StanJames.com World Matchplay – Semi-Final Reports
Posted on July 25th, 2010
PHIL TAYLOR and Raymond van Barneveld will contest the final of the StanJames.com World Matchplay on Sunday following resounding semi-final defeats of Simon Whitlock and James Wade in Blackpool.
Reigning champion Taylor remains on course for an 11th World Matchplay title following a 17-4 defeat of Whitlock in a repeat of the World Championship final the pair contested in January.
While the Australian had given Taylor a fright in that game, he was unable to match the relentless barrage of scoring and clinical finishing from the world number one on the Blackpool stage.
“Simon didn’t play as well as I expected him to but I could only concentrate on winning and I’ve done that well,” said Taylor.
“Winning this is everything for me and I think it’s the final people wanted, especially after Raymond hit that nine-darter last week. He’s played superbly to reach the final and it should be a brilliant game – maybe the best final ever in this event.
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Friday night round-up
Posted on July 24th, 2010
PHIL TAYLOR cruised into the semi-finals of the StanJames.com World Matchplay with a 16-4 defeat of Kevin Painter on Friday night, while Raymond van Barneveld ended his quarter-final hoodoo at the Winter Gardens.
Taylor, the reigning and ten-time World Matchplay champion, rarely broke sweat in a clinical demolition of Painter, who was restricted to only four legs and few more chances at a double.
Taylor won seven successive legs to move from 2-1 to 9-1 up, before going on to seal victory in setting up a tasty semi-final with World Championship finalist Simon Whitlock.
“It’s another good win and I’m really looking forward to the semi-finals now,” said Taylor. “Simon’s been great for the past year and I’ll have to be on top of my game.
“My finishing was good against Kevin and I know I can step it up another level. Simon will have to be great and I think it will be a cracker.”
Whitlock had earlier overcome Jelle Klaasen 16-8 to reach the last four on his debut World Matchplay appearance, while James Wade’s win over Wayne Jones means that the 2007 champion takes on van Barneveld in Saturday’s semis.
Van Barneveld erased the memory of quarter-final defeats in the last three years with a 16-12 win over Co Stompe in an all-Dutch affair to remain in the hunt for the £100,000 title.
Tags: Results, Review, World Matchplay
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Friday afternoon round-up
Posted on July 23rd, 2010
JAMES WADE and Simon Whitlock booked their place in the semi-finals of the StanJames.com World Matchplay with victories in the opening quarter-final clashes at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Wade, the 2007 champion, remains on course for a second World Matchplay title after defeating Wolverhampton battler Wayne Jones 16-12 in their last eight clash.
Wade held his nerve despite one of Jones’ finest televised performances to put himself into the semis, where he will meet Raymond van Barneveld or Co Stompe.
“It was an exceptionally hard game for me because Wayne has a good record against me and it was psychologically hard,” said Wade. “But there was a bit of the old James Wade there and it’s getting better.
“I made a break early on but didn’t kill him off as quickly as I could, but I know I’ve got three more gears to find yet.
“It would be amazing to win this tournament again and it’s about time I won another big title because it’s over a year, so we’ll see what happens this weekend.”
Whitlock, meanwhile, continued a successful World Matchplay debut by seeing off Holland’s Jelle Klaasen 16-8.
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Night Six Round-Up
Posted on July 23rd, 2010
PHIL TAYLOR powered into the quarter-finals of the StanJames.com World Matchplay, turning on the style with a 13-4 win over Steve Beaton in Blackpool
Taylor, the ten-time World Matchplay winner, followed up Tuesday’s tournament record average in a win over Barrie Bates with a scintillating showing against Beaton.
Former World Champion Beaton led 2-0 and missed four darts to win the third leg – with Taylor winning the leg and reeling off eight in a row to take command before completing victory.
He ended the game having landed nine 180s and finished almost 60 percent of his chances at a double, setting up a tasty quarter-final with long-term rival Kevin Painter on Friday night.
“When I was 2-0 I had to dust myself off and get into it, and the third leg seemed to let me back into the game,” said Taylor. “I was well under pressure in those early legs but I fought back and I’m delighted to win.”
Painter secured his place in the last eight for the first time in ten attempts in Blackpool with a dogged 14-12 win over Mark Walsh, who led 4-1 early on but eventually paid for missed doubles as the former World Championship finalist progressed.
“Kevin has done fantastically this week, especially to come back like he did against Colin when he was dead and buried,” added Taylor. “He’s rode his luck and played superbly against Mark Walsh, he showed a lot of bottle and it will be a great game.”
Jelle Klaasen and Simon Whitlock also set up a quarter-final with victories on Thursday night, both reaching the last eight for the first time in Blackpool.
Tags: Results, Review, World Matchplay
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Night Five Round-Up
Posted on July 22nd, 2010
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD’S brilliant start to the StanJames.com World Matchplay continued with a 13-5 demolition of Alan Tabern at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The Dutch star hit a nine-darter in Saturday’s first round win over Denis Ovens, and produced a clinical performance to see off left-hander Tabern with an average of almost 104.
He now faces fellow countryman Co Stompe in the quarter-finals on Friday, as he bids to claim his first major title for three years.
“I’m enjoying myself and it’s great to be on stage again after two months off,” said van Barneveld. “If I keep playing like this I don’t fear anyone.”
Stompe had also continued a strong start to the tournament with a 13-9 defeat of Mark Webster earlier in the night, setting up a tasty quarter-final with the five-time World Champion.
“Before the tournament I looked at the draw and wanted to get through to play Raymond in the quarter-finals,” said Stompe. “We’ve only played once on TV before, when he hammered me in Las Vegas, but Friday will be different.”
World number three James Wade, the 2007 champion, and Wolverhampton’s Wayne Jones also won through to set up a tasty last eight battle on Friday.
Wade overcame another Dutchman, Vincent van der Voort, 13-10 to remain on course for a fourth World Matchplay final, while Jones ended the hopes of local favourite Ronnie Baxter with a 13-9 triumph.
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Night Four Round-Up
Posted on July 21st, 2010
PHIL TAYLOR avoided a scare from Barrie Bates before starting the defence of his StanJames.com World Matchplay title with a 10-5 defeat of the Welshman at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The ten-time World Matchplay winner trailed Bates 5-4 after missing a host of doubles in the early legs.
However, he reeled off five straight legs to assume command of the match, and closed out victory with a tournament record average of 114.99.
“I couldn’t seem to break his throw early on and then I was missing doubles,” said Taylor. “His finishing was superb and he put me under pressure.
“At five-all I had to hold my darts and I did that, broke Barrie and pulled through for the win. It was a really good game to be involved in, the crowd enjoyed it, Barrie played well and pushed me hard.”
Taylor now meets Steve Beaton in the second round on Thursday, after the former World Champion swept aside Blackpool debutant Paul Nicholson 10-3 in his opener.
The night had begun with one of the finest comebacks ever seen on the Winter Gardens stage, as Kevin Painter came from 8-2 down to defeat 2005 champion Colin Lloyd 11-9.
Tags: World Matchplay
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StanJames.com World Matchplay – Night Three Round-Up
Posted on July 20th, 2010
GARY ANDERSON produced the first whitewash for six years at the StanJames.com World Matchplay with a 10-0 thumping of fellow Scot Robert Thornton on Monday night.
Anderson, the UK Open runner-up a month ago, showed Thornton no mercy with an impressive start to the £400,000 event in Blackpool to power into the last 16.
His performance bettered Simon Whitlock’s 10-1 defeat of Tony Eccles earlier in the evening, and he admitted: “It was heartbreaking to do that to Robert because he’s a good friend but I had a job to do and I did it well.
“My finishing was excellent and it showed that the hard work I’ve done in practice recently paid off, and I’m hoping to have a good run this week.”
Anderson takes on Jelle Klaasen in the second round, after the young Dutchman produced his best televised performance for 18 months to defeat Mervyn King 10-4.
Number four seed King led 4-2 early on, but Klaasen reeled off eight successive legs to take victory in a game which lasted less than half an hour, sealing the win with a 121 checkout.
“My doubles have let me down many times in the last couple of years but I’ve worked hard on that recently and it showed,” said Klaasen. “I have got Gary Anderson next and he’s a quick player like me, so it will be a nice match, because he’s playing well.”
Tags: World Matchplay
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StanJames.com World Matchplay Night Two Round-Up
Posted on July 19th, 2010
FORMER champion James Wade escaped a dramatic early exit in the StanJames.com World Matchplay on Sunday night, battling back from behind to defeat Andy Smith at the Winter Gardens.
The 2007 World Matchplay winner looked set to suffer an early defeat when Smith, aided by checkouts of 151 and 116, took leads of 7-5 and 8-7.
However, Smith paid the price for nine missed doubles for a 9-7 cushion, with Wade levelling before producing two superb legs to kill off his challenge, sealing victory with an 11-dart leg.
“I’ll take the win but I’m not happy with my performance,” said Wade. “Everything I did didn’t seem to work – I was throwing low of the treble and high of the treble – and Andy probably should have beaten me.
“What I did in the last two legs I probably expected to do for 15 to 20 legs and it’s puzzling, but I’ve got three days to try and put it right now.”
Wade now faces Holland’s Vincent van der Voort in the second round on Wednesday, while Co Stompe and Mark Webster also battled through tight contests to set up a round two meeting.
Stompe hit back from behind twice before defeating Andy Hamilton 12-10, while Webster defeated Adrian Lewis 11-9 in a thriller.
Tags: World Matchplay
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Barney Fires 9-darter on First Night of World Matchplay
Posted on July 18th, 2010
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD produced another piece of history with a sensational nine-darter at the StanJames.com World Matchplay on Saturday night.
The Dutchman fired in a perfect leg during his 10-1 victory over Denis Ovens on the opening night of the £400,000 tournament – emulating Phil Taylor’s achievement in landing the event’s only previous nine-dart finish in 2002.
Van Barneveld has enjoyed a two-month break from darts since the end of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in May – an event which also featured a nine-dart finish from the Dutchman.
And, inspired by watching Holland compete in football’s World Cup final in Johannesburg last Sunday, van Barneveld delighted a 2,000-strong crowd at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool with his nine-dart finish.
The achievement came in the tenth leg of the match, as he posted back-to-back 180s and then took out 141 with treble 20, treble 19 and double 12.
Tags: World Matchplay
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StanJames.com World Matchplay Preview
Posted on July 16th, 2010
THE StanJames.com World Matchplay begins on Saturday, as 32 players battle to take the £100,000 title at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The 17th staging of the World Matchplay sees arguably the strongest field in the event’s history battling for £400,000 prize money from July 17-25.
Reigning champion Phil Taylor, who won his tenth title last summer with a record margin of victory in defeating Terry Jenkins 18-4 in the final, enters the fray on Tuesday when he plays Barrie Bates in the first round.
However, world number two Raymond van Barneveld is in action in one of four games on the opening night of the event on Saturday, when he takes on in-form Denis Ovens, the 53-year-old who reached his first ever televised semi-final in last month’s Rileys Darts Zones UK Open.
Dutch star van Barneveld failed to qualify for the UK Open and returns to action in Blackpool having had a two-month break from darts since the end of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League – which included a trip to South Africa to cheer on the Netherlands in football’s World Cup.
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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.
