Start with one clear set of rules
Around the Clock takes you through the numbered sectors from 1 to 20, then bull. In DartsRound, a hit on the current number advances you by one target. A double or treble still advances only one step; it does not skip two or three numbers. Either the outer bull worth 25 or inner bull worth 50 completes the final target.
You can advance within a visit. If your first dart hits 1, aim the second at 2; if that misses, aim the third at 2 as well. Other groups use different rules, including single-only or doubles-only rounds. Read the Around the Clock rules before comparing results or introducing a variation.
1. Play one full circuit without racing the clock
Start a solo game and work through every target at your normal pace. Count darts, not seconds. A stopwatch can reward hurried retrieval and rushed throws rather than better aim. Your first complete circuit is a baseline: it shows which sectors you can find comfortably and where you tend to stall.
Record the total darts and add a short manual note for any target that took several visits. If you finish halfway through the final visit, count only the darts actually thrown. Keep the same rule for bull every time. A circuit ending on either bull is a different test from one that requires the inner bull.
2. Give the difficult sectors their own block
Choose three numbers that slowed your circuit down. Throw three full visits at each, staying on that number even after a hit. Count sector hits out of nine darts per target. This variation is a manual drill, because the normal Around the Clock mode moves you on as soon as you hit. Write the results on paper rather than forcing them into a game with different rules.
Look for a repeatable pattern, not a verdict after one round. If your darts repeatedly group beside the target, use the grouping exercises to distinguish a tight but misplaced group from a wide scatter. Revisit those three sectors on another day before deciding they are permanent weaknesses.
3. Add a three-dart limit for each number
For a fixed-length session, give each number from 1 to 20 exactly three darts, then take three at bull. Move on after each visit whether you hit or miss: that makes 63 darts in total. Award one point per hit on the current target, counting doubles and trebles as one hit each. Keep this as a paper drill; it is not the app’s standard progression rule.
This version ensures every sector gets attention even if one number is troublesome. Compare its hit total only with another 63-dart round using the same rules. Do not compare its score with the number of darts in a standard circuit: one measures hits within a fixed allowance, the other measures darts needed to finish.
Bring the board coverage back into a match
Around the Clock makes you locate targets you may ignore during scoring practice. That can be useful when an odd remainder calls for a small single before a double. It does not replace finishing practice: hitting a broad 9 sector is a different task from hitting D9. Alternate a full circuit with a short doubles session.
For a simple weekly routine, use one standard circuit, one focused block on difficult sectors and one 301 leg. Keep each result in its own column. The four-week practice plan shows how to combine accuracy, scoring and finishing without turning every session into a test of everything.