World Championship Preview

The World Championships are upon us, all of the hard work put in by the players throughout the year comes down to this. This is the biggest stage of them all, where a lesser known player can rocket to stardom, where dreams can come true...or for Michael van Gerwen to win...again.

The Dutchman is in, what can only be described as, ridiculous form. He has won the European Championship, the World Series, the Grand Slam and the Players Championships since the beginning of November. Understandably 'MVG' is a big bookmakers favourite to win his second World Championship, but in this post I will be looking at who I think can possibly challenge the world number 1.

The top half of the draw is by far the most difficult half to win, it includes Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld, Michael Smith, Mensur Suljovic, Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall, but the player I will be taking a chance with is Adrian Lewis.

The 2 time world champion has hit a nice little bit of form in the past couple of months reaching the final of the Players Championship and the semi-finals of both the World Series and the European Championship. 'Jackpot' could potentially meet either Gerwyn Price or Andrew Gilding in the second round, followed by Suljovic or Kim Huybrechts. Not a straight forward start to the tournament for Lewis, and it doesn't get any easier with Peter Wright and Chisnall possible opponents in the quarter-finals.

Despite the poor draw, I think Lewis will be able to mount a strong challenge towards winning a 3rd World Championship, a prolific scorer and on his day he can hit some huge checkouts, if he is hitting his doubles well then there is no reason why he can't beat anyone right now. He's not the biggest price at 16/1, but I will be getting a few quids on.

Onto the bottom half of the draw, and in particular the 4th quarter. This section includes 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor who is justifiably favourite to progress to the Semi-Finals, but after arguably the worst year of 'The Power's' career I will be backing Robert Thornton.

The Scotsman was my prediction to win the World Grand Prix back in October and he duly obliged by defeating Michael van Gerwen in possibly one of the best finals I have ever witnessed. The Thorn's greatest attribute is his never say die attitude and not knowing when he is beat and in set play format this is very important. Alongside his great attitude is relentless double 20 hitting and tremendous scoring power which sees him regularly feature at the latter stages of big tournament.

After that remarkable triumph which saw him claim his 2nd TV Major in PDC, the Thorn's form dipped with a few poor performances which he claims was down to problems with the heel of his foot, but all seems to be restored now and I think he will go deep into this years World Championship.

Robert has been handed a tricky 1st round match against Alan Norris which could be a potential banana skin but his class should shine through, he could also meet in-form Mark Webster in the last 16 then a potential Quarter Final match-up with Phil Taylor. I genuinely believe that Thornton can do some serious damage this year and at 66/1 he is well worth an each way bet and hopefully he can recreate that dramatic night in Dublin.

Current World Champion Gary Anderson is one of my favourite players, on his day he is the biggest scorer in the world, but his form lately has me worried that he could be an early faller this year. In the last month he has lost matches against Mark Webster, Terry Jenkins and Daryl Gurney, compared to this time last year where he was on a 12 match unbeaten run. I think there is a chance to take advantage of this quarter of the draw and the player I will be choosing is Kyle Anderson. He is a player with bundles of talent and is on the verge of a big run in a tournament, so why not do it on the biggest stage?

The Australian faces an out-of-form Brendan Dolan in the first round who has really been struggling this year followed by possibly Vincent van der Voort. A tough match but one that I think he can progress from. From the last 16 he could face Gary Anderson, this could be the match that sees Kyle burst onto the scene and put his mark on the tournament. You can back the 'Original' at a huge 500/1 to win the tournament, a bit unrealistic so I will be on him to win the 3rd quarter at 66/1, Betfred have already shortened this bet to 16/1 and others might follow in the coming days so get on early as it's a bit of value in my eyes.

The whole tournament comes down to 2 points in my opinion. 1. If Gary Anderson is on form and 2. If anyone can stop MVG. If 1 of these key factors don't happen then there will be a surprise package. To conclude, it's going to be a great tournament with some memorable moments no doubt and to say I'm excited is an understatement. Enjoy the spectacle folks and Happy Christmas!

Suggested Bets: Adrian Lewis Each Way 16/1
                           Robert Thornton Each Way 66/1
                           Kyle Anderson to win 3rd quarter 66/1

World Grand Prix Prediction and Robert Thornton Interview

The World Grand Prix starts this Sunday in Dublin. I was going to post my predictions, but to be honest, I only really have one...Robert Thornton. He was unlucky to lose what turned out to be a history making match against James Wade in the last 16 stage last year where both players registered 9-dart finishes in the same match, a feat that had only ever been achieved once before in the double in-double out format by Brendan Dolan.
In 2012 at this event, the Scotsman reached the Quarter Final stage where he lost to Mervyn King, but he was impressive when he knocked out Phil Taylor in the previous round with a 96.6 average.
The Thorn's accuracy at double 20 is very strong, something that is desperately needed at the World Grand Prix to both get started in each leg and finish it.
Thornton's opponent in the first round is Northern Irish man Daryl Gurney. Not exactly a walk in the park, but it could have been worse with only the top 8 players being seeded. In the Second Round he could face either Steve Beaton or Justin Pipe, again not as bad as it could have been, but the current World Champion could be the next opponent in the Quarter Finals. Gary Anderson hasn't been on top form lately and in my opinion Thornton could give him a good game and get the victory.

I set out to arrange an interview with Robert to hear his thoughts on the draw and his current form. Have a read below to find out what he had to say.

Robert Thornton

Nickname: The Thorn

Born: 17th July 1967

Darts: Robert Thornton 26 Gram Red Dragon

Major Titles: BDO World Masters 2007, UK Open 2012

Current PDC Ranking: 7

Declan McCormick: Hello Robert, firstly thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for me. How do you think 2015 has went for you so far?

Robert Thornton: I think I’ve done okay. I’ve won a European Tournament, where I played very well. It looks like that has got me in the Grand Slam and I’ve been lucky enough to be selected for the World Series finals and we are into the business end of the season now so I will judge my year on the next three months.

Declan: You narrowly missed out on the Premier League earlier this year. In the long run do you think this has benefited your game due to not having to travel as much?

Robert: I wouldn’t say so. I enjoyed every minute of being in the Premier League and am working hard to get back in it. What I do know is that being in it definitely benefitted my game.

Declan: The World Grand Prix is next week and you seem to always play well at this event. Did you set this tournament as one of your main targets at the beginning of the year?

Robert: I go into every tournament believing I can win it. I have a lot of good memories from the Grand Prix so I’m hoping I can make even better ones.

Declan: Are you happy with the draw?

Robert: It doesn’t really bother me because there are no easy draws these days and you have to beat the best players to win any tournament.

Declan: You could potentially meet Gary Anderson and James Wade on your way to the Semi Finals next week. Do you ever think that far ahead in tournaments or do you just get on with your game?

Robert: It’s all about taking one game at a time. If you allow yourself to think too far ahead then you lose focus on the task at hand.

Declan: Finally, as I am a massive fan of yours I'd love to see you win a World Championship. Do you think your form is good enough to give it a go this year?

Robert: We’ll see over the next couple of months but I’m happy so far that my game is in a good place and if I can take it up a level, I’ll be there or thereabouts.

Exclusive Stephen Bunting Interview

Stephen Bunting

Nickname: The Bullet

Born: 9th April 1985

Hometown: St Helens, Merseyside, England

Darts: Target Bullet Darts 12 Grams

Major Title Wins: BDO World Championship 2014

Current PDC Ranking: 19

Declan McCormick: Hello Stephen, firstly thanks for giving up your time to answer a few questions. You have been playing well since joining The PDC at the beginning of 2014. Have you got any targets on where you would like to be in the Order of Merit come the end of the year?

Stephen Bunting: I want to be ranked as high as possible, my target is to break into the top 16 by the end of the year and I believe that is very achievable. 

Declan: You have recently changed back to your old set up that helped you win the BDO World Championship. Do you feel you can win a major in the PDC with these darts?

Stephen: I believe so. The target Gen 2 darts are amazing but I felt I was not as consistent and my confidence was not as high with them. I won the lakeside with the darts I am throwing now so there is a lot of confidence with those ones. I believe these darts will help me win many majors. 

Declan: The World Series was a great event that is spreading the word of darts around the globe. How did find the experience?

Stephen: It was amazing. Playing in countries I could never have dreamed of going to was surreal. The atmosphere in all the World Series events was epic and I can't wait for the finals in Glasgow. 

Declan: You have enjoyed many memorable moments during your career, including winning the BDO World Championship, but what is your proudest achievement to date?

Stephen: My proudest achievement has to be winning the lakeside. I had several attempts to try and win the title and fortunate for me I eventually won it. I must say being involved in the premier league and the experience that came with that has to be a close second. 

Declan: St Helens has produced a lot of top darts players over the years including yourself and Dave Chisnall. Is there a reason why so many from St Helens become professional?

Stephen: I don't think so. There is a lot of great players in St. Helens but just like Stoke. St Helens isn't the biggest town but there is a great darting interest and a lot of pub teams in the town. I think there must be something in the water. 

Declan: Finally, if you could pick any player to be your doubles partner who would it be?

Stephen: I would have to say Dave Chisnall. He is a close friend and also one of the best dart players in the world.

Exclusive Simon Whitlock Interview

Simon Whitlock

Nickname: The Wizard
Born: 3rd March 1969
Nationality: Australian
Darts Weight: 22 Grams
Major Title Wins: 2012 European Championship
Best World Championship Finish: Runner-Up
Current PDC Ranking: 11



Declan McCormick: Hello Simon, thanks for giving up your time to answer a few of these questions. Your form has been good this year, do you feel like you are returning to your excellent best that we all saw when you moved to the UK?

Simon Whitlock: I think I could’ve done better this year but I’m getting there. I have changed a few things with my set up and I always knew that it might be a case of taking a step back before I can move forward. I feel like I’m on that upward curve now though and I’m looking forward to the rest of the seasons.

Declan: We are approaching the final string of tournaments in a busy few months leading up to the World Championships, what targets have you set for the remainder of 2015?

Simon: I haven’t really set any specific targets in terms of results this year. I just want to keep improving and get back to where I was a couple of years ago and I believe that if I keep doing what I’m doing then I can be even better.

Declan: You have changed your darts on several ocassions over the past few years, are you confident in your current setup and do you plan on keeping it the same for the foreseeable future?

Simon: I knew I had to make a change and I will be sticking by it. I just need to keep playing to get used to the new set up so I plan to keep it as it is as I know I can play a lot better with more practice.

Declan: The World Series was a fantastic event to watch and it is putting darts on a global map. How does it feel to play in front of your home fans who see you as their darting hero?

Simon: I really enjoyed playing in the World Series. It is always great to go back to Australia. The game there is in good shape and is getting even better. I always get a good reception in most places luckily, but I always get goosebumps in my walk-ons in Australia.

Declan: You have had some memorable experiences since you burst onto the PDC scene in 2010 most notably being runner up in the World Championships when being unseeded and registering a 9-darter in the Premier League, but what has been your proudest moment so far?

Simon: I think the nine-darter in the Premier League has to be up there and I am proud to have reached the World Championship final but my proudest moment is definitely winning the European Championship in 2012. Not that many players win majors in the modern age of darts with so many good players around so I’m so pleased to have achieved that.

Declan: Thanks for your time Simon and good luck for the rest of the year.

Red Dragon Inferno 24 Gram Darts Review

After 2 years of using my beloved Robert Thornton darts, I have finally found a dart that is worthy enough to take their place, the Red Dragon Inferno 24 Gram. It is approaching a big day in my short/non existent career so far, this Friday 18th September 2015, I will be participating in my first ever competitive match down in the local pub and I will be armed with the highest quality of tungsten about. It is testament to these darts that I will be using them on my début despite only picking them up for the first time 2 weeks ago, a decision that wasn't easy but I am confident that it's the right one.

Some basic information about the Inferno Darts:
Weight- 24 Grams
Tungsten- 90% Tungsten alloy
Dimensions- 6.5mm x 50.8mm
Thread- 2BA
Weight Distribution- Centre
Barrel Profile- Parallel
Front Profile- Round
Grip Type- Dual grooves
Grip Zone- Full length

What you get:
Darts- x3 Darts per set
Flights- x1 Set Hardcore Black Standard
             x1 Set Hardcore Orange Standard
Shafts- x1 Set aluminium medium orange Red Dragon printed
Wallet- x1 Leather Red Dragon Wallet

First of all, I'm no Gok Wan, but the black and orange throughout these darts works a treat and it certainly caught my eye whilst scrolling through Red Dragon's new 2015 range and 2 days after placing my order they were in my hand and they didn't disappoint. The orange stems and flights along with the barrel will make sure that you have the nicest looking darts down at the pub.

The dual grooves grip on the Inferno darts remind me of both World Champion Gary Anderson and 'The Machine' James Wade's darts, the only difference being that they are finished off with PDV black effect surface finish, giving them that extra bit of grip that may prove the difference between scoring 85 or 100. I would rate the grip at about 3/5 (1= smooth, 5= aggressive) which I think is just about right, enough to avoid slips and not so much that it catches on your fingers upon release. For the first time ever, I have kept the original stems that are provided with the darts as the extra length seems to work, but it is up to the individual to decide whether to change the stem size.

The Inferno's are ideal for any player that is looking for a long and thin dart at a very reasonable price. The grip intensity is perfect thanks to the black coating and the sleek look has completely won me over. The Thornton darts have been put away in a safe place, maybe not forever, but for the foreseeable future and I will keep you all updated about my upcoming match via my Twitter account, fingers crossed that the Infernos can do the trick!

Perth Masters Preview

The World Series 8 have arrived in Australia for the annual Perth Masters event and they are joined by some Aussie challengers who won't let them have it all their own way.

The draw has thrown up some interesting first round matches including Raymond van Barneveld vs Simon Whitlock and Stephen Bunting vs Kyle Anderson, but it is the 2nd round that is more appealing with a potential Adrian Lewis vs Gary Anderson match-up along with other potential epic encounters. Below I will provide some predictions of the first round matches and the overall winner:

Stephen Bunting vs Kyle Anderson

The first round match that immediately caught my eye was Stephen Bunting vs Kyle Anderson. I think 'The Bullet' was very unlucky with this draw as I see Anderson as the best of the Australian challengers. His rise in the PDC over the past 18 months has been incredible, and if you have read my blog recently you would know that I am a big fan of his. His qualification for the World Matchplay in July was a great achievement in itself, but to nearly get the better of eventual finalist James Wade in the first round was very impressive. He lost the match 10-7 with a 99 average, but that doesn't tell half of the story as he had 'The Machine's' back against the ropes at 7-7 but lost his way for the last 3 legs, a good performance no the less. Then Wade went on to make the final beating World Matchplay specialist Phil Taylor along the way so this just shows just how well both Anderson and Wade were playing.
Stephen Bunting is also another player who has been progressing well since he joined the PDC and has justified his invites to events in the past year with a good performance in the Premier League along with a run to the Final of the Sydney Masters last year, so he will have good memories of playing in Australia. The World Matchplay didn't go as planned for 'The Bullet' as he lost 10-6 to Ian White but he was not disgraced with a 101.62 average and he would probably get the title of most unlucky first round loser. His form has been a bit patchy lately, but when he pulls it together in the big matches he can beat anyone which he has shown in the past with wins against Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis and James Wade along with many more in the last past 9 months.

The best of 11 legs format shouldn't trouble either player as both have played this length of match for the majority of their careers. They have met 5 times in the past with 'The Bullet' winning 4 of the matches, although interestingly the last 4 meetings between the pair has went to a last leg decider. This could be another very tight match but due to his inconsistency lately I think Bunting could be the first seeded casualty of the weekend with Anderson marching onto the 2nd round.

Match Prediction: Kyle Anderson 6-5 Stephen Bunting

Raymond van Barneveld vs Simon Whitlock

Things just don't seem to be going Barney's way. He hasn't been at his best lately, most notably during a 10-7 loss to Andy Hamilton at the World Matchplay where the big Dutchman averaged a measly 89.8. He would have been hoping for a nice draw here to virtually guarantee a 2nd round match against one of the big guns to hopefully give him a confidence boost, but sadly it hasn't worked out that way. He has drawn World Number 10 Simon Whitlock, who recently broke his year long TV Major duck by beating the fancied Jelle Klaasen in the first round of the World Matchplay, not exactly good timing for Mr Barneveld but perfect for 'The Wizard' returning to his home country. This is another hard match to call, I would love to say van Barneveld should progress, but in my opinion Simon Whitlock will be really up for this and will want to win a match on home soil and to avoid letting the crowd down, who will no doubt be singing their lungs out for their fellow countryman which could only enhance his chances. The form book goes completely out the window, but due to home advantage and confidence I will be swaying towards 'The Wizard'.

Simon Whitlock 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld


Outright Winner

The usual suspects have obvious claims. World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen is fresh off the back of World Matchplay glory, Phil Taylor is the defending champion of the Perth Masters and of course World Champion Gary Anderson is the man on form, but despite these challengers, my prediction for the player to be victorious overall is World Number 4 Peter Wright. He has drawn Paul Nicholson who is slowly dropping down the rankings and hasn't found any form at all in the last 12 months, so that should be relatively routine for 'Snakebite' if he were to win then it would most likely set up a 2nd round clash with James Wade, a tough task, but one I think the Scotsman can win due to his recent form being so good. He had a great week in Blackpool where he reached the Semi Finals losing to eventual winner and World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen but he beat Kim Huybrechts, Andrew Gilding and Gerwen Price very nicely along the way. He is due to win a big tournament soon, he can't keep playing this well without winning something and think his time is now.
I am also going to give Kyle Anderson a shout. He has been so impressive recently that I could see him having a good run soon, although if he wins his 1st round match he will most likely be facing defending champion Phil Taylor in the 2nd round, an almost impossible task, but with the crowd firmly on his side you never know what can happen.

Prediction: Peter Wright
                  Kyle Anderson each way

Gerwyn Price 24 Gram Darts Review

With my game not improving as much as I would like, I thought it was time to acquire a lighter set of darts to see if it would make a difference to my overall average. I searched online for the best 24 gram darts I could find (2 grams lighter than my usual arrows) and I stumbled upon a set of Gerwyn Price's darts. With 'The Iceman' being fresh off the back of a great World Matchplay run where he reached the Quarter Finals beating both Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis along the way, I thought 'why not' and went ahead with this set. Here is what I thought of them:

What You Get:
- x3 darts per set ( 24 grams)
- x1 set of White Hardcore Extra Thick Flights
- x1 set of Team Red Dragon Poly Metronic Standard Flights
- x1 set of aluminium short Razor Edge blue & silver
- x1 set of aluminium medium black Red Dragon laser etched
- x1 Leather Red Dragon wallet
- 1 year Guarantee Card

Darts Specification
- 85% Tungsten Alloy
- Dimensions: 6.8mm x 50.8mm
- Thread: 2BA


Red Dragon's efficiency was evident as usual with the darts arriving to my door in 2 working days and it was straight to the practice board. After just a few minutes of throwing I knew something wasn't right and I quickly worked out that the extra short stems were the problem, but a quick change to the longer set provided in the wallet corrected this instantly. The set up of short stems clearly works for Gerwyn himself, so its down to the individual's style of throw to determine which would suit them better but it's definitely worth experimenting with.

When I first saw the darts, I was impressed with how good they looked. They didn't exactly catch my eye during The World Matchplay on television, but when they are actually in your hand they really are spectacular looking darts and the grip towards the back of the barrel has a nice zig-zag design, which resembles ice, a clever touch from Red Dragon.

Behind the ice design towards the back of the barrel, there are two rings of sharp grip and another 4 of these rings towards the front, this is the reason Red Dragon give the darts a grip rating of 4 (1=Smooth and 5=Aggressive), just perfect in my opinion .The darts are weighted towards the centre of the dart and rounded at the front and the surface is finished off with a polished look.

I decided then to put these darts to the test. I played 5 legs of darts with my standard darts (Robert Thornton's 26 Grams) then 5 legs with my new sets of tungsten. After the first session I managed a relatively normal 51 average with 5/16 checkout rate. The second session where I used the Gerwyn Price darts produced a 54 average and exactly the same checkout rate 5/16, not a massive improvement but definitely a step in the right direction. This evidence was enough to encourage me to use them more and I have now been practising with these arrows for the last week.

Overall I think the Gerwyn Price darts are very nice without too many complex details which means that it wouldn't be a risk to buy these darts. They have improved my game slowly, but slow progress is better than no progress so I would recommend them to anyone looking for a new dart.

World Matchplay Quarter Finals Preview (Friday 24th July)

Phil Taylor vs Dave Chisnall

Phil Taylor has triumphed at the World Matchplay 15 times since its inaugural edition back in 1994. and 'The Power' has also lifted the trophy for the past 7 years on the bounce, the last time he lost was way back in 2007 against Terry Jenkins, only the sixth time he has lost on the Blackpool stage.
Taylor started the tournament 2nd favourite only behind World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen who is chasing his first ever World Matchplay title. 'The Power' began this campaign with an impressive 10-4 win over John Henderson then he followed this performance up with a 13-6 win over Andy Hamilton with an average of 99.37, a typical early round display from Taylor and you can be assured he will rise his standard for the upcoming rounds.

Dave Chisnall looked a bit out of sorts in his latest match against young star Keegan Brown, we know that 'Chizzy' is always liable to snatch a few of his darts during his matches, but on this occasion his arm seemed very tight and there was more snatching going on than usual. He still managed to squeeze through that match 13-11 with a 96 average, but I would think that the St Helens man will have fixed this problem when he plays the 16 time World Champion.

This match has 180s written all over it. 'Chizzy' is a maximum scoring machine and Phil Taylor is...well...Phil Taylor. There is also a good chance that there will be some 2 treble checkouts and it wouldn't surprise me if we seen a 170 checkout from these two top players.

The pair know each other very well as they have met 25 times in the past but its Phil Taylor who leads this particular statistic 18-7. The last time they met was back in May during a Pro Tour event in Barnsley and Chizzy won this bout 6-5.

Taylor is a deserved favourite for this match due to his nack for winnning over a long format which requires an extreme amount of concentration over a prolonged period of tme but, Chisnall will push him all the way. I honestly can't see Taylor wiping the floor of 'Chizzy' and don't be surprised if the unthinkable happens, Taylor losing.

Match Prediction: Phil Taylor 16-13 Dave Chisnall
                          Phil Taylor over 7.5 180s

James Wade vs Mensur Suljovic 

First things first, I am a Suljovic fan. He has beat every person on the tour before and is quite possibly, along with Justin Pipe, the most frustrating player in the world to play against. He has a slow throw which is bad enough, but he also loves letting his feelings be known with a slow walk to the board while throwing his arms about and most annoying thing is how long he takes before a double to compose himself, but I love it! Known as 'The Gentle', Mensur gives the best players about such a hard time, not to mention his double 14 hitting is very good. He doesn't allow them to walk up to the oche, reel of 6 legs, then walk off, he makes them really work for their wins. His form of late has been good, in 2015 he has reached 6 Quarter Finals and reached a Semi Final on the Pro Tour, but the most impressive form has been that of the past week. His first round match was against Terry Jenkins where he averaged just shy of 90 and despite this low average, he was able to get the job done against an experienced veteran. The 2nd round seen him up against the World Champion and triple-crown chasing Gary Anderson. Nobody gave the Austrian a chance, but he pulled off the biggest upset of recent times by winning 13-9 with a 95 average to progress.

James Wade, the last man to win this event that isn't Phil Taylor, can be described in one word. Efficient. It sums up his game perfectly and is why he is nicknamed 'The Machine' as he gets the job done without many 180s or much jumping around the stage. He is quite possibly the best player in the world at checking out anything between 100 and 130 and his double 20 and double 10 hitting is impeccable. His first round match was against Australian Kyle Anderson where Wade was looking a bit shaky at times, but that was due to the brilliance of Anderson. It took a 103 average to win the match 10-7 and set up a 2nd round match with Brendan Dolan which he won comfortably 13-8.

Wade showed that he is capable of dealing with slow and awkward players when he beat Dolan in the last round and to be honest, Wade isn't the quickest player either. He is very methodical with his play and doesn't rely on rhythm so Sujovic's style shouldn't annoy 'The Machine' at all, but on the other hand, I could see Mensur's being rattled by some big checkouts by Wade and this could effect his game. I don't expect a walkover, but with regret, I must say that I think this is the end of the road for Mensur Suljovic.

Match Prediction: James Wade 16-9 Mensur Suljovic
                           Under 10.5 match 180s
                           Wade Highest Checkout over 125.5

World Matchplay Quarter Final Predictions (Thursday 23rd July)

Michael van Gerwen vs Ian White

Prior to this years World Matchplay Ian 'Diamond' White has been on fine form in Pro Tour events on the floor. This year he has reached 3 Finals, 3 Semi-Finals and 2 Quarter Finals, considering that each of these floor events contain 128 of the World's finest players, this is an incredible achievement and because of this he has shot up the PDC Order of Merit and is now ranked number 9 in the world.
The World Matchplay draw wasn't very nice to White as he drew former BDO World Champion and rising star Stephen Bunting. This was anticipated as being one of the closest matches of the first round, although 'Diamond' White came through the match pretty comfortably 10-6 with a 103 average and 38% on the checkouts setting up a second round tie with Simon Whitlock. The Australian Whitlock demolished an under-par Jelle Klaasen in the first round and looked like he was back to his best form although Ian White wasn't about to lie down and let Simon walk over him into the Quarters. White averaged 97 in a 13-9 win and showed tenacity and calmness when he came back from a break of throw down to win rather comfortably.

MvG needs no introduction, he is World Number 1, former World Champion and on ridiculous form this year. Since the turn of the year, the Dutchman has won 12 events and reached numerous Finals and Semi-Finals beating all the the top players in the progress. He is deservedly the favourite to lift the trophy in Blackpool on Sunday.
Up until this round, van Gerwen has had it all his own way and has only dropped 6 legs in the first 2 rounds and in the 2nd round he clocked the 4th highest average in World Matchplay history when he averaged 110.93 against a rattled Jamie Lewis, although, he was so far ahead in this match that there was no pressure on him and could have contributed to the power scoring. If someone gives MvG a tough match, I don't think we will be seeing averages as high as that.

Van Gerwen leads the head-to-head between the pair 7-2 and has won the last 6 on the bounce. The last time these 2 met was at Blackpool nearly exactly a year ago, 'Mighty Mike' won that 13-4.

This years edition of the World Matchplay has thrown up numerous shock results, but I cant see this one leaving your jaw on the floor. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure that Ian White will give the World Number 1 a good game, but the Dutchman should continue the pursuit of his first Matchplay title into the Semi-Finals.

My Prediction for the match: MvG 16-9 White
                                          Over 15.5 180s


Peter Wright vs Gerwyn Price

If this match was in the first round you would not hesitate in saying Peter Wright would win hands down, but after recent events I don't think it will be as easy. 'Snakebite' Wright was the most impressive first round winner when he beat Kim Huybrechts 10-5 with a 108 average despite yet another change of darts. He can't seem to find the perfect dart but when he finds his range, he is up there with the best players in the world. His 2nd round match against Andrew Gilding wasn't so impressive. He started very slowly as did Gilding but eventually he picked his game up and won 13-7 with a 95 average, but the Scotsman clearly looked annoyed with his performance throughout the match. This shows how high the standard he sets for himself is, he averages 95 and wins comfortably, yet he is still not satisfied.

Gerwyn Price won his first round match against an out of sorts Michael Smith, who many people expected to have a long run this week, and he done it in good style. This is his debut year in the World Matchplay and he claimed he didn't know if he could win under a long format on the big stage, but he seems to be thriving off it. Price then pulled off undoubtedly the biggest shock of the tournament so far when he beat number 4 seed Adrian Lewis 13-10 in the 2nd round with an outstanding performance and an average of 97.88. The Welshman made a switch between playing rugby to darts and it is proving to be a successful one, this could be due to him having a sportsman's attitude, hardwork and dedication. He also possesses a lot of bottle when it comes to finishing matches off and not panicking when it's not going his way, he has the potential to be a real star of the future.

The pair have met on only 1 occasion and that was in the World Championship first round back in December where Peter Wright won 3-0, but I am sure Price will give him a hard match this time round. In my opinion, Price's legs total will be in double figures and he will give 'Snakebite' Wright a fright.

Prediction: Peter Wright 16-13 Gerwyn Price
                Gerwyn Price +3.5 legs

World Matchplay Predictions

The World Matchplay is arguably the second most important tournament of the year after the World Championships and it is a major title that every dart player would love to win, however, this has proved difficult for anyone who isn't Phil Taylor. The Power has been Matchplay Champion 15 times since its first edition in 1994 and he has won the last 7 in a row, so only 5 other players have ever lifted the trophy (Larry Butler, Peter Luison, Rod Harrington, Colin Lloyd and James Wade).

It wouldn't be surprising if we see a new champion this year, especially with World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen in pursuit of his first Matchplay title, he is an obvious choice to win in Blackpool, but he has had a slight dip in form recently including losing to Kim Huybrechts in last weekends European Tour in Düsseldorf although you can never rule the Dutchman out.

The first round draw is as follows:
(Best of 19 Legs)
Michael van Gerwen v Benito van de Pas
Justin Pipe v Jamie Lewis
Simon Whitlock v Jelle Klaasen
Ian White v Stephen Bunting
Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts
Mervyn King v Andrew Gilding
Adrian Lewis v Joe Murnan
Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price
Phil Taylor v John Henderson
Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Hamilton
Dave Chisnall v Jamie Caven
Robert Thornton v Keegan Brown
James Wade v Kyle Anderson
Brendan Dolan v Vincent van der Voort
Gary Anderson v Steve Beaton
Terry Jenkins v Mensur Suljovic

Below I will make a case for some outsiders who I think will have a good run in Blackpool.


Jelle Klaasen

Klaasen is a player who is undoubtedly very talented but until this year he hasn't lived up to his full potential. His throw would be one that I describe as fast, unorthodox and effective. When he is playing at his best he is, in my opinion, one of the most entertaining dart players to watch. His checkout methods can be strange at times but he usually takes them out with good effect, he is especially good at double 18, double 9 and double 6.
He was desperately unlucky in the World Championships not knock out eventual winner Gary Anderson in the last 32. Klaasen found himself 3-1 up, but couldn't cross the finishing line and the Flying Scotsman pulled off a remarkable comeback to win 4-3 with some incredible darts, from that point on Jelle has been improving steadily throughout the first half of 2015. The highlight of this year was when he won a Players Championship event in Wigan on 5th July beating Chirstian Kist, Mark Dudbridge, Gerwyn Price, Adrian Lewis, Daryl Gurney, Rowby-John Rodriguez and Ian White to claim his first PDC trophy.
Just last weekend he had a fantastic Euro Tour event in Dusseldorf where he only dropped 8 legs on his way to the Quarter Final only to lose to eventual winner Robert Thornton 6-4, the most impressive win during that run was a 6-1 demoiltion of Premier League Semi-Finalist Dave Chisnall clocking a 104 average in the process.
The Cobra meets Australian Simon Whitlock in the first round, a very winnable match due to Whitlock's poor form over the last year and I expect to see Klaasen progress to at least the Quarter Final stage where he could potentially meet World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen. That may prove too much to ask from Klaasen, but the sour history between the pair could set up an epic encounter fuelled by emotion.
The legs format that is used in the World Matchplay should suit Klaasen as he is able to keep concentration for a long period of time, he usually comes out of the blocks quickly and he tends to finish matches the same as he started. He is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Recommended Bets: Small bet on Klaasen each way 150/1
                                 Klaasen to win his quarter 18/1


Kim Huybrechts

The Belgian shot to stardom in last years Grand Slam of Darts when he defeated the favourite  Michael van Gerwen and hit a 9 dart finish in the same match. This, along with other good performances, earned him a place in the 2015 Premier League where he fell at the first hurdle and was eliminated on Judgement Night, but he wasn't disgraced. He gave the top 9 players in the world a good run and he has every right to be proud of his performances.
In July alone, Kim has reached 2 finals, the first was in a Players Championship event in Wigan where he beat the likes of Steve Beaton, Kyle Anderson and Andrew Gilding but he eventually lost to James Wade in a last leg decider. He then reached the final of a European Tour event in Düsseldorf last weekend where he once again caused an upset by beating MvG in the Semi Final, he also got the better of Jyhan Artut, Brendan Dolan and Michael Smith on route to the Final where he lost to an inspired Robert Thornton. Going by this, I would say that 'The Hurricane' has peaked his form at just the right time.
He has drawn Peter Wright in the first round of the World Matchplay which is a tough match, both players are in good form, but I fancy Kim to get the better of Snakebite to progress into the 2nd round. He is drawn in the 2nd quarter of the draw, which I think is the 'easiest' of the 4 quarters, not saying that it's easy, but there aren't as many in-form players in that section than the other 3. If Kim wins his first round match then he will face either Mervyn King or Andrew Gilding, definitely a match that the Belgian can win.
During that run in the Grand Slam of Darts last year, Huybrechts showed that the legs format is not a problem, he is a consistent player that can keep his best darts going right through a long match, something that is key if you are going to have a good run in Blackpool.

Recommended Bets: Kim Huybrechts each way 66/1
                                  Kim Huybrechts to win his quarter 7/1


Kyle Anderson

Anderson had to dig in deep to secure his place in the Blackpool, but there is no denying that he has the talent to give any player a tough match. The Australian has been creeping up the rankings since he decided to move to the UK last year and is capable of beating any of the top players. People started taking notice of 'The Original' when he hit a 9 darter during the 2014 World Championships which not many players have been able to do and since that he recorded the world record average during a match against Terry Jenkins where he won 6-1 and averaged 134.84 in the process, mind bloggling numbers.
Recently he has been in decent form and deserves some respect from his opponents. I have decided to include Anderson in my predictions due to the draw. I think it has been relatively kind to him as he has drawn James Wade in the first round, it will not be easy to beat the former Matchplay Champion but Anderson leads the head to head stats 2-1 and is capable of extending his lead in those stats. If he were to win then he would meet either Vincent van der Voort or Brendan Dolan in the 2nd round, also a match he is capable of winning in my eyes.
Not saying that Kyle is a certainty to win the event or even go past the first round, but at 300/1 it is worth £1 of my money.

Recommended Bets: Tiny bet Kyle Anderson each way 300/1
                                   Kyle Anderson to win his quarter 25/1

Exclusive Kyle Anderson Interview

Kyle Anderson

Nickname: The Original
Born: 14th September 1987
Nationality: Australian
Darts: Unicorn
Weight: 23 grams
Favourite darts player: John Lowe
Current PDC Ranking: 47

Declan McCormick - You met John Lowe in December 2014. How did it feel to meet your darting hero? Did he offer you any advice which has helped improve your game?

Kyle Anderson - First off thanks you for the interview, I first met Mr Lowe back in 2003 whilst he did a exhibition in Elizabeth, South Australia. But to meet him on a personal level was fantastic, he was so humble and we had a brief practice together, he still hits bull like its turning on a shower. He just said to me that I have the game to trouble a lot of players and said keep a level head son and you'll be alright



DMcC - At the age of 14 you were quoted saying, "I like watching World Darts Championships, which are televised from England. There are so many people watching when they play, they must be under so much pressure!" You are now faced with the same problem. How do you deal with pressure when you are on the big stage?

KA - I must admit my first game on TV I absolutely caked it, not having any stage experience to that was a eye opener. Now I've been on stage a bit and feel comfortable up there. Just need to bring the it all together and should be fine



DMcC -  Its a known fact that you suffered from homesickness when you moved to England last year. What advice would you give to a player that is thinking about settling in the UK to pursue a career in darts?

KA - Homesickness will always be there, my fiancé and son are back in Australia so I try go back every chance I get, you need to be very strong to do it. I've lived away from family before but this is different, time difference is a main factor whilst I'm asleep and vise-versa. Just have to concentrate on the reason you are here for, if you believe you can do it, give it a go.



DMcC - You have a massive few weeks coming up regarding your qualification for the World Matchplay. Leading up to 2015 did you set any goals for the year?

KA - My first goal was to qualify for the UK open. Then I had a couple good weeks on tour and got close to Matchplay and thought I'm in with a shot to get there. Just gotta do what I do to hopefully qualify.



DMcC - So far in your PDC career you have made history on a couple of occasions. You hit a 9-dart-finish in the World Championships and you recorded an incredible 134.84 average against Terry Jenkins, but what has been your proudest moment?

KA - I'd say my most proudest was qualifying for the PDC tour, Q-School was a daunting thing for me. Travelling all the way across from Mount Morgan, Queensland in Australia to Wigan, was a trek in itself then I had to hope all my game was there for the four days of qualifying. I was in no way confident of a first day card at the start, but as day went on I felt good and the results came



DMcC - Finally, if you could face any player in the World Championship Final, who would it be?

KA - If I could meet anyone in the final it would be my brother Beau. Just for the pure fact we both wouldn't feel any nerves and it would be a good final. When we watch each other play we are both nervous wrecks, but when we play each other we hate each other just sibling rivalry storyline I think



DMcC - Thanks very much for your time Kyle and good luck in the future!

Peter Wright PL15 Darts Review

Peter Wright is famous for his eccentric behaviour, over the top fashion sense and his ability to match any darts player in the world on his day. It's also been well documented that he changes his darts regularly in search of the perfect fit for his needs and finally it looks like he has nailed the perfect design.

What you get:

- 3 darts per set
- 1 set of Peter Wright super thick standard flights
- 1 set of Peter Wright holographic standard flights
- 2 sets of white coated aluminium Red Dragon stems
- 1 Red Dragon Wallet
- 1 year guarantee card

World number 5 'Snakebite' Wright had these darts designed for his participation in this years Premier League where he was unlucky to be eliminated at the first hurdle on Judgement Night despite some top quality performances against Kim Huybrechts and Phil Taylor. These new darts are very similar to the set he used when reaching the final of the World Championships in 2014, only difference being that they are slightly slimmer and of course they are available in blue and silver not bronze.

The first thing I noticed upon opening the packaging was how attractive these darts were. The blue coating along with rainbow effect on the point reflected exactly what Peter Wright is about, a stand out from the crowd attitude. This was definitely the case when I visited my local pub to test these new pieces of tungsten out, everyone in the darts area asked me about them and held them, so saying all of the regulars liked the darts would be an understatement.

The darts are 90% tungsten and weighted in the centre of the barrel. The grip is rated 4/5 by Red Dragon (1= smooth, 5= aggressive) and I wouldn't disagree with that. The grip is situated from rear to the centre where it is rough, and towards the front of the dart there are 3 grooves to add a little more grip while throwing.

My personal experience with these darts has been very good. I have problems with my grip which causes most of the darts I use to flick a lot in the air, which in turn causes them to go off target or bounce out of the board, but due to the fact these darts are centralised means they stay steady in the air and bring out these best in my game. I even hit a 180 on my first night throwing them, only the 4th maximum of my short career.

Overall, these darts are fantastic. They are visually the best arrows I have ever seen and Red Dragon have went the extra mile by adding in some fine details such as the rainbow effect points and the Snakebite logo on the barrel. Highly recommended and I give them a rating of 9/10.

Players Shining on the Small Stage

All eyes have been fixed on the Premier League for that last three months but there has been plenty of darts elsewhere on the Pro Tour. Here are a few players to keep your eye on away from the TV and big stage.

Jamie Lewis' recent run of form started at the Gibraltar Darts Trophy where he was the stand out performer of the weekend and made it to the semi-final stage, beating Michael Smith with a 96 average and 67% checkout rate, Andy 'The Pieman' Smith and Gerwyn Price along the way, only to be eliminated by World number 1 and eventual winner Michael van Gerwen in a 6-1 defeat. Lewis' form since that weekend has been on the up and he has accumulated £15,300 in prize money moving the Welshman up to 30th in the Pro Tour Order of Merit. The second Players Championship event in Coventry was one his most impressive tournaments to date beating some top-class players along the way, including Paul Nicholson, Adrian Lewis and Stephen Bunting, but he lost to the eventual winner  Peter Wright in the quarter-final stage 6-5 in a match that could have went either way. Jamie Lewis is a player that's improving with every event he plays and another few good weekends could see him creep up the Order of Merit (where he currently lies in 33rd) where hopefully he can show us all on televised tournaments what he is capable of.

'The Gentle' Mensur Suljovic is another player that we don't see very often on television, but when the draw is announced for Pro Tour events, I'm sure all players don't want to see his name next to theirs. The big Austrian's unorthodox style can be very outputting but effective and you can rely on him to score a mid 90 average in most matches, not to mention that his double 14 hitting is superb and he can cause any player in the world problems in a short format match.

Suljovic's run in the German Darts Championship has been the best he has performed this year beating Cristo Reyes, Michael Smith, Kim Huybrechts and Robert Thornton on his way to the semi-finals where he lost 6-1 to the fantastic van Gerwen. 

Since the turn of the year, Mensur has won £11,750 in prize money just from floor events and is 22nd in the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit a good achievement considering he doesn't attend every event.

Consistency is key to Suljovic's game, he may be slow and look like he doesn't know what hes doing but, as Wayne Mardle said, he will 'ton you' throughout the match. Don't be surprised if you see him winning an event sometime in the near future.

Benito van de Pas is tipped by many to be a future World Champion and he is already showing people what he can do at the oche. The Dutchman has claimed the scalps of most of the world's top players (including Michael van Gerwen) in the past and if he did it again it wouldn't be a surprise. 

His recent form has been good, he reached a quarter-final in Barnsley beating Wayne Jones, Terry Jenkins, Robert Thornton and even managed to register a 9 darter in the process. In Coventry just a month before, Benito eliminated the likes of Jamie Bain and Keegan Brown to progress to the semi-final, only to come up against van Gerwen and lose 6-3. 

Despite the fact van de Pas has never won a Pro Tour event, he is still number 19 in the PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit having earned a cool £31,750 in the past year and he is slowly climbing up the rankings. He achieved his best run in a World Championships this year making it to the last 16 where he lost to Robert Thornton, although he did eliminated Dave Chisnall and Paul Nicholson, pocketing £18,000 for his work. This young up-and-coming star will want to better that run in the upcoming World Championships in December, but in the meantime, he will be looking to produce his best darts on the small stage and chase that top 16 spot.

John Henderson has had a stunning start to 2015. In April he had a great run in the German Darts Masters overcoming Cristo Reyes, Michael Smith, Andrew Guilding, Brendan Dolan and Adrian Lewis to make it to the final, only to be beaten by, you guessed it, Michael van Gerwen but it wasn't straightforward for the World number 1 as Henderson pushed him to a deciding leg but it wasn't enough to stop the runaway train that is MVG. The Highlander pocketed £10,000 for the weekend which is nearly half of what he earned during the entire 2014 calender year and he thanked "Easter Eggs" for his good form.
The good run didn't stop there, John then achieved a semi-final spot in the Players Championship in Coventry by eliminating a host of quality players including Wes Newton, Robert Thornton and Dave Chisnall, but eventual winner Keegan Brown stopped the Scotsman from achieving a 2nd final in as many months.
The rocking motion of Henderson is unique, but when he gets his sway in rhythm with his throwing arm he can be deadly, no player would like to face him on a good day, or after Easter Eggs apparently. He has taken his 2015 total earnings to £18,000 (excluding World Championship) which should set him up nicely for the rest of the year and we will see him in more televised tournaments and I think he can mount a serious challenge for some of the top prizes this year.

Should Darts be Introduced into the Classroom?

Darts is a game of skill, concentration, practice, rhythm and mathematics. Some say it is the easiest game in the world to play, but the hardest to play well. When people begin to play this magnificent sport, the majority will just aim for the bullseye to to earn the bragging right of "I told you I could hit it" to their mates, but the more they play, the more they will understand how it works and after a year and many lost matches, the newcomer will have the foundations of what it takes to be a good player, including maths skills.

Darts players, even the ones in the pub, will say that throwing arrows has improved their counting, myself included. If you had asked me 2 years ago what 17 multiplied by 6 was, it would have taken pen and paper to provide you with an answer, but after a lot of games in the pub I know that treble 17=51 and double that is 102. A lot easier than any other method, so why not introduce this method to kids in schools? 

Having worked in schools for a number of years, I know that Mathematics needs to be more than just sitting at a desk learning 'Times Tables' and completing question after question, it might work to get kids results, but I also know that 75% of the students HATE it. Darts could enable teachers to bring fun and competitiveness into the classroom in short activities which will motivate the students to learn. The option to open a Darts Club within the school could benefit students social skills, it brings them all together in a game where you can't hide in the corner. 

To the general public however, there is still a stereotype against darts. It is seen as a 'pub game' and people would argue that it still encourages alcohol consumption. Competitive darts is mostly only available in a pub situation, so in order for a player who throws only in their house to take their game to the next level they would most likely have to attend a pub on a weekly basis to play for their team, this doesn't help the image of darts but it's not as damaging as what people see on television. If a child watches darts on TV these days  they are sure to see alcohol abuse in the crowd and their parents will not like this. But not all darts fans are anti-social; in fact its sad that the public perception of darts is rowdy, drunk men when this is the minority. Most fans love the sport and want to enjoy the spectacle without any mishaps. 

Women's darts is on the rise with players such as Fallon Sherrock, Lisa Ashton and Anastasia Dobromyslova showing that they are capable of giving the men a run for their money in a match. Ladies darts has a bright future and introducing the game to girls at a young age will only up the standard, attract more commercial attention and bring through more young talent which would secure it's future. The more exposure the women get, the more the prejudice of darts being a man's sport will disintegrate.

Myself, along with Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow and Bobby George feel very strongly about bringing the game of darts into the classroom, it's low cost, fun and will improve children's maths by a considerable amount. There are still some issues with darts that may hinder its progress into schools, but it is definitely a possibility in the future and who's to say it won't produce some future World Champions in the process.

Lewis' Late Challenge For Premier League Title

After 11 weeks of marvelous darts and terrific entertainment, we are now at the 'business end' of the Betway Premier League. There are just 4 weeks left for players to cement their places in the top four and realistically, there is only one place up for grabs with Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Dave Chisnall all occupying the first three places and they don't look like they'll be moved.
So five players will fight it out for the last available place which Phil Taylor is currently occupying, but he won't be sitting to comfortably.

Adrian Lewis, arguably the best natural talent in the game, couldn't have started his Premier League campaign any better as he demolished reigning champion Raymond van Barneveld 7-1 with an incredible 113 average and he looked to be back to his best, but the next week was the start of a run which saw the two time World Champion be sucked into a relegation battle.
In Lewis' next seven matches, he only won three points with draws against Huybrechts, van Gerwen and Wade and between those draws, he was defeated by Taylor, Bunting, Chisnall and current World Champion Anderson.
On week 9 we saw a different Adrian Lewis from the one we had been watching for the past two months. With relegation staring him in the face, he pulled off a hugely important 7-4 win against Peter Wright and from that point on the man from Stoke didn't look back. He turned what looked like an early exit from the competition into a very realistic chance to get a top four spot and get a shot at winning the Premier League trophy, a piece of silverware that he has never had the honour of lifting.

Away from the League, Lewis' form has been excellent recently getting to five Pro Tour event finals and winning three of them, he also had an impressive run in the German Darts Masters making it to the Semi-Final stage but lost to eventual runner up John Henderson.

Lewis is currently one point behind Phil Taylor with a game in hand, but more importantly, the pair meet this Thursday night in a match that could be pivotal in deciding who gets fourth place. Taylor's form has been up-and-down lately, but last week he proved his doubters by gaining 3 points out of a possible 4 and looked more like the 16-time World Champion that we all know.

Jackpot's remaining fixtures are against Taylor, Chisnall, van Barneveld, van Gerwen and Anderson, with 10 points on offer you feel that Lewis will need 6 or 7 points, but he is more than capable on his day. Obviously it won't be easy and if he does claim fourth he will have the tough task of playing the World Number 1 Michael van Gerwen, but when people predict who they think will win the Premier League, you don't hear many saying Lewis, his scoring power and high checkouts cannot be overlooked and don't be surprised if he walks away at the end of the campaign with the trophy because I fully expect him to.

Premier League Belfast: A Step In The Right Direction

The Premier League coming to Belfast is the most important and significant event of the darting year in Northern Ireland. We are in desperate need for more tournaments and exhibitions in this side of the UK and it seems the lack of darts throughout the year means everyone (including non-darts fan) flock to the Odyssey Arena in February to see the top players do what they do best. More events would improve the reputation of darts in this country and take away the stereotype of a night at the darts just being a 'drinking session'.
Last February, there was national outrage at the behaviour of the crowd inside the Odyssey during the Premier League. Newspapers and radio debates centred on it for the week that followed. Something needed to be done to prevent the fights and beer throwing in 2015 and some measures were clearly taken. The bar staff stopped selling alcohol after the third match which assured pints were drank instead of thrown and there was a significant increase in policing. I must say, these changes made a difference and made the night more enjoyable even though there were still some drunks that needed escorted from the building, but all in all, an improvement.
The PDC and the Odyssey Arena have clearly taken a step forward but they aren't quite there yet and more events are needed to solve this problem. It's not all gloom and doom though, the crowd during the first match of the night between Kim Huybrechts and Dave Chisnall were electric! There were plenty of "Stand up if you love the darts" chants and random MVG singing, and of course the 8 perfect darts from 'The Hurricane' nearly blew the roof off.
Personally, I look forward to the Premier League every year and I'm glad that Belfast still has a part to play in this great event, I hope it can continue to take steps in the right direction and hopefully expand for many years to come.

Judgement Night Preview

Who Will Have the Last Laugh on Judgement Night?

We have seen some incredible darts in the first eight weeks of this years Premier League and up until this point it has all been for one reason, to avoid being dumped out at the first hurdle as two players will eliminated on Thursday. Judgement night is upon us and there are five of the world's best players involved in a relegation scrap, it will take self-confidence, immense bottle and a bit of luck for results to go in their favour to survive, but all I know is that its going to be great entertainment for the Manchester crowd and the viewers at home. Below I have put together a match-by-match preview and outlined what the players in danger need to achieve in order for them to remain in the League.

 Michael van Gerwen vs. James Wade

The opening match of the night may not have any impact on who gets relegated, but it is a mouth watering prospect with two of the most consistent players this year going head-to-head in what is sure to be a game full of big checkouts. I believe that Wade is the best player in the word at finishing with anything between 100 and 130, but on the other hand MVG is the best at anything 131+, it could take one of Might Mike's magical finishes to continue his remarkable run.

Van Gerwen's 7-2 victory against fellow Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld with 109 average was impressive and he still remains unbeaten in this years edition of the Premier League. The short format suits him perfectly with the World Number 1 liable to switch off and lose concentration during longer games, but you can always guarantee he will come flying out of the blocks.

Wade has had a good campaign himself with 3 wins, 3 draws and only 2 losses. He is fresh off the back of a 7-3 win against Peter Wright last week despite just a 92 average and 25% checkout rate, but he has showed better form than that by winning a Pro Tour event recently after finishing runner-up in an event the day before, pocketing a cool £15,000 in just two days.

For 'The Machine' to get a result he will need to slow van Gerwen down and not allow him to get into a rhythm, because once he does, we all know what he can do. I think that van Gerwen's scoring power will prove too much for Wade but I'm sure he will give it a good shot.

Prediction: Michael van Gerwen 7-4 James Wade

Phil Taylor vs. Dave Chisnall

On a night where most eyes will be fixed elsewhere, this match could be key in determining the players who qualify for Finals Night in a few weeks time. Taylor is in 5th place level on points with Wade and just two points behind Chisnall in 3rd.
'Chizzy' is the surprise package of this years Premier League winning five matches, drawing one and losing just two and has hit 27 180s in the process. Before the start of the Premier LEague, bookmakers made the St Helen's man favourite to be eliminated at this stage, but he has silenced those doubters with some brave performances where he has had to dig deep in order to get a result, most notably in week 2 where he grinded out a 7-5 win against van Barneveld despite a 91 average on a night where nothing was happening for him. This attitude alongside his high scoring could give him a chance in this match, although he will need to be at his best to keep up with the 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor.
'The Power' has played better than his position suggests and has found himself unlucky not to win some weeks, especially against 'Barney' two weeks ago when he averaged 115 and somehow lost the match. He has averaged over 100 in 15 out of his last 17 televised matches and I wouldn't back against him doing it again. A 104 average in a 7-4 victory against Kim Huybrechts last week showed that Taylor shows no signs of slowing down and I expect him to continue that form on for the foreseeable future.
This should be a entertaining fixture that will produce high scoring, but they key will be who can hit those doubles with only one dart in hand. That is where I think this match will be won or lost and experience should prevail.

Prediction: Phil Taylor 7-4 Dave Chisnall

Stephen Bunting vs. Kim Huybrechts

Now onto the first match of the relegation battle. A lot of people predicted Huybrechts to be eliminated at this stage but I doubt many of them thought he would have played so well and still be struggling. He has been very unlucky throughout and should have more points to show for his efforts including a 7-5 deat to Dave Chisnall despite an average of 107. On another day he would have taken the points rather comfortably, but that is what the Premier League is all about, one mistake, one missed double and it could cost you the match and turn a likely win into a heartbreaking defeat.
Bunting has had an up-and-down debut, he started poorly and found himself bottom of the table with just 1 point after four weeks, but a victory against Adrian Lewis the following week gave him the boost he needed as he went on to win against Chisnall and managed a draw against Peter Wright. These results have put him in a good position and he should be safe come the end of Judgement night.
Huybrechts needs a darting miracle to extend his stay in the Premier League as Bunting only needs to win two legs to guarantee his place and even if 'The Hurricane' does, he still needs van Barnevled and Lewis to lose and win by enough legs to better them on leg difference. Even though his days are numbered, the Hurricane has justified his wildcard selection and has been a joy to watch for the past eight weeks.

Prediction: Stephen Bunting 6-6 Kim Huybrechts

Adrian Lewis vs. Peter Wright

All Wright needs is a win or a draw against Lewis, sounds simple but I don't think it will be as straight forward as that. He is up against, who I think is the most naturally gifted player in the world right now, when he is focused he can beat anyone and with him knowing that anything short of a win means elimination, you can assure every ounce of concentration and effort will be put into this match.
Peter Wright has been the draw specialist of this years Premier League sharing the spoils on four occasions but last week saw him producing his worst performance so far, losing 7-3 to Wade and averaging just 87. He will need a big improvement on that to challenge the two time World Champion.
Lewis has been disappointing after such a promising start winning 7-2 against Barney with an average of 113 in the first week, experts were tipping him to return to his best and go all the way this year but it hasn't went to plan for the former World Champion, three draws and four defeats later he finds himself in a position that his undoubted talent shouldn't allow him to be in, but the reality is that he needs to win and a draw will only save him if van Barneveld loses to Gary Anderson, but Jackpot will not want his place being in the hands of anyone else other than himself.

Prediction: Adrian Lewis 7-3 Peter Wright

Gary Anderson vs. Raymond van Barneveld

If we make it to this match not knowing who the relegated pair are then we are in for a treat. Current World Champion Anderson will not lie down and give his struggling opponent an easy route to safety, he will be battling to get more points on the board to cement his place in the top 4. His match last week against Bunting was fairly straight forward as he won 7-4 with a 96 average and 33% checkout rate and looked every bit like a World Champion.
Van Barneveld is safe if Kim Huybrechts fails to beat Stephen Bunting and he betters Adrian Lewis' result against Peter Wright. I have predicted a Lewis win, if that's the case then the Dutchman will need to come out on top here, not so straight forward considering his patchy form lately. He has averaged 104 for two weeks running now but the previous week he averaged just 88 in a defeat to Wade.
This is a hard one due to the circumstances and we could be in for one of the best matches of the year, but on current form I think the World Champion Gary Anderson has too much in hand over an inconsistent van Barneveld.

Prediction: Gary Anderson 7-5 Raymond van Barneveld


Bottom Two Prediction: Kim Huybrechts and Raymond van Barneveld