Totesport.com Players Championship

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PHIL TAYLOR will face Peter Manley in the first round of the totesport.com Players Championship on Thursday January 28.

World number one Taylor, the reigning champion in the £250,000 event, will take on his long-time rival at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet in a repeat of three World Championship finals the pair contested at the famous venue.

Their game will be played amongst eight first round clashes on the opening night of the ITV4-televised totesport.com Players Championship on Thursday January 28.

Robert Thornton, who was runner-up to Taylor in last year's tournament, will take on Kevin Painter in another high-profile first round contest, seeing the English star return to the scene of one of his finest hours, the classic 2004 World Championship final against Taylor which went to a sudden-death leg.

Dennis Priestley, the 1994 World Champion in the first Professional Darts Corporation event at the Circus Tavern, will play Paul Nicholson, while Alan Tabern faces Andy Hamilton and Adrian Lewis, the number four seed, takes on Brendan Dolan.

The first round will conclude with a further eight matches on Friday January 29, including world number two James Wade's clash with Mervyn King.

Mark Walsh, the number two seed following his success in winning four Players Championships last year, takes on Steve Hine, Gary Anderson faces Jelle Klaasen and Ronnie Baxter meets Mark Dudbridge, a former finalist in the World Championship at the Circus Tavern.

Number three seed Colin Osborne takes on Co Stompe, Jamie Caven clashes with Michael van Gerwen and Wes Newton meets Peter Wright.

Play continues with the second round staged across two sessions on Saturday January 30, with the quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon, and the semi-finals and final played on Sunday evening.

The tournament has also received two boosts, with the announcement of totesport.com as title sponsors accompanied by the news that the Professional Darts Players Association have donated £50,000 to increase the prize fund to £250,000.

"The support of the PDPA has been invaluable in the creation of the Players Championship series of events on the PDC Pro Tour, and we're delighted that this has been extended to the totesport.com Players Championship," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.

"We are also delighted to welcome totesport.com as the title sponsor of the totesport.com Players Championship.

"We believe this tournament has the potential to grow and grow, and is a great reward for the top players on the PDC Pro Tour to compete on the televised stage."

Trevor Beaumont, Chief Executive of totesport, said: "We are delighted to be sponsoring the first major PDC event of 2010 in what promises to be another exciting year for the PDC.

"This sponsorship along, with that of Hull City and others, demonstrates the depth of support we deliver across the sporting spectrum in addition to horse racing.

"Darts is booming and the Players Championship provides the perfect opportunity for totesport to extend our association with the sport following our sponsorship of many players, including world number five Mervyn King, over the past few years.

"We are eagerly awaiting the start of four days of top quality 'sporting arrers' at the revered Circus Tavern, arguably the home of darts."

Tickets for the totesport.com Players Championship are priced from £20-£30 and available from the Circus Tavern Box Office on 01708 864001, 01708 863838 or 01708 867271.

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First Round Draw
Phil Taylor (1) v Peter Manley (32)
Mark Walsh (2) v Steve Hine (31)
Colin Osborne (3) v Co Stompe (30)
Adrian Lewis (4) v Brendan Dolan (29)
Steve Beaton (5) v Tony Eccles (28)
Wes Newton (6) v Peter Wright (27)
Gary Anderson (7) v Jelle Klaasen (26)
Colin Lloyd (8) v Denis Ovens (25)
Robert Thornton (9) v Kevin Painter (24)
James Wade (10) v Mervyn King (23)
Ronnie Baxter (11) v Mark Dudbridge (22)
Dennis Priestley (12) v Paul Nicholson (21)
Alan Tabern (13) v Andy Hamilton (20)
Jamie Caven (14) v Michael van Gerwen (19)
Wayne Jones (15) v Andy Smith (18)
Terry Jenkins (16) v Vincent van der Voort (17)

Tournament Draw Bracket
Phil Taylor (1) v Peter Manley (32)
Terry Jenkins (16) v Vincent van der Voort (17)
Colin Lloyd (8) v Denis Ovens (25)
Robert Thornton (9) v Kevin Painter (24)
Steve Beaton (5) v Tony Eccles (28)
Dennis Priestley (12) v Paul Nicholson (21)
Adrian Lewis (4) v Brendan Dolan (29)
Alan Tabern (13) v Andy Hamilton (20)
Mark Walsh (2) v Steve Hine (31)
Wayne Jones (15) v Andy Smith (18)
Gary Anderson (7) v Jelle Klaasen (26)
James Wade (10) v Mervyn King (23)
Wes Newton (6) v Peter Wright (27)
Ronnie Baxter (11) v Mark Dudbridge (22)
Colin Osborne (3) v Co Stompe (30)
Jamie Caven (14) v Michael van Gerwen (19)

Schedule of Play
Thursday January 28
First Round
7.10pm Colin Lloyd v Denis Ovens
7.45pm Steve Beaton v Tony Eccles
8.20pm Dennis Priestley v Paul Nicholson
8.55pm Alan Tabern v Andy Hamilton
9.30pm Terry Jenkins v Vincent van der Voort
10.05pm Phil Taylor v Peter Manley
10.40pm Robert Thornton v Kevin Painter
11.15pm Adrian Lewis v Brendan Dolan

Friday January 29
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Andy Smith
7.45pm Wes Newton v Peter Wright
8.20pm Colin Osborne v Co Stompe
8.55pm Mark Walsh v Steve Hine
9.30pm Gary Anderson v Jelle Klaasen
10.05pm James Wade v Mervyn King
10.40pm Ronnie Baxter v Mark Dudbridge
11.15pm Jamie Caven v Michael van Gerwen

Saturday January 30
Second Round
1.10pm Beaton/Eccles v Priestley/Nicholson
2.10pm Lloyd/Ovens v Thornton/Painter
3.10pm Walsh/Hine v Jones/Smith
4.10pm Newton/Wright v Baxter/Dudbridge

7.10pm Lewis/Dolan v Tabern/Hamilton
8.10pm Anderson/Klaasen v Wade/King
9.10pm Taylor/Manley v Jenkins/van der Voort
10.10pm Osborne/Stompe v Caven/van Gerwen

Sunday January 31
Quarter-Finals
1.10pm Beaton/Eccles/Priestley/Nicholson v Lewis/Dolan/Tabern/Hamilton
2.10pm Newton/Wright/Baxter/Dudbridge v Osborne/Stompe/Caven/van Gerwen
3.10pm Taylor/Manley/Jenkins/van der Voort v Lloyd/Ovens/Thornton/Painter
4.10pm Walsh/Hine/Jones/Smith v Anderson/Klaasen/Wade/King

Semi-Finals
7.10pm
8.10pm
Order of play to be decided by toss of coin

Final
9.30pm

Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 15 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 17 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 25 legs

Prize Fund
Winner: £60,000
Runner-Up: £24,000
Semi-Final Losers: £15,000
Quarter-Final Losers: £10,000
Second Round Losers: £6,000
First Round Losers: £3,000
Total Prize Fund: £250,000

vindaloo1

Not bad for Manley.

Not in the tournament, brought in to replace Andy Jenkins whose ban was
upheld, and get a guaranteed 3000 for turning up.

dartbhoy

This has the makings of a good tournament and better again it's been televised on ITV4 where i think Warriner and Mason are 2 of the best analysts in the game on TV and no Sid Waddel or Tony Green commentating!

Kingp35

Yeah I like this tournament. The Circus Tavern is a great venue and ITV do a great job of showing the darts.

Barney didn't even qualify because he played so few floor tournaments.

sc86

great we wont have to look at barneys sad face and depressing interviews

great line up of players, some very good games, very interesting seedings, wade at 10 and mark walsh 2, interesting it just shows what goes on of tv is very different to on tv

Degag

Kingp35 wrote: »

Yeah I like this tournament. The Circus Tavern is a great venue and ITV do a great job of showing the darts.

Barney didn't even qualify because he played so few floor tournaments.

Didn't even notice that!:eek:

Had wondered why Part wasn't there, obviously for the same reason...

Carrickman

Tough draw for Dolan.

Devastator

dartbhoy wrote: »

This has the makings of a good tournament and better again it's been televised on ITV4 where i think Warriner and Mason are 2 of the best analysts in the game on TV and no Sid Waddel or Tony Green commentating!

Yeah, I like Mason, he maybe a bit of a header in his personal life but talks a lot of sense.

Kingp35 wrote: »

Yeah I like this tournament. The Circus Tavern is a great venue and ITV do a great job of showing the darts.

Barney didn't even qualify because he played so few floor tournaments.

ITV's coverage has been getting better with every tournament. Unlike the BBC, ITV have taken sly sport's template and made minor adjustments. BBC show the families more than the board :rolleyes:

Any Double !

Kingp35 wrote: »

Yeah I like this tournament. The Circus Tavern is a great venue and ITV do a great job of showing the darts.

Barney didn't even qualify because he played so few floor tournaments.

Agree, it seems to be more intimate and have more athmosphere than the Pally.

Any Double !

Brendan again drew the short straw with Lewis but he has beaten him before ''as I'm sure Lewis will remember'' so will have nothing to fear. I think as Brendan continually moves up the rankings as he undoubtedly will, his position will mean he will miss the bigger names until later on in the tournaments.

shiibata

dartbhoy wrote: »

This has the makings of a good tournament and better again it's been televised on ITV4 where i think Warriner and Mason are 2 of the best analysts in the game on TV and no Sid Waddel or Tony Green commentating!

Fully agree with that last bit anyhow, Waddel, just cant stand him and Green would put you to sleep with his commentary, even during a good match.

Wade and King looks a great clash in 1st round.

sc86

anderson vrs klassin will be played at some speed, blink and u miss it

vindaloo1

Any Double ! wrote: »

Brendan again drew the short straw with Lewis but he has beaten him before ''as I'm sure Lewis will remember'' so will have nothing to fear. I think as Brendan continually moves up the rankings as he undoubtedly will, his position will mean he will miss the bigger names until later on in the tournaments.

He should have been playing Coin Osbourne - Andy Jenkins ban meant he moved up one spot to 29 to get Lewis.

Blame Rocky.

Devastator

Only few days left before this tournament....after only few weeks since WC we've got darts back on TV again! WAHEY! still seems toooooo long between tournaments though


I reckon have to look at opposite side of draw from Taylor again for betting purposes and doing an each way. The 2 obvious names then are Wade & Anderson, but all depends what Wade turns up and how Anderson copes on his doubles.

I'm looking at this 1/4 final match to pick from(as winner could play Wade/Anderson) in semi final.

Newton/Wright/Baxter/Dudbridge v Osborne/Stompe/Caven/van Gerwen


Wes Newton 125/1 :eek: Good player, could push a few players and at these odds maybe worth a small wager.
Ronnie Baxter 40/1. Disappointing in the worlds, if on form can cause lot of players trouble.
Colin Osbourne 66/1. I think he's a great player, one of only few players to beat Taylor last year(in a final no less). Out to avenge 1st round defeat in the world championships?

I can't see anyone in top 1/2 of draw troubling Taylor

dartbhoy

Looking forward to the start of the tournament tonight on ITV4. Some good games in prospect and with the best of 11 legs format upsets are possible. As much as i'd like to see Manley cause an upset i can't see him coming close to Taylor. Terry Jenkins could come a cropper against Van Der Voort if he has a sluggish start. Thornton v Painter is a hard game to call with a 6-5 result either way i reckon. While many people won't give Brendan Dolan a chance against Adrian Lewis,Dolan has beaten Lewis before in this format and Lewis is not fond of the short format as the Grand Slam proved. If Dolan starts well tonight Lewis could lose confidence and an upset could be possible.

Kingp35

Tonights schedule of play with my picks in bold:

Thursday January 28
First Round
7.10pm Colin Lloyd v Denis Ovens
7.45pm Steve Beaton v Tony Eccles
8.20pm Dennis Priestley v Paul Nicholson
8.55pm Alan Tabern v Andy Hamilton
9.30pm Terry Jenkins v Vincent van der Voort
10.05pm Phil Taylor v Peter Manley
10.40pm Robert Thornton v Kevin Painter
11.15pm Adrian Lewis v Brendan Dolan

briany

Wow. I'm ashamed to say it but this is the first non Sky PDC event that I've watched. It's a nice change of pace though, no cartoonish commentators and a more intimate atmosphere. I like it.

padr81

cant help but feel the pdc crowd and lewis bumping the table is what won him that game. Unlucky Dolan.

padr81

Kingp35 wrote: »

Tonights schedule of play with my picks in bold:

Thursday January 28
First Round
7.10pm Colin Lloyd v Denis Ovens
7.45pm Steve Beaton v Tony Eccles
8.20pm Dennis Priestley v Paul Nicholson
8.55pm Alan Tabern v Andy Hamilton
9.30pm Terry Jenkins v Vincent van der Voort
10.05pm Phil Taylor v Peter Manley
10.40pm Robert Thornton v Kevin Painter
11.15pm Adrian Lewis v Brendan Dolan

Close.

dartbhoy

Hard luck to Brendan Dolan,he lost out 6-5 to Adrian Lewis in the end and Lewis averaged 100+! Terry Jenkins also pulled through 6-5 after been down 5-3 to Van Der Voort. Good performance by Painter beating Thornton 6-3. The 2nd session starts tonight with more good games ahead with James Wade v Mervyn King been the pick of the bunch. King @ 6/4 is a great price to beat Wade i reckon.

Kingp35

Jaysus there was an awful lot of mediocre darts last night. I don't know why, maybe it was howhot the Circus Tavern gets, but there was a lot of mid to low 80 averages which is poor for a professional player. Not a lot of great games because of that.

I have to say that Brendan Dolan was very unlucky. I agree with Padr81, I think Lewis bumping into the table put him off and he ended up having an awful last leg. I doubt Lewis did it on purpose but it certainly won him the match. Unlucky Brendan.

Tonights Schedule with my picks (one wrong last night )
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Andy Smith
7.45pm Wes Newton v Peter Wright
8.20pm Colin Osborne v Co Stompe
8.55pm Mark Walsh v Steve Hine
9.30pm Gary Anderson v Jelle Klaasen
10.05pm James Wade v Mervyn King
10.40pm Ronnie Baxter v Mark Dudbridge
11.15pm Jamie Caven v Michael van Gerwen

All home wins

MACK DE KNIFE

in dun laoghaire itv4 off air? any 1 else off air:mad:????

gs39t

MACK DE KNIFE wrote: »

in dun laoghaire itv4 off air? any 1 else off air:mad:????

Blank screen for me too

padr81

Kingp35 wrote: »

Jaysus there was an awful lot of mediocre darts last night. I don't know why, maybe it was howhot the Circus Tavern gets, but there was a lot of mid to low 80 averages which is poor for a professional player. Not a lot of great games because of that.

I have to say that Brendan Dolan was very unlucky. I agree with Padr81, I think Lewis bumping into the table put him off and he ended up having an awful last leg. I doubt Lewis did it on purpose but it certainly won him the match. Unlucky Brendan.

Tonights Schedule with my picks (one wrong last night )
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Andy Smith
7.45pm Wes Newton v Peter Wright
8.20pm Colin Osborne v Co Stompe
8.55pm Mark Walsh v Steve Hine
9.30pm Gary Anderson v Jelle Klaasen
10.05pm James Wade v Mervyn King
10.40pm Ronnie Baxter v Mark Dudbridge
11.15pm Jamie Caven v Michael van Gerwen

All home wins

not quite as close.

dartbhoy

Last night's action produced a higher standard and a better atmosphere than Thursday night. Ronnie Baxter was unlucky with the 9 dart effort but he was probably fortunate in the end to win with Dudbridge missing 2 darts at doubles to win. Gary Anderson continues to disappoint in the PDC and Wade still lacks consistency after losing a 5-2 lead against Mervyn King who was a great price @ 6/4. The action kicks off today @ 1 00 with 2nd round games best of 15 legs.

mdwexford

padr81 wrote: »

cant help but feel the pdc crowd and lewis bumping the table is what won him that game.

lol what

ratinakeg

Klaasen's average around about 75 at the moment! Shocking stuff!:eek:

dartbhoy

Hard to believe Klaasen was so poor tonight after a super performance last night against Anderson.

Kingp35

Terry giving taylor a real game here. He broke Taylor twice but couldn't hold his throw. I think he migt have lost his chance but I hope not.

padr81

mdwexford wrote: »

lol what

Lewis should have put him to bed early thats a certainty and was the better player but the booing was unfair and tough on Dolan and Lewis bumped the table (not deliberately) on a key throw which seemed to unsettle brendan a little.