Guide — Oche

Oche is a free 501 double-out darts game you play right in your browser. No download, no account — just pull a dart back, release, and try to check out in as few darts as you can.

What is this?

Oche is a single-player game of 501, the classic darts format. You start on 501 and throw three darts at a time, subtracting each dart’s score as you go. To win you must land on exactly zero — and your last dart has to hit a double or the bullseye. The name “oche” is the line you stand behind when you throw, and that line is exactly where you drag from. There are no opponents, no timers and no accounts: it is just you, the board, and the number above it.

How to play

Touch (or click) anywhere in the lower part of the screen. A reticle appears over the board and sways gently — that sway is the skill: release when the reticle crosses the spot you want. Drag downward to charge power; the metre fills, and a brighter band marks the sweet spot for an accurate throw. Release to let the dart fly.

Each dart scores where it lands: a single, a double (the thin outer ring), a treble (the thin middle ring), or the bull. Three darts make a visit, then the board clears and your score carries over.

The number above the board is what you have left, and under it a hint suggests your next move. It reads “Checkout: D20” when you can finish, or “Set-up: T20” when you need to position yourself first. If a dart takes you below zero, to exactly one, or to zero without a double, the visit busts and your score snaps back to where the visit began.

Tips

• Aim for the treble 20. Three of them score 60 points a visit — the fastest way down — but it is also a small target, so only chase it when you are comfortable.
• When you are close to a finish, trust the hint. It computes the shortest double-out route for the exact score you have left.
• Do not fight the sway. The reticle crosses your target twice a cycle, so time the release rather than trying to hold it still.
• Stay in the sweet band. Power outside it scatters your dart, and an under-powered throw lands short.
• On a set-up hint, follow it. Leaving a finishable double is worth more than one more risky treble.
• Below about 120, the hint’s route is almost always safer than a heroic throw. Play the number, not the moment.

Your 3-dart average

When you check out, Oche shows two numbers: the darts it took you and your 3-dart average. The average is simply the 501 points you cleared spread over the darts you threw, then scaled to a visit of three — the same figure a scoreboard quotes after a match. It rewards efficiency: the fewer darts you use, the higher it climbs. A 24-dart finish is a 62.6 average, an 18-dart finish is 83.5, and the perfect nine-dart leg is 167.0 — the highest a 501 leg can reach.

Watching the average rather than only the dart count changes how you play. Two heavy visits early — a pair of 100-plus scores — pull the number up fast, while a bust or a wasted visit on a tricky double drags it back down. Chase a personal best on darts for the headline, but let the average tell you how clean the whole leg really was. It rides on your share card too, so a strong average is worth showing off.

FAQ

Is it free? Yes — Oche is free to play and supported by ads. There is no purchase and no subscription.

Do I need an account? No. There is no sign-up, no login and no profile. The game runs entirely in your browser.

What does double-out mean? Your winning dart must land in the thin outer double ring (or the bullseye) and take your score to exactly zero. Landing on zero with a single does not count.

Is my best score saved? Your fewest-darts finish is stored in your browser's local storage, so it is there next time you visit. It never leaves your device, and clearing your browser data erases it.

Can I play on my phone? Yes — Oche is built for touch. Hold the phone in portrait and drag with your thumb. It also works with a mouse on a desktop.

What happens if I bust? The visit is void and your score returns to where it was at the start of that visit. You simply begin the next visit.

What is a 3-dart average? It is the mean points you scored per three darts across the whole leg — the standard way darts scoring is measured. When you check out, Oche shows the average for that finish, and it also travels on your share card. Fewer darts means a higher average: a 9-dart 501 finish is a 167.0 average.