How to practise doubles

You can score heavily all night and still lose if you can't hit a double. Doubles practice is less exciting than throwing at the 20, so most players don't do enough of it. Here is how to make it count.

Pick your doubles

You don't need to be equally good on all 21. Most checkouts can be planned to finish on a small group: D20, D16, D8, D10, D18 and D12. Get these right first.

Why even doubles are popular

If you aim at Double 16 and drop into the single 16, you're left on 16, which is Double 8. Miss that into the single and you're on Double 4, and so on. D16 gives you four extra chances to stay on a double without a setup dart. D20 halves to D10 and then D5, which is why many players prefer D16. Odd doubles leave an odd number when you miss inside, so you need another dart to set up.

Drill 1: three in a bed

Throw at one double until you've hit it three times. Count the darts it took. Do your six main doubles each session and log the totals.

Drill 2: Bob's 27

Bob's 27 takes you round every double with a score at stake. Missing all three darts costs points, so you feel a small amount of pressure on every visit, which is exactly what you want.

Drill 3: doubles after a setup dart

In a match you rarely throw three darts straight at a double. Usually you set up with one dart, then go for the double. Practise this with the checkout trainer on the 2–40 range for odd numbers, or run through a few two-dart checkouts such as 56, 60 and 76.

Track your hit rate

Professionals hit around 40% of their darts at doubles. For most club players, 20 to 30% is good. Measure yours with the doubles practice game and you'll know which doubles to trust when the leg is on the line.