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Round the Clock

Round the Clock — also known as Around the World or Around the Board — is a classic darts game that tests accuracy across the entire board. Instead of accumulating points, players must hit each number in sequence from 1 through 20, finishing with the bullseye.

Objective

Be the first player to hit every number from 1 to 20 in order, then finish by hitting the bullseye.

Equipment

  • A standard dartboard with numbered segments 1–20, plus the bullseye
  • Three darts per player per turn

Bull-Off (Diddle for the Middle)

Before the game begins, a bull-off determines who throws first:

  1. Each player throws one dart at the bullseye.
  2. The player whose dart lands closest to the bull throws first.
  3. If both players hit the same ring (e.g. both hit single bull), they throw again.

Gameplay

  1. Each player takes turns throwing three darts.
  2. On each turn, the player aims at their current target number, starting at 1.
  3. When a player hits their current target, they advance to the next number.
  4. A player can advance through multiple numbers in a single turn — if the first dart hits the current target, the second dart can aim at the next number, and so on.
  5. After hitting all numbers 1–20, the final target is the bullseye (single bull or double bull).
  6. The first player to hit the bullseye after completing 1–20 wins.

What Counts as a Hit?

Any dart landing in the target number's segment counts as a hit — this includes:

  • Single (slim or fat)
  • Double
  • Triple

The specific zone does not matter in the standard variant; only the number matters.

Variants

Doubles Only

Players must hit the double of each number to advance. This is significantly harder and is often used as a practice drill for checkouts.

Triples Only

Players must hit the triple of each number. An excellent practice game for high scoring.

Doubles and Triples

A hit on either the double or triple segments counts. Singles do not advance the player.

Fast Round the Clock

When a player hits a double, they skip the next number. When they hit a triple, they skip the next two numbers. This rewards precision and speeds up the game:

  • Hit double 3 → advance to 5 (skip 4)
  • Hit triple 3 → advance to 6 (skip 4 and 5)

Shanghai

If a player hits a single, double, and triple of the same number in a single turn (in any order), they win instantly — regardless of their current target number. This is called a Shanghai and adds a high-risk, high-reward element to every turn.

Example: On target number 7, a player throws single 7, double 7, and triple 7 — that's a Shanghai and an immediate victory.

Reverse

After reaching 20 and the bullseye, the player must work back down from 20 to 1. The first player to complete the full circuit wins.

Why Play Round the Clock?

  • Great for beginners learning the board layout
  • Excellent warm-up game before competitive play
  • Develops accuracy across all segments, not just the popular 20/19/18
  • Simple rules that anyone can pick up instantly