Halve-it darts rules
By Pierre, updated
Halve-it punishes the miss: one target per round, and if none of your three darts hits it, your score is cut in half.
The list of targets is known in advance: numbers, any double, any treble, and the bull to finish. Play it alone or in a group, and every round turns up the pressure.
The aim
Finish the list of 7 targets with the most points.
The targets
One per round, in order: 20, 16, any double, 14, any treble, 17, the bull.
On "any double" or "any treble", any double or treble counts. The bullseye counts as a double.
Points
A dart on the target scores its points: a treble 20 is 60. Points add up from round to round.
The miss
None of the three darts on the target: your score is halved, rounded up. 45 becomes 23.
The finish
The highest score after the last target wins.
Tied at the top, the leaders throw one more visit at the bull, between themselves, until one pulls ahead.
An example
You have 64 points. Round 4, the target is the 14. Your darts land in the 11, the 8, then the 14: the last one saves you, 14 more points, 78.
Next round, any treble. Nothing: 78 becomes 39. An odd score rounds up: on the next miss, 39 would become 20.
Variants
- On Bullcast, two lists: 7 targets (20, 16, any double, 14, any treble, 17, the bull) or 12 targets (12, 13, 14, any double, 15, 16, 17, any treble, 18, 19, 20, the bull).
- At the pub, everyone makes their own list: a colour to hit, three colours in one visit, an exact score with three darts. Those variants are played with chalk.
- Tied for first at the end: the tied players throw one more visit at the bull, until one pulls ahead.
On Bullcast
Halve-it comes with Bullcast Complete, and is open to everyone on a Bullcast pub's board. The TV shows the round's target, and what you lose if you miss it.
Questions
What happens to a score of zero?
It stays at zero: half of nothing is nothing.
On “any double”, which one?
Any, the bullseye included. Double 20 scores the most; double 16 is kinder, a stray dart often stays in a double.
How many players?
From 1 to 8 on Bullcast.