tracked in DartsOn

At the end of the game, DartsOn shows these stats for each player:

Stat What it shows
Score Your final score.
Doubles Hit Doubles hit out of darts thrown, for example 12/63.
Hit Rate Doubles hit as a share of darts thrown.
Darts Thrown Darts thrown in the game.
Rounds Rounds played. Fewer than 21 if you were out early.
Best Round Your highest-scoring round.
Longest Streak Most rounds in a row with at least one hit.
Heat map Where each player's darts landed. Tap it for a full-screen view of every landing.

Shown when darts are scored with the camera.

A round-by-round view lists every double with your hits, points gained or lost, and running total.

Bob's 27 FAQ

Who invented Bob's 27?

Bob Anderson, the 1988 world champion, created it as a doubles practice routine. The 27 is the score you start on.

What is the highest possible score in Bob's 27?

1,437. You need all 3 darts in every double from D1 to D20, then 3 bullseyes.

What happens if your score drops to zero in Bob's 27?

In the standard game, you are out as soon as your score drops to 0 or below. An easier version lets you keep going with a negative score, which suits newer players.

How many darts do you throw in Bob's 27?

Up to 63: 3 darts at each double from D1 to D20, then 3 at the bullseye. You throw fewer if you drop out early.

Do singles and triples count in Bob's 27?

No. Only the double you are aiming at scores. A single or triple on the same number counts as a miss.

Why play Bob's 27 with DartsOn?

DartsOn keeps your running score through all 21 rounds and tracks doubles hit, hit rate, and your longest streak. Compare each session with your record, or play friends and bots.

Make your next practice Bob's 27

Work through every double in DartsOn and let the app handle the points you gain or lose. Check your hit rate after the game and give yourself a score to beat next time.