Euro Champs: The Man Finds No Menace in Priestley, Wins 9-4
Raymond van Barneveld ended the resistance of Dennis Priestley in the PartyPoker.net with a scintillating 9-4 victory.
Van Barneveld produced arguably his best display of 2008 to see off the two-time World Champion with an average of over 107.
?
Priestley himself averaged 102, but never recovered from the Dutchman taking leads of 3-0 and 5-1.
?
Priestley hit maximums in the game’s opening two legs only for van Barneveld to win both, and the Dutchman made it an early treble by hitting scores of 140 and 177 on his way to leg three.
?
Priestley defied another maximum from van Barneveld to get off the mark in the next, but a missed bullseye let the Dutchman in on double eight.
?
Van Barneveld then set up a double ten finish with yet another 180 to create a 5-1 cushion, with Priestley hitting back with a 145 finish in the next.
?
A brace of double two finishes put the Dutchman 7-2 up before Priestley edged two of the next three, including a 14-darter and a 117 finish, following missed doubles from his opponent.
?
Van Barneveld, however, regained his range with scores of 180 and 170 setting up a finish in leg 13, and he wrapped up the win on double eight.
?
