Grand Slam of Darts
Tournament History
Created by Barry Hearn's PDC and held for the first time in 2007, the GSOD was in direct competition with the other PDC/BDO crossover tournaments - the World Darts Trophy, International Darts League and Masters of Darts. It was effectively the death knell for these 3 tournaments which folded in 2008.
Those 3 featured players from both codes but were all held and televised only in Holland. The GSOD was held in England and televised by ITV, who ended their long exile from the game.
Qualification for the GSOD comes from success in other major tournaments - a final appearance in one of the PDC or BDO majors secures a spot with 32 places up for grabs. In 2007 this didn't fill all the 32 places so Dennis Priestley, Ronnie Baxter, Kevin Painter and Scott Waites made it in as the highest ranked PDC and WDF players. A wildcard qualifying tournament produced two more players with five more places going to players from Australia, South Africa and North America.
In 2007 all BDO players accepted their invites with the exception of loyal BDO stalwart Martin Adams. BDO players who competed included Gary Anderson the WDT and IDL champion, and Mark Webster who was soon to become Lakeside champion. The BDO, in their wisdom, decided to switch the World Masters to the same date as the GSOD in direct competition and as a challenge to their own players. Adams opted for the Masters and lost in the quarters winning £1250. The minimum for appearing in the GSOD was £4000.
The prize fund for 2008 will be a whopping £365k with £100k for the winner. There's a guaranteed £4k again just for turning up. The schedule dates don't clash with the Masters in 2008 so what will Mr Adams decide to do this time?
PartyBets sponsored the 2007 tournament and do so again in 2008. ITV will once again screen the tournament but a venue is yet to be announced. In 2007 it was staged at the Wolverhampton Civic.
The format sees a group stage which produces 16 players who progress to a knockout phase. Games are played as matchplay leg races.
Phil Taylor won the first ever tournament in 2007, beating Andy Hamilton in the final. The 2007 tournament also saw the emergence of youngster Kevin McDine who came through the wildcard qualifiers with Chris Mason.
2008 Tournament
Phil Taylor retained his title, beating Terry Jenkins 18-9 in the final. Jenkins had earlier edged past Raymond van Barneveld, and had sneaked a quality match against Gary Anderson in the semi final. Taylor bounced back from a shock reverse to Terry's namesake Andy in the group stages, and produced consistently high quality darts to take the crown.
The tournament was also notable for 2008 Ladies World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova taking part. She didn't qualify from the group stages but gave Wayne Mardle an almighty fright - coming back from 4-0 down to level at 4-4 and almost become the first woman to win against a man in a major tournament.
