Section 5: Rules of Play
The Throw (Rule 6.2): a player must throw darts from a standing position, except where a physical disability or injury requires a non-standing position, such as from a wheelchair (Rule 6.2.1). All darts must be deliberately thrown in an overarm fashion, one at a time, by and from the player's hand (Rule 6.2.2), and thrown with the needlepoint aimed towards the face of the dartboard — any dart not thrown this way is a "foul throw" and does not count (Rule 6.2.3). Darts dropped before the deliberate throwing action has begun may be picked up and used as part of the same throw (Rule 6.2.4). A throw is deemed to have commenced once the opposing player has retrieved their darts from the board (Rule 6.2.5).
The Visit (Rule 6.2.6): a "Visit" consists of a maximum of three darts thrown consecutively by a player. A Visit is considered complete before three darts are thrown if the throwing player touches any dart already in the dartboard during that visit, if the leg, set or match is completed in fewer than three darts, or if the player busts their score during the visit with fewer than three darts thrown. Any dart that bounces off or falls out of the board before being retrieved by the throwing player does not count and is not re-thrown (Rule 6.2.7). A player may use more than three different darts across a match provided the Tournament Director or Match Referee is informed in advance of the match starting (Rule 6.2.8).
Starting and Finishing (Rule 6.3): unless a Darts Event's playing format states otherwise, every leg is played with a straight start from 501, finishing at exactly zero on a "Double" (Rule 6.3.1). The Bull counts as 50 and, where 50 is required to complete a leg, set or match, the Bull counts as double 25 (Rule 6.3.2). The "bust" rule applies: if a player's throw would score more points than remain in the leg, the same points as remain without finishing on a double, or would leave a score of exactly one, that score does not count and the player's score reverts to what it was prior to the visit (Rule 6.3.3). A "Game Shot" called by the Referee is valid only if the darts actually thrown achieve the required finish; an invalid call entitles the throwing player to continue and complete the visit toward the required finish, with the Referee replacing any prematurely retrieved darts as near as practicable to their original position (Rules 6.3.4–6.3.7). The first player to reduce their required score to exactly zero via the required Double is the winner of that leg (Rule 6.3.11).
Order of Play (Rule 6.13): unless the Tournament Rules specify otherwise, the order of play for a match is determined by both players throwing a dart at the Bull, in a manner prescribed by the Tournament Director. The winner throws first in the first leg or set and in all odd-numbered legs or sets thereafter (Rule 6.13.1–6.13.2). Only darts that hit and remain in the Bull or the 25 bed count toward this determination; a dart that rebounds or falls from the board must be re-thrown until one remains, and a tie is resolved by both players re-throwing in reverse order until one dart lands nearer the Bull (Rules 6.13.5–6.13.7).
Practice (Rule 6.14): each player is entitled to a specified number of practice darts at the assigned Match board before the match begins — nine, if no number is otherwise specified — with no further practice darts permitted during the match without the Referee's or an Official's prior permission. In Round-Robin events, a player's practice darts for the second and subsequent visits to the Match board are limited to three.