What dart game do you hit every number three times?

Apr 10, 202311 min read

Hit every number three times darts game featured image with repeated dart sets

Short answer: the dart game most people mean is Cricket. In standard Cricket, you try to close the numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and the bull by scoring three marks on each target. If someone literally means hitting every number from 1 to 20 three times, that is usually a three-hit Around the Clock practice variation, not standard Cricket.

Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. Cricket rules vary by league, pub, app and soft-tip machine, especially around scoring after a number is closed. This guide separates the common rule set from practice variations so the answer is useful before you start a game.

The important distinction

The phrase “hit every number three times” creates confusion because it can describe two different ideas. If the targets are 15 through 20 plus bull, the game is Cricket. If the targets are 1 through 20 in numerical order, the game is Around the Clock, sometimes modified so each number needs two or three hits before you move on.

That distinction matters because the games teach different skills. Cricket is a tactical scoring game. Around the Clock is a board-coverage drill. Both are useful, but they are not the same game.

Cricket darts mark system reference showing the numbers 15 to 20 and bull, with single double and treble marks explained — Use the target list to identify the game: 15-20 plus bull is Cricket; 1-20 in order is an Around the Clock variation.

What Cricket is trying to do

Cricket is built around closing targets. The usual targets are 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and bull. You close a target by scoring three marks on it. The American Darters Association describes Cricket as scoring three marks in each of the numbers 15 through 20 and the bull's-eye, with triples counting as three marks, doubles as two and singles as one.

The National Dart Association describes the object similarly: close 20 down to 15 and bull in any order before the opponent, while also having a greater or equal score. That “greater or equal score” condition is why Cricket is not just a target-hitting drill. The scoreboard changes the choices you make.

What counts as one, two or three marks?

Hit	Marks	What it means on 20
Single 20	1 mark	You need two more marks to close 20.
Double 20	2 marks	You need one more mark to close 20.
Treble 20	3 marks	You close 20 with one dart.
Outer bull	1 mark	One bull mark in common double-bull formats.
Inner bull	2 marks	Two bull marks in common double-bull formats.

This is why trebles are so valuable. A treble is not just a higher score; in Cricket it can complete a target instantly. A player who hits T20 on the first dart has closed 20 before the opponent has even started.

Open, closed and scoring

Cricket has three states that matter. A number is unclosed when you have fewer than three marks. It is closed for you when you have three marks. It becomes dead for scoring once both players have closed it.

If you close 20 before your opponent does, extra hits on 20 can score points for you. If your opponent then closes 20, neither of you can score there anymore. This is the basic attack-and-defend rhythm of Cricket: open a strong number, score while it is available, and close the opponent's scoring number before the gap becomes too large.

The clean way to think about it is ownership. Three marks gives you control of a target, but control only has scoring value while the other player is still behind on that same target. Once both players have caught up, that number becomes a finished part of the board and the tactical fight moves somewhere else.

A simple beginner example

Imagine you start with T20. That gives you three marks, so 20 is closed for you. If your next dart lands in single 20 and your opponent has not closed 20, that extra hit can score 20 points. If your third dart lands in single 19, you now have one mark on 19 as well.

Your opponent might reply with T20. That closes 20 for them and stops your scoring on 20. If they also hit T19, they close 19 before you do. Now the pressure has moved. You may need to close 19 defensively, or you may choose to attack 18 if you can score there first.

How you win Cricket

In the common scoring version, you win by closing all required targets and having at least as many points as the opponent. Closing every number is not enough if you are behind on points. You may have to keep scoring on any target that remains open to the opponent until you catch up.

This is one of the first mistakes beginners make. They rush to close everything, then realise they cannot win because they are still behind. The scoreboard matters as much as the target list.

Why Cricket is not just “hitting numbers three times”

The three-mark rule is the skeleton of Cricket, but the game becomes interesting because of timing. Closing 20 early is powerful because 20 is the highest scoring number. Closing 15 early is less valuable unless it blocks your opponent or completes the game. The same three marks can be aggressive, defensive or neutral depending on the board state.

That is why a good Cricket player reads the scoreboard before choosing a target. If your opponent has 20 open and is scoring heavily, you may need to close 20 even if you wanted to attack 19. If you have 19 open and your opponent does not, scoring on 19 may be better than chasing bull too early.

Cricket versus Around the Clock

Around the Clock is usually a practice game where you aim at 1, then 2, then 3, and continue around the board to 20 and sometimes bull. In a basic version, one hit is enough to move on. In harder versions, you might require a double, treble, or three total hits on each number.

If someone says, “we played the game where you hit every number three times,” ask what numbers they used. If the answer is 15 to 20 and bull, they were playing Cricket. If the answer is every number from 1 to 20 in order, they were playing a three-hit Around the Clock drill.

Which game should beginners play?

Beginners should play both, but for different reasons. Cricket teaches target selection, scoreboard awareness and pressure decisions. Around the Clock teaches board coverage and reduces the habit of only throwing at 20.

If you are new, start with no-score Cricket first. Close 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and bull without worrying about points. Once the mark system feels natural, add scoring. That makes the transition easier because you are not learning the target list, the mark notation and the tactics all at once.

Beginner Cricket tactics

Start high: 20 is the strongest scoring number, so most players attack it early.
Use 19 as cover: if 20 is blocked, 19 is the next best scoring target.
Close the danger number: if the opponent is scoring repeatedly on a target, close it quickly.
Do not chase bull too soon: bull matters, but it can be expensive to chase if the opponent still has open scoring numbers.
Track the score, not just the marks: closing everything while behind does not automatically win.

Common scoring mistakes

The first mistake is counting a treble as one mark. In Cricket, a treble normally counts as three marks. The second mistake is scoring on a number after both players have closed it. Once both sides have closed a number, it is dead for scoring.

The third mistake is forgetting the bull. Many casual players close 20 down to 15 and then treat the game as finished. Standard Cricket includes bull. In common double-bull formats, outer bull counts as one mark and inner bull counts as two.

Useful Cricket variations

No-score Cricket removes point scoring and simply asks who can close all targets first. It is the best beginner format because it isolates the mark system.

Cut-throat Cricket reverses the scoring pressure by giving points to opponents instead of yourself. Lower score wins, which makes it good for three or more players.

Trebles-only Cricket makes singles and doubles worthless. It is demanding, but useful for experienced players who want focused treble practice.

Solo Cricket is a practice format where you count how many darts it takes to close all seven targets. Track the number weekly and aim to reduce it.

A practical 20-minute practice session

Start with five minutes of Around the Clock, one hit per number, to loosen up and move around the board. Then play ten minutes of solo Cricket and count how many darts it takes to close 20 through 15 and bull. Finish with five minutes of pressure targets: name one number, throw three darts, and only move on after you have scored at least three marks.

This blend works because it separates coverage, rules and pressure. Around the Clock keeps you honest across the whole board. Solo Cricket builds the mark system. The final pressure block makes the practice feel closer to a real match.

Equipment and setup notes

Cricket is much easier to enjoy on a board where the trebles and bull are clean enough to read. If the treble 20 or bull area is badly worn, replace the board or rotate it if the number ring allows. Browse dartboards if your scoring zones are damaged, dart sets if your darts do not group consistently, and darts accessories for flights, stems, mats and other setup essentials.

Visual guide: how to apply this at the board

A practical decision map for applying the what dart game do you hit every number three times answer at a real board.

Use this matrix to turn the what dart game do you hit every number three times question into the right practice, scoring or setup decision.

Sources used

Bottom line

The game is usually Cricket if the target list is 15 to 20 plus bull and each target needs three marks. A single counts one, a double counts two and a treble counts three. If the game uses every number from 1 to 20 in order, it is better described as an Around the Clock variation.