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How to Play Around the Clock
Around the Clock is the friendliest darts game there is: no maths, no busts, just work your way round the board. It's perfect for beginners, kids, and warming up.
The rules
- Each player throws three darts per turn.
- Your first target is 1. Hit it and your target becomes 2, then 3, and so on up to 20.
- After 20, finish on the bull.
- The first player to finish wins. Others can keep playing for 2nd and 3rd place.
There's no bust — a dart that misses your target just doesn't move you forward. Hitting a double or treble of your target still only moves you on one number in the standard rules.
Three ways to play
| Mode | Rules | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Hit 1–20 in any order. First to hit all 20 wins — no bull needed. | Kids, first-timers |
| Classic | 1 to 20 in order, any part of the number counts, then the outer bull or bullseye. | Most players |
| Expert | 1 to 20 in order, but only the double of each number counts, then the bullseye. | Practising doubles |
Expert mode is a classic practice routine — a full round of doubles shows you which ones you really can hit.
Tips
- Count your darts: finishing Classic in under 60 darts is a solid target, under 40 is excellent.
- Aim for the big single area rather than the thin rings — in Classic, any part of the number counts.
- Expect to move around: 1, 2 and 3 are spread far apart on the board (top right, lower right, bottom), so reset your aim for every new number.
Popular variations
- Skip ahead — a double moves you on two numbers, a treble three.
- Down the clock — go from 20 down to 1.
- Trebles round — like Expert, but with trebles instead of doubles.
Play it free
The free ChillDarts scorer highlights your next target and supports all three rule sets below.