TheOche.com

The 2009 stanjames.com World Matchplay begins on Sunday July 19, with Phil Taylor bidding for a tenth title in the event at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

The tournament will feature 32 players battling for a record £400,000 in prize money – including £100,000 to the winner – over eight days in Blackpool, live on Sky Sports.

Defending champion Taylor enters the 2009 stanjames.com World Matchplay as the 8/15 favourite, as he bids to extend his dominance of the tournament.

He has won two of the previous three Blackpool titles, and this summer has already seen him pick up the Blue Square UK Open and PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic titles.

Taylor begins his bid on Monday night, when he faces Scotland’s Robert Thornton in the best-of-19 leg first round on the event’s second evening.

“It would be a great achievement to win a tenth World Matchplay but I won’t be looking that far ahead,” said Taylor.

“I know I’ll have a hard game against Robert on Monday but I’m looking forward to it.

“He’ll be itching to play after missing out on the Las Vegas Desert Classic and I can’t wait to get back playing again.

“I’m having a great summer and winning the World Matchplay would make it even more special.”

World number two James Wade has reached the World Matchplay final for the past three years, with victory in the 2007 event sandwiched between defeats to Taylor.

He takes on Jamie Caven in the first round on Tuesday, with the Derby-based qualifier having risen to the edge of the world’s top 32 this year.

“I’ve had some success in the World Matchplay in the last few years but this is a new challenge and I can’t take anything for granted,” said Wade.

“Jamie has been playing really well this year and thoroughly deserves his place in the World Matchplay. He did well against Phil Taylor in Las Vegas and I know it will be a really tough game.

“But I love the Winter Gardens and it’s great to be going back there. Hopefully it will bring the best out of me next week.”

Dutch star Raymond van Barneveld, the world number three, reached the final of the Las Vegas Desert Classic recently before going down 13-11 to Taylor.

It was the Dutchman’s third defeat in a major final to Taylor inside the past year, but he remains positive ahead of his first round clash with Michael van Gerwen in Blackpool.

“Since I’ve come home from Las Vegas I’ve been trying to change my mindset and be more confident,” said van Barneveld, the 7/1 second favourite.

“I think I will do better in Blackpool and I’m feeling in good shape.”

Sponsors stanjames.com make Scotland’s Gary Anderson the 11/1 fourth favourite entering his first World Matchplay since joining the PDC earlier this year.

Anderson meets Andy Hamilton in the first round, and could meet Wade should they both progress to round two.

The tournament’s opening game on Sunday night features another player making his Winter Gardens debut, Holland’s Co Stompe.

Stompe takes on former semi-finalist Adrian Lewis, while 2005 champion Colin Lloyd faces Wayne Jones and number five seed Mervyn King meets 2004 World Matchplay runner-up Mark Dudbridge.

Monday night’s four matches include Taylor’s clash with Thornton, Wayne Mardle against Tony Eccles, Kevin Painter against local star Wes Newton and Colin Osborne facing Steve Beaton.

Osborne reached the UK Open final a month ago before losing to Taylor, but was a first round casualty to Stompe in the Las Vegas Desert Classic.

“It was a bad day at the office but the good thing with me is that once it’s gone then I won’t dwell on it,” said Osborne.

“The important thing for me now is not the World Matchplay tournament but my next game, which is against Steve Beaton. All I have focused on since Las Vegas is Steve, nothing else matters.”

Tuesday’s first round games feature two-time Blackpool finalist John Part against Vincent van der Voort and the eagerly-awaited meeting of Ronnie Baxter and Jelle Klaasen – two quick-fire stars who battled out a thriller in the Desert Classic, won by the Dutchman.

Wednesday sees the conclusion of the first round, with the remaining five games including van Barneveld against van Gerwen and Terry Jenkins’ meeting with qualifier Peter Wright – a player nicknamed “Snakebite” who sports a different multi-coloured hairstyle for each event.

A limited number of tickets for the stanjames.com World Matchplay are still available and can still be booked from the Winter Gardens Box Office in person or via Ticketmaster on 0844 856 1111.

stanjames.com World Matchplay – Schedule of Play
First Round
Sunday July 19 (7pm start)
Adrian Lewis v Co Stompe
Colin Lloyd v Wayne Jones
Mervyn King v Mark Dudbridge

Monday July 20 (7pm start)
Kevin Painter v Wes Newton
Colin Osborne v Steve Beaton
Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
Wayne Mardle v Tony Eccles

Tuesday July 21 (7pm start)
Andy Hamilton v Gary Anderson
John Part v Vincent van der Voort
James Wade v Jamie Caven
Ronnie Baxter v Jelle Klaasen

Wednesday July 22
Afternoon Session (1pm start)
Alan Tabern v Andy Smith
Terry Jenkins v Peter Wright
Dennis Priestley v Denis Ovens
Mark Walsh v Andy Jenkins

Evening Session (7pm start)
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
Second Round
Lewis/Stompe v Lloyd/Jones
Taylor/Thornton v Painter/Newton

Thursday July 23
Afternoon Session (1pm start)
King/Dudbridge v Osborne/Beaton
Part/van der Voort v Mardle/Eccles
T Jenkins/Wright v Priestley/Ovens

Evening Session (7pm start)
Baxter/Klaasen v Tabern/Smith
van Barneveld/van Gerwen v Walsh/A Jenkins
Wade/Caven v Hamilton/Anderson

Friday July 24
Afternoon Session (1pm start)
Quarter-Finals
King/Dudbridge/Osborne/Beaton v Part/van der Voort/Mardle/Eccles
T Jenkins/Wright/Priestley/Ovens v van Barneveld/van Gerwen/Walsh/A Jenkins

Evening Session (7pm start)
Wade/Caven/Hamilton/Anderson v Baxter/Klaasen/Tabern/Smith
Taylor/Thornton/Painter/Newton v Lewis/Stompe/Lloyd/Jones

Saturday July 25 (7pm start)
Semi-Finals

Sunday July 26 (7pm start)
Final

stanjames.com World Matchplay – Latest Tournament Odds (courtesy stanjames.com)
Phil Taylor 8/15
Raymond van Barneveld 7/1
James Wade 15/2
Gary Anderson 11/1
Adrian Lewis 33/1
Mervyn King 33/1
Terry Jenkins 33/1
Colin Osborne 40/1
Mark Walsh 40/1
John Part 50/1
Robert Thornton 50/1
Andy Hamilton 50/1
Alan Tabern 66/1
Colin Lloyd 80/1
Kevin Painter 80/1
Ronnie Baxter 80/1
Jelle Klaasen 80/1
Co Stompe 100/1
Wayne Mardle 125/1
Vincent van der Voort 125/1
Jamie Caven 125/1
Michael van Gerwen 125/1
Mark Dudbridge 150/1
Wes Newton 150/1
Tony Eccles 150/1
Dennis Priestley 150/1
Andy Smith 175/1
Wayne Jones 200/1
Denis Ovens 250/1
Steve Beaton 300/1
Andy Jenkins 300/1
Peter Wright 500/1