PDC World champs and some opening post waffle...

Hello D&B...nice to see you back - where have you been for the last six months? Wormwood Scrubs?

Any news about the recent form of Rand & Kellett?
Any websites where we can check out the form figures?

D&B - do you mean to say you're backing that 'chucker' Adie Lewis, and in the average form he's in?

As for Bunting...he looked good in the Masters but still looks eminently beatable and ripe for a shock, as he lets players creep into games when he should have them buried - I think he'd be a decent addition to the PDC with his fast throwing & power-scoring.

Bunting could be vulnerable v Wilson in first round. He's beaten him a couple of times before but is yet to show what he can do on the bigger stage despite having an exceptional year

That Wilson looks a decent player and he seems to have come from nowhere, and isn't fazed by the TV cameras at all!

With so much dead wood in the line up, Wilson 20/1 was a player i had an eye on until the draw paired him against old Bunty.

England's greatest long running captain is all but gone and his 11/2 quote should be nearer 20/1.

Chucker Lewis looks a most capable winner of this tourny. Only a handful of players have the game to hit regular near to 100+ averages, which instantly puts a line through a big chunk of the field. Even Dr Rod knows that.

An old forum fav quote "Wade's good value @ 3/1, then again so is Taylor @ 1/5." Cheers Rod

D&B - as you know, Lewis is my favourite player but I'm being realistic about his chances, and it's more in hope than confidence with me.
He really hasn't done anything since those Taylor matches in the Premier League, and he was superb on both occasions!

Lewis just become a father for the first time.

2nd time

Terrifying isn't it.

even worse then!

Will the tournament be streamed on the sponsors (Lads) website?  It has the last few years and they have some sky sports interviews there now but no mention whether they will be streaming it or not.

Everytime I see Lewis he looks another step closer to death. I know darts players aren't renowned for their healthy lifestyles but he is on another level

Disaster for the great man, plonked on last at past 11pm on Saturday night



2013 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Schedule of Play
Friday December 14 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Robert Thornton v Magnus Caris
8.15pm Andree Welge v Leung Chun Nam (P)
9.00pm Paul Nicholson v Co Stompe
10.00pm Adrian Lewis v Gino Vos
11.00pm Kevin Painter v Welge/Chun Nam

Saturday December 15
Afternoon Session (12pm-5pm)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
12.10pm Wayne Jones v Jerry Hendriks
1.15pm Daryl Gurney v Robert Marijanovic (P)
2.00pm Richie Burnett v James Hubbard
3.00pm Terry Jenkins v Steve Brown
4.00pm Andy Smith v Gurney/Marijanovic

Evening Session (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Dave Chisnall v Shane Tichowitsch
8.15pm Max Hopp v Charl Pietersen (P)
9.00pm John Part v Joe Cullen
10.00pm Phil Taylor v Michael Mansell
11.00pm Denis Ovens v Hopp/Pietersen

Sunday December 16 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Brendan Dolan v Mark Jones
8.15pm Jarkko Komula v Jani Haavisto (P)
9.00pm Andy Hamilton v James Richardson
10.00pm Raymond van Barneveld v Michael Smith
11.00pm Gary Anderson v Komula/Haavisto

Monday December 17 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Peter Wright v Arron Monk
8.15pm Carlos Rodriguez v John Bowles (P)
9.00pm Mark Webster v Ian White
10.00pm James Wade v Peter Hudson
11.00pm Jamie Caven v Rodriguez/Bowles

Tuesday December 18 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Steve Beaton v Kyle Anderson
8.15pm Lourence Ilagan v Jamie Lewis (P)
9.00pm Wes Newton v Johnny Haines
10.00pm Mervyn King v Dean Winstanley
11.00pm Colin Osborne v Ilagan/J Lewis

Wednesday December 19 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Justin Pipe v Andy Jenkins
8.15pm Haruki Muramatsu v Dave Harrington (P)
9.00pm Ronnie Baxter v Dennis Priestley
10.00pm Colin Lloyd v Darin Young
11.00pm Simon Whitlock v Muramatsu/Harrington

Thursday December 20 (7pm-12am)
1x Preliminary Round, 4x First Round
7.10pm Mark Walsh v Darren Webster
8.15pm Paul Lim v Mohd Latif Sapup (P)
9.00pm Kim Huybrechts v Scott Rand
10.00pm Vincent van der Voort v Stuart Kellett
11.00pm Michael van Gerwen v Lim/Sapup

Nice post DNB. Backed Rand last year. He's got confidence in his own game which I like.

Think Michael Smith could beat RVB if his brain goes awol. Smith reminds me of Lewis but just needs a bit more belief in his own game. I've backed Kim Huybrechts, Robert Thornton and my main punt is on Simon Whitlock. Hope he breaks his other foot beforehand. Inspired him last year :)

Here's my darts post  wp.me/p2ChBu-9i

Moyesiah - cheers mate...I've saved that link squire, and I hope there will be plenty of info available on it in the future

I think Kim's RANK bad value BTW and I think he should be treble his odds!

Cheers Navel. Think you might be right about Kim being short but I think he's got the natural ability to step up unlike some of the journeymen on the circuit. Tempted to weigh into 'Santa' Lewis myself. He only tends to deliver at xmas

Always seem to recall this tournie being almost completely after xmas. Used to always hear about players wanting 1st round out of way so can enjoy xmas. Now some players through 3 games before the break.

There are 2 reasons for this.

Firstly it is because of the day that Jan 1st falls on. If it falls on a Saturday the final will be on Mon 3rd whereas if it falls on a weekday as it does this year then the final is on Jan 1st.

The other reason is that they have split the quarter finals this year. In previous years they have had 2 sessions and held them all on the same day whereas this year they have split them over 2 evening sessions with no play in the afternoons.

I guess they want more evening sessions for TV.

Good points.

Can remember one year all 8 last 16 games being on News Year day.

Maybe they're finally compromising (PDC & BDO) so their tournaments do not overlap, as that's been hugely irritating over the years