Let’s be honest, darts is a game that demands precision, focus and a fair bit of stubbornness. But here’s the thing, while most aspects of the game require hard work and practice, there’s one area where you can make things easier on yourself. And no, I’m not talking about some mythical shortcut or a secret trick that pros don’t want you to know. I’m talking about something far simpler, learning when to walk away from the 20s.

I’m not going to tell you to change your grip, your stance or your throw. I’m not even going to suggest you buy new darts (though if you’ve been eyeing a new set, go for it, I won’t judge). All I’m asking is that you start thinking differently about your darts when they land in the board. Because if you do, those frustrating 41s will start turning into 59s, those 81s will creep up toward 99s and before you know it, you’ll be the one casually stacking 140s while your opponents wonder what the hell just happened.

Your Darts Are Ghosting You, The Brutal Truth About T20 Breakups

We’ve all heard it, maybe even said it ourselves: “Why cover? I’m a 20s shooter who hits 60s and 100s regularly.” Sure, we all know that player who claims to be a pure 20s specialist while their score creeps up painfully slow. But here’s the reality check, for every glorious 100 you score, there are two disappointing 41s and 45s dragging down your average. The difference between an okay player and a great one isn’t just about hitting more triples, it’s recognizing when the 20s are working against you and having the discipline to switch.

You might not realize it, but your own darts are tricking you in three subtle ways that hurt your scoring. Picture this, you throw two perfect darts just above the triple 20. The third dart? A soul-crushing 5. No obvious mistake, no deflection, just pure betrayal. Or imagine your first dart lands neatly below the T20 wire. “Great marker,” you think. Then the next two darts bounce wildly in opposite directions like drunk friends leaving a bar. Then there’s the classic, first dart sticks in low with flights pointing up mockingly. The next two? They don’t even try for the target, wandering into the 1 and 3 without touching anything. In all these cases, you stubbornly stayed on T20. But was that really the smart play?

Every dart in the board is secretly talking to you, it’s either guiding your next shot or screaming at you to switch targets. Learning this language will transform your game. Here’s the key, each dart sends one of two messages. Either it’s saying “Use me as a guide, aim here next!” (that’s a marker) or it’s shouting “Abandon ship! Switch targets now!” (that’s a cover shot). It really is that straightforward. If a dart isn’t helping direct your next throw into the target, it’s telling you to move on. And yes, sometimes even a dart actually in the T20 is secretly a cover shot in disguise.

Here’s the frustrating truth about your vision, your eyes deceive you every time you approach the oche. That seemingly wide-open triple 20? Often just an illusion. While your brain insists there’s plenty of room, the physics of dart flight creates invisible obstacles. The reality is your dart doesn’t travel straight like your eyes suggest, it follows a curved path that turns what looks clear into a deflection waiting to happen. This visual trick explains why you’ll swear you had a perfect shot lined up, only to watch your dart inexplicably veer into the 5 like it’s got a personal score to settle.

There’s a crucial difference between a covered and concealed target. When a triple is covered, it’s obviously blocked – a barrel or flight is physically in the way. But when it’s concealed, it looks open to your eyes while being treacherous for your dart’s flight path. Your dart doesn’t fly straight – it arcs. So when your eyes say “plenty of room,” physics might be yelling “DANGER AHEAD.” That’s why you’ll be certain you had a clean shot… until your dart mysteriously curves into the 5 like it holds a grudge.

While you’re obsessively pounding darts into crowded treble 20s, the pros are doing something quietly different, they’ve mastered recognizing when to walk away, switching targets as naturally as breathing. Take the “First 9”, those critical opening darts in 501. Here’s something surprising, Michael van Gerwen deliberately avoids the T20 for about a third of these throws. Why? Because he spots cover situations before they even register consciously. Meanwhile, most of us keep stubbornly firing into traffic like we’re playing some masochistic version of Dart Frogger.

We’ve all used every excuse in the book, “But covering makes scoring harder!” or “I can totally make this shot!”. Yet these justifications fall apart when faced with the cold truth, stubbornly staying on 20s costs us more points than we’d ever admit over post-game drinks. And those same excuse-makers are the ones who lose to players smart enough to hit 95s when it makes sense.

The instant your dart’s angle blocks your intended path, whether it’s a steep dart below the treble or a flat one above, that’s your signal to immediately switch to T19, trusting geometry over hope. Your darts land at different angles, some steep, some flat. If flights point up sharply (20°+) and your first dart is below T20? Cover. If flights are level or down and your first dart is above T20? Cover. For the third dart? If your first two darts bracket the T20 (one above, one below), cover. If they form an X? Definitely cover.

Here’s the hard truth about deflections, every time you stubbornly fire into an already crowded treble bed, you’re not demonstrating skill, you’re gambling against physics and the house always wins. Here’s something rarely mentioned, good darts should collide. Ever seen a 180 where the darts don’t bang together? Exactly. If you’re trying to avoid your own darts, you’re approaching it wrong.

Final Thoughts: Cover Shots or Cry Shots?

So here’s what I’ve learned, switching targets isn’t just damage control, it’s how I went from throwing tantrums to throwing 140s. Turns out my darts weren’t “unlucky,” they were just tired of me ignoring their obvious hints. That little voice saying “maybe try T19”? It’s not cowardice, it’s the same voice that stops me from texting exes or wearing socks with sandals. Wise. I used to think pros switched targets because they’re boring. Now I know it’s because they’d rather hit 95 than pray for a miracle. Game changer. These days when I see two darts cuddling in the T20, I don’t force a third wheel, I take the hint and go flirt with the T19. Classier for everyone.

Here’s my new mantra, If my dart looks lonely, it’s a marker. If it looks judgmental, it’s a cover shot. Simple. And when I forget? Well, let’s just say the 5 segment has seen more of my darts than my ex’s Netflix account. So go ahead, be that player who casually nails 95s while everyone else sweats over crowded 20s. It’s more fun, your scoring will thank you and honestly? Watching confused opponents scramble to keep up is its own kind of 180. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some T19s to seduce.

Darts fever, because why not practice more, aim higher and laugh louder!

Phil Taylor, The Power: “The games you lose are the games you always remember. They’re the ones that make you practice harder.“