McCoy’s Premier League Darts 2012 Preview
Posted on February 8th, 2012
THE 2012 McCoy’s Premier League Darts season begins tomorrow night as the world’s top two players, Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis, prepare to clash. The £450,000 tournament kicks off with the first of fifteen weekly fixtures at the Manchester Arena. The event culminates with the play-offs at the O2 London on May 17th 2012, where one player will walk away with £150k and the title of McCoy’s Premier League Darts Champion 2012.
Alongside title sponsors McCoy’s, the PDC are delighted to welcome William Hill as the official betting partner and Speedy Hire, Dulux Decorator Centres and Swan as official partners of the McCoy’s Premier League Darts.
The McCoy’s Premier League Darts promises to be one of the most exciting darts tournaments ever staged, with eight top players competing across 15 nights for the £150,000 title.
Week One
February 9 – Manchester Arena
Andy Hamilton v James Wade Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor, Andy Hamilton, Gary Anderson, James Wade, Kevin Painter, McCoys Crisps, PDC Premier League Darts, Premier League Darts Manchester, Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock
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Ally Pally Day 4 – Ruthless Richardson Knocks Out Barney
Posted on December 19th, 2011
JAMES RICHARDSON caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship by sensationally knocking out Raymond van Barneveld in straight sets on his televised debut at Alexandra Palace.
The 37-year-old from Rushden, a bricklayer by trade, only turned professional in January but showed few nerves with a brilliant display against the five-time World Champion.
Van Barneveld started brightly by winning the first two legs before Richardson, aided by a 145 finish, took three in a row to win the set.
He then won the second set 3-1 courtesy of a 120 checkout and, although van Barneveld rallied briefly by winning two legs following a change of flights in his darts, Richardson hit another 145 finish in taking three more legs to complete a remarkable win.
“I’m speechless!” admitted Richardson. “Raymond’s a five-time World Champion and I’m just a bricklayer so to beat him is unbelievable.
“When the draw came out and I’d got Raymond I knew that even though he’s a great player I had to treat him as just another darts player. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 2012, Dave Chisnall, James Richardson, Kim Huybrechts, Mark Walsh, PDC Darts Results, Raymond van Barneveld, World Championships
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Players Championship Saturday – Last 16 Results
Posted on December 11th, 2011
Evening Session
MERVYN KING caused a sensation at the Cash Converters Players Championship by knocking out reigning champion Phil Taylor 8-5 in the second round on Saturday evening.
The 45-year-old from Norfolk claimed only his second televised victory over Taylor with a fine display to end the world number one’s hopes of a third Players Championship title in four stagings of the event.
King established an early 3-1 lead and managed to maintain his advantage to seal a place in Sunday’s quarter-finals, although he had missed nine match darts before finally hitting double five to inflict a first televised defeat since June for Taylor.
“It’s always an honour to play Phil and to beat him is special,” said King. “I got the win and that’s all that matters, but I did get nervous at the end.
“Most of the match darts which missed were good darts at a double that didn’t go in, but it was a big relief to see the double five go in.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Doncaster, Gary Anderson, Last 16, PDC Darts Results, Phil Taylor, Players Championship, Raymond van Barneveld, Scott Rand, Wes Newton
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Barneveld Believes Again – Players Championship Night 1
Posted on December 9th, 2011
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD believes that a change back to the darts which won him a fifth World Championship title can aid his Cash Converters Players Championship challenge, after he opened the event by hitting eight 180s in a defeat of Ronnie Baxter in Doncaster.
The Dutch ace has slipped to eighth in the PDC Order of Merit this year, but since losing out in the group stage of the Grand Slam of Darts last month has returned to using darts similar to those with which he defeated Phil Taylor for World Championship glory in 2007.
He made a huge impact at the Doncaster Dome, averaging over 104 and hitting eight 180s in seeing off Baxter 6-3 to power into the last 16 of the £250,000 Players Championship.
“I didn’t have a good Grand Slam but I’ve gone back to this set-up and I’ve practised well, and I know now what I can do on stage with these darts,” said van Barneveld. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Doncaster Dome, First Round, PDC Darts Results, PDC Players Championship, Raymond van Barneveld, steve brown
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The Rise and Fall of Raymond van Barneveld
Posted on November 18th, 2011
After one of the most abject performances of his career at the Grand Slam, fears of the demise of Raymond van Barneveld are again being voiced as his fall from grace continues at a worrying rate.
It seemed that the Dutchman was showing some good form as he turned up for two Players Championships (a rare occurrence in itself) last month, reaching a semi-final and a final and seemingly playing well.
However, it has been an entirely different story in Wolverhampton as, in a group he was fully expected to win, he lost all three matches and finished bottom with no points and a minus seven leg difference. The opening night defeat to world number 66 Ian White really setting the tone for his woeful performances over the next two matches.
Barney has dropped to eighth in the PDC Order of Merit, his lowest spot for nearly five years and it could get even worse for the former world champion as Paul Nicholson is breathing down his neck and a run to the final of the Grand Slam for the Asset would see him overtake his Dutch rival.
The problem for Raymond appears to be confidence and self-belief, which sounds ridiculous as the man has won five World Championships, two UK Opens, two World Masters and countless other trophies, but nevertheless, it is the issue.
The head shaking and despondent expression that appears on the face of the 44-year-old could not be in starker contrast to the look of steely determination and words of self-motivation that the likes of Ted Hankey and Nicholson have displayed on our television screens over the last week.
It could be that he has simply lost his appetite and motivation for the game, the old problem of where do you go once you’ve climbed Everest? Well Phil Taylor certainly has the answer to that question, and with a role model for the sport like him around it seems inconceivable that others would just lose interest.
The way to cure the problem can only be found inside the head of the man from Den Haag, and if it can be resolved then there is no reason why Barney can’t go on to win more major trophies. The man is without doubt one of the greatest darts players in history, if only he could meet one of the greatest psychologists…
Phil Haigh
Twitter follow @philhaigh_
Photo courtesey of Lawrence Lustig/PDC
Tags: Grand Slam of Darts 2011, PDC Darts, Phil Haigh, Raymond van Barneveld
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William Hill Grand Slam of Darts – Sunday Evening Round-Up
Posted on November 14th, 2011
REIGNING CHAMPION Scott Waites and Raymond van Barneveld were both knocked out of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts on Sunday night as Mark Walsh and Dean Winstanley secured their places in the last 16 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
Waites suffered a second successive defeat in Group A when he went down 5-4 to Tony O’Shea as the Stockport ace came from 4-1 down to win in a deciding leg.
Walsh’s later victory over Michael van Gerwen means that Waites is now eliminated from the tournament and that the Dutch youngster plays O’Shea on Tuesday night for a place in the second round.
Van Barneveld, meanwhile, followed up Saturday’s loss to Ian White with a 5-2 defeat to Ted Hankey, who had also been defeated in his opening Group B clash but bounced back in style.
Van Barneveld had shared the opening four legs before Hankey took the fifth and then finished 121 to break and move 4-2 up, before winning the next on double ten for a victory which, coupled with Winstanley’s victory over White, ended his opponent’s hopes in the event. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Grand Slam of Darts 2011, PDC Darts Results, Raymond van Barneveld, Scoot Waites, Ted Hankey
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Mervyn King Wins in Benidorm
Posted on October 31st, 2011
MERVYN KING defeated Wes Newton 6-3 to win his first Players Championship since January in the Spanish Darts Trophy at the Melia Hotel, Benidorm.
King has spent much of 2011 battling tendinitis in his throwing elbow, but capped a recent return to form – which included a run to the semi-finals of Championship League Darts – by picking up the £6,000 first prize in Spain.
The 45-year-old began Sunday’s event with a whitewash of Spaniard Eduardo Gonzales, before defeating Steve Maish, Belgium’s Kurt van de Rijck, Ronnie Baxter and Colin Osborne to reach the semi-finals, where he saw off Jamie Caven 6-2.
In the final against Newton, King took the opening leg with a superb 138 finish before the Fleetwood ace levelled with a 97 checkout and hit double top to punish King’s misses and lead.
King broke back but was punished again in leg five as Newton hit double ten to lead 3-2. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Darts Results, Mervin King, PDC, Phil Taylor, Players Championshiip, Raymond van Barneveld, Spanish Darts Trophy, Wes Newton
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Wade Wins Spanish Darts Trophy PC
Posted on October 29th, 2011
JAMES WADE took Players Championship glory for a second successive Saturday with a 6-2 win over Raymond van Barneveld in the Spanish Darts Trophy.
The world number three took first blood in the double-header weekend in Benidorm with the triumph, as he followed up last weekend’s win in Germany with another £6,000 title.
Wade’s triumph secures his place in December’s Players Championship Finals in Doncaster, while van Barneveld also improved his qualification hopes by picking up £3,000 as runner-up.
The left-hander opened the day with a whitewash of Holland’s Mareno Michels, and saw off Gary Welding, Colin Osborne, Mensur Suljovic to reach the quarter-finals, where he came from 5-4 down to defeat Mark Webster. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Benidorm, Dave Chisnall, James Wade, Players Championship, Raymond van Barneveld, Spain
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PDC Pro Tour Derby Results
Posted on September 3rd, 2011
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD won his first Players Championship for over three years with a 6-2 defeat of John Part in the final of Saturday’s tournament at the Moorways Centre in Derby.
The Dutch ace claimed the £6,000 title and his first ranking win since April 2008 in the Open Holland Masters with the success, which saw him make a winning return from a summer break in Spain.
Van Barneveld was pushed all the way to an 11th leg in three of his matches, but punishing Jamie Caven for misses in their second round contest, took out 106 to defeat Co Stompe and then edged out Steve Farmer in the quarter-finals.
He also defeated Adrian Bolitho and Brendan Dolan during the event, and a 6-4 win over Paul Nicholson in the semi-finals set up a tasty final against three-time World Champion Part. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: John Part, PDC Pro Tour Derby, Raymond van Barneveld, Results
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European Championship Darts Quarter Final Results
Posted on July 31st, 2011
CLINICAL TAYLOR OUSTS NICHOLSON IN GERMANY
PHIL TAYLOR’S bid for a fourth European Championship title remains on track as he beat Paul Nicholson 10-8 in the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship in Dusseldorf on Sunday afternoon.
The hotly anticipated game swung both ways and looked likely to head to a final-leg shoot-out at 7-7, but the World number one moved away from Nicholson with a 129 checkout, a 13-dart leg and a 138 checkout to seal the win.
“Every time you play Paul it’s like a final, he gets the best out of you,” said Taylor. “It was a good atmosphere and a hard fought match, really nip and tuck and not the best scoring but very exciting – and it was great to finish on the 138.”
“There was massive tension out there, one of the best atmosphere’s I’ve ever played in and I felt tremendous,” said Nicholson – who led 3-0 after a fast start. “I played pretty well today but at times my first dart just wasn’t good enough and you cannot afford any slack darts against Phil. He was the better player today, no question.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: European Championship, Paul Nicholson, Phil Taylor, quarter final results, Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock
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Both poker and darts are highly popular pursuits. The games are available online, in fact, that there are organizations dedicated to making sure the rules of video poker and online darts are conformed. Similar to darts having the World Darts Federation, among others, and poker has the Tournament Directors Association. These rules are put into place in highly competitive tournaments, in which as many as hundreds or even thousands of people compete for cash prizes as well as prestige.
