How to play Bob's 27
The doubles gauntlet — survive all twenty-one.
Rules
You start with 27 points. Round by round you throw three darts at each double in order: D1, D2, … D20, and finally the bull. Every dart that lands in the target double adds twice the number (a hit on D5 is +10, and three hits are +30). If all three darts miss, you lose twice the number (−10 on the 5s).
Drop below zero at any point and the game ends immediately. Survive to the end and your final score is the result.
Why players swear by it (and at it)
Invented as a practice routine and named after former World Champion Bob Anderson, it is the most honest doubles drill there is: every double on the board gets a visit, and the punishment grows exactly as the numbers do. Missing the 18s costs −36 — late-game nerves included, free of charge.
Tips
- One hit per round keeps you alive — the drill is about avoiding blank rounds, not tripling doubles.
- The teens are the cliff: entering D15 under 30 points usually ends the run.
- Play it daily and watch your 501 checkouts stop shaking.
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FAQ
What is a good score in Bob's 27?
Surviving at all is respectable. Club players are happy over 100; keeping your starting 27 (finishing on 27+) means you out-hit your misses across the whole board.
Can you skip a double in Bob's 27?
No — every double from 1 to 20 and the bull gets exactly one three-dart visit, hit or miss. That is the whole discipline of the drill.