Grand Slam of Darts Preview and Schedule
Thirty two dart stars from around the world will begin competition in the Partybets.com Grand Slam of Darts on Saturday, with ?300,000 in prize money up for grabs.
The tournament sees champions from both the Professional Darts Corporation as well as the BDO/WDF system come together at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
Phil Taylor, the 3/1 favourite and 13-time World Champion, and Raymond van Barneveld will be joined by the likes of Gary Anderson, James Wade and Michael van Gerwen in chasing the ?80,000 winner’s cheque following nine days of action.
The event begins on Saturday afternoon, when players play the first of three group matches in round one, with the event being screened by ITV – the first time in eight years that they have broadcast darts.
Taylor opens his account against Essex’s Wayne Mardle, as he bids to get back to winning ways following six months without a televised title.
“I’ve been getting beaten and my form hasn’t been consistent,” admitted Taylor, who lost in the first round of this year’s World Grand Prix to qualifier Adrian Gray last month.
“I’ve won a few smaller events but had defeats in the big tournaments.
“The last 12 months has been a kick up the backside and it doesn’t do you any harm. The players now are more dedicated than ever, going to bed earlier and being like footballers.
“I want to win it and mentally I have to be prepared if I’m going to do that.”
Van Barneveld will begin his challenge on Saturday, having been drawn against two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley, young star Adrian Lewis and his opening opponent, ITV Wildcard Qualifier Chris Mason, in arguably the toughest of the eight groups.
“I can’t wait for the tournament,” said the five-time World Champion from Holland. “We have been looking forward to this event for a long time since it was announced.
“It’s a tough group for me, but all the players in this event are superb so it doesn’t matter who you play.”
Mason battled through a field of over 200 players to join youngster Kevin McDine in winning one of the two ITV Wildcard places in the inaugural event.
“It’s the biggest thing ever to happen to darts,” said Mason. “It’s prime time on ITV, the best players in the world and it’s huge for all of us.
“There are quality players everywhere you look, champions in every group and all the way through the field.”
Teenage Dutch whizzkid van Gerwen won the World Masters tournament 12 months ago, and is hoping to live up to his reputation as a big-game player.
“It’s a very big tournament with huge prize money and all the best players in the world playing,” he said.
“I am looking forward to it because I always like playing on stage rather than in smaller tournaments and seem to play well there.”
Scotland’s Gary Anderson has claimed two major titles this year, the International Darts League and World Darts Trophy, to earn himself the third seed, and he will start on Saturday against Kevin Painter.
PDC number three James Wade will open up against 2007 Lakeside Championship finalist Phill Nixon, while Jelle Klaasen faces Shaun Greatbatch in a repeat of their semi-final at the 2006 Lakeside Championship, which the Dutchman won.
Saturday’s evening session will feature Canadian double World Champion John Part against American number one Gary Mawson, as well as Lewis against Priestley.
Wolverhampton’s Wayne Jones will face Welshman Barrie Bates, while Roland Scholten and Mervyn King meet in a heavyweight Group H opener.
The tournament is one of the first to see Taylor, who has dominated darts for over 15 years, enter as an odds-against favourite, at 3/1, with van Barneveld priced at 7/2 and Wade in to 9/2.
A spokesman for PartyBets.com said: “In recent years bookmakers have had no choice but to make Phil Taylor an odds-on favourite for tournaments, but the recent emergence of James Wade as a major force in the sport and the consistent success of Raymond van Barneveld mean the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts is wide open.
“All the early money has been for Wade but that is not surprising considering he won two major titles in less than three months.”
PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts
Schedule of Play
First Round – Best of nine legs
Saturday 17 November
Afternoon Session (12pm Start)
Jelle Klaasen v Shaun Greatbatch (Group D)
Vincent van der Voort v Andy Hamilton (Group B)
James Wade v Phill Nixon (Group C)
Mark Webster v Andy Jenkins (Group F)
Michael van Gerwen v Scott Waites (Group H)
Raymond van Barneveld v Chris Mason (Group A)
Phil Taylor v Wayne Mardle (Group E)
Gary Anderson v Kevin Painter (Group G)
Live on ITV4 from 12pm-3.15pm, ITV1 from 3.15pm-5.10pm
Evening Session (7.00pm Start)
Terry Jenkins v Charles Losper (Group B)
Niels de Ruiter v Pat Orreal (Group C)
Adrian Lewis v Dennis Priestley (Group A)
Peter Manley v Kevin McDine (Group D)
Colin Lloyd v Ronnie Baxter (Group E)
Roland Scholten v Mervyn King (Group H)
John Part v Gary Mawson (Group F)
Barrie Bates v Wayne Jones (Group G)
Live on ITV4 from 7pm-11.15pm
Sunday 18 November
There will be eight matches in each session, to be confirmed following the conclusion of Day One’s games. The games will see each group’s two winners from the first series of matches face each other on Day Two, and each group’s two first game losers clash.
Afternoon Session (12.30pm Start)
ITV4 from 12.30pm-4.15pm, ITV1 from 4.15pm-6pm
Evening Session (7.00pm Start)
Live on ITV4 from 7pm-11.15pm
Highlights Programme 12.15am-1.15am on ITV1
Monday 19 November (6pm-10pm)
Groups A-D will play their final games.
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Highlights Programme 11.05pm-11.35pm on ITV1
Tuesday 20 November (6pm-10pm)
Groups E-H will play their final games.
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Highlights Programme 11.05pm-12.05am on ITV1
Second Round – Best of 19 legs
Wednesday 21 November (6pm-10.30pm)
Winner Group A v Runner-Up Group B (Match 1)
Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A (Match 2)
Winner Group C v Runner-Up Group D (Match 3)
Winner Group D v Runner-Up Group C (Match 4)
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Highlights Programme 11.05pm-12.05am on ITV1
hursday 22 November (6pm-10.30pm)
Winner Group E v Runner-Up Group F (Match 5)
Winner Group F v Runner-Up Group E (Match 6)
Winner Group G v Runner-Up Group H (Match 7)
Winner Group H v Runner-Up Group G (Match 
This configuration will then be used as the bracket for the rest of the tournament.
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Highlights Programme 12.05am-1.05am on ITV1
Quarter-Finals – Best of 19 legs
Friday 23 November (6pm-10.30pm)
Winner Match 1 v Winner Match 2 (Match 9)
Winner Match 3 v Winner Match 4 (Match 10)
Winner Match 5 v Winner Match 6 (Match 11)
Winner Match 7 v Winner Match 8 (Match 12)
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Highlights Programme 12am-1am on ITV1
Semi-Finals – Best of 25 legs
Saturday 24 November (2pm-5pm)
Winner Match 9 v Winner Match 10 (Match 13)
Winner Match 11 v Winner Match 12 (Match 14)
Live on ITV1 from 2pm-5.10pm
Highlights Programme 12am-1am on ITV1
Final – Best of 35 legs
Sunday 25 November (3.30pm)
Live on ITV1 3.30pm-6pm
Highlights Programme 8pm-9pm on ITV4
Source: PDC Media Release
Comments are off for this post 1,433 views
