Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
In X01 darts, a checkout is the sequence of darts that wins the leg — reducing the score to exactly zero by finishing on a double (or the bull at 50). The highest possible checkout is 170 (T20, T20, Bull). Any score above 170 cannot be checked out in three darts; scores requiring exactly a double can be checked out in one dart. Knowledge of standard checkout routes is essential at all competitive levels. Doubles percentage — the rate at which a player converts checkout opportunities — is the biggest differentiating statistic between players.
- Must finish on a double or bullseye
- 170 = highest 3-dart checkout (T20 T20 Bull)
- Above 170 cannot be checked out in 3 darts
- Doubles % is the key finishing statistic
In practice
Checkout strategy is one of the most studied parts of competitive darts — '170' (treble 20, treble 20, bullseye) is the highest possible checkout, while certain scores like 169, 168 and 166 are mathematically impossible to finish in three darts, which is why commentators highlight when a player is left on an awkward number.
FAQ
What's the highest possible darts checkout?
170 — hit via treble 20, treble 20, then the bullseye (50) — is the maximum checkout achievable in three darts.
Why are some scores impossible to checkout?
Scores like 169, 168 and 166 can't be reduced to exactly zero on a double within three darts given the available dartboard segments, so players deliberately avoid leaving themselves on these numbers.