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Shanghai Darts Rules: How to Play

Shanghai is a quick scoring game with a built-in jackpot. Each round has one target number, and a perfect turn on it ends the game on the spot. It is easy to teach and good fun for any group.

Setup

One number per round

Any number of players can join. Everyone starts on zero. The game is seven rounds long: round 1 is aimed at the 1, round 2 at the 2, and so on up to the 7. Throw a dart at the bull to decide who goes first.

How a turn works

Three darts at the round’s number

  1. In each round, every player throws three darts at that round’s number.
  2. Only darts that land on that number score. Anything else is worth nothing, wherever it lands.
  3. A single scores the number once, a double twice, a treble three times.
  4. Add your turn’s score to your running total, then the next player throws.

For example: in round 4 you throw a single 4, a miss and a treble 4. That is 4 + 12 = 16 points for the round.

Winning

The Shanghai, or the highest total

If you hit a single, a double and a treble of the round’s number in one turn, that is a Shanghai and you win the game immediately. The order does not matter. It is rare, which is why people cheer when it happens.

If nobody manages one, play all seven rounds and add everything up. The highest total wins. Settle ties with a throw at the bullseye, closest takes it.

Common variants

How groups change it

  • Twenty rounds. Go all the way up to 20. Much longer, and the scores get big in the later rounds.
  • Zero eliminates. Score nothing in a round and you are out. Harsh, and it shortens the game.
  • No instant win. Some groups treat a Shanghai as a big bonus instead, such as doubling the round’s score, and play on.

Pubs disagree on all of these, so say which you are using.

Tips

Playing it better

  • Early rounds are low scoring, so do not worry about a slow start. The numbers 5, 6 and 7 are worth the most.
  • Go for the treble first. If you land it, the single and double are right next to it, which gives you a real chance at the Shanghai.
  • A bad opening dart does not end the turn. Always throw all three.
  • Keep a running total on the board after every round so nobody argues about the maths at the end.

Like the build-up? Try Around the Clock or Baseball, which use the same number-by-number idea. The whole list is on the darts hub.

Questions

Quick answers

What is a Shanghai in darts?
Hitting a single, a double and a treble of that round's number in the same turn. It wins the game instantly, whatever the scores are.
How many rounds are in Shanghai?
Seven in the usual game, working through the numbers 1 to 7. A longer version goes all the way to 20.
What do you score for a double or a treble?
A double scores twice the number and a treble three times. In round 5, a treble 5 is worth 15.
What if nobody throws a Shanghai?
The highest total after the last round wins. If it is a tie, throw at the bullseye or play another round to settle it.

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