Issue 54 (January 13, 2017) by Darts Weekly

Friday 13 January 2017

Darts Weekly

BDO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Noppie’s on the march Danny Noppert into last eight after 4-0 win against Richard Veenstra All the best reports, reaction and analysis pages 2-7

Exclusive ‘Burnett can get back into the top 16 of the PDC’ Pages 8-9

Premier League line-up page 7

Is Q-School really the golden ticket for aspiring players? Pages 10-11

Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

Noppert cruises into the last eight at Lakeside after seeing off Veenstra in all-Dutch tie Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER

Impressive display: Danny Noppert beat Richard Veenstra 4-0 in the last 16

Jelle Klaasen in 2006, Christian Kist in 2012, Danny Noppert in 2017? The 26-year-old Dutchman stormed into the quarter-finals of this year’s Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship with an impressive 4-0 win over his fellow compatriot Richard Veenstra last night. Klaasen and Kist both won the Lakeside as debutants, and Noppert is aiming to emulate the two Dutchmen by lifting the title on his debut year this weekend. Noppert’s dream Lakeside debut rolled on last night, as he averaged 91.02, hit 48 per cent of his doubles, and dropped just two legs to ease past last year’s semi-finalist Veenstra in straight sets. The first set began with a comfortable 15-dart hold for Noppie, before his opponent Veenstra spurned seven darts at doubles to level in the next leg. It

handed Noppert the chance to break, and he took it on double nine for a 2-0 lead in the set. Veenstra’s double troubles continued in the next leg as he missed three more darts at the outer ring, and the third seed

‘Noppert marked the last leg with a superb 164 checkout on the bullseye’ returned to check out 77 on the bullseye for the first set. An 11 darter in the third leg was the highlight of the second set, in which Noppert claimed three legs on the spin to establish a 2-0 lead in sets. Veenstra finally broke his duck at the start of the third set, checking out 86 and 82 in successive legs to go 2-0 up, before the 14th seed

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squandered three set darts to get his first set on the board. Noppert took advantage to win three straight legs and pinch the set and move to within a set of victory. After taking out 81 for the first leg of the fourth set, Noppert killed off the next two legs in 14 and 12 darts to complete another whitewash set win, with the last leg marked with a superb 164 checkout on the bullseye. Noppert will now face defending champion Scott Waites in the quarter-finals this evening. Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas will also be in action this evening, as he survived a brave fightback from Krzysztof Ratajski, of Poland, to win 4-3 and set up a clash with top seed Glen Durrant in the last eight tonight. The eighth seed looked to be in control of the second round tie as he opened up leads of 2-0 and 3-1, but his opponent, who had already beaten Willem Mandigers and Wesley Harms to reach this stage

Darts Weekly Friday 13 January 2017

3 DAVID GILL

Dutch ace van Tergouw wins World Youth title

of the tournament fought back valiantly. At 2-0 down in the fifth set, Ratajski reeled off three 16 darters in a row to steal the set and cut Labanauskasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lead to 3-2. Ratajski then took the sixth set 31 to force a final set, but the doubles deserted him at this point. The Polish qualifier missed seven darts at doubles in the opening two legs of the set, allowing Labanauskas, who had earlier fired in checkouts of 110, 114, 132 and 120, to seal a whitewash win in the decider. Labanauskas checked out 100, his fifth three-figure finish, in the third leg to book his place in the quarter-finals at Lakeside for the first time in his career. In the ladies draw, Anastasia Dobromyslova kept on course for a fourth World Championship title as she beat Lorraine Winstanley in a deciding set to move into the semi-finals. The Russian, whose three Lakeside successes came in 2008,

2012 and 2013, made a flying start, averaging 98.01 as she won the first set in legs of 13, 15 and 18 darts. But fifth seed Winstanley fought back in the next set, winning the set 3-1 to force a deciding set, where Dobromyslova kept her cool, firing in a 14-dart leg to win the third set 3-1 and progress into the semi-finals for the seventh time in her career. Fourth seed Dobromyslova will face Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corrine Hammond in the semi-finals, after the eighth seed recorded a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Casey Gallagher in the quarter-finals last night. Both sets went to deciding legs, with three set darts spurned by Gallagher enabling Hammond to pinch the opening set on double eight. The 20-year-old, who knocked out top seed Deta Hedman in the first round, fought back in the second set to take a 2-0 lead, but Hammond responded with three straight legs to edge through.

Justin van Tergouw was crowned BDO World Youth champion after beating Nathan Girvan in the final at Lakeside yesterday afternoon. The 16-year-old Dutchman continued his dominance on the youth circuit, with this title following victories in the WDF Europe Youth Cup, Winmau World Youth Masters and the Finder Darts Youth Masters last year. Girvan, 14 from Scotland, made a bright start as he held throw with an 18 darter, checking out 56 on double 16 to claim the first leg. But van Tergouw responded by winning three straight legs, in 17, 17 and 15 darts to take the first set 3-1, with the set won with a 97 checkout on double 10. Van Tergouw dominated the scoring in the second set, none more so than in the third leg of the set when he started with five consecutive treble 20s, before straying into the single one. The Dutch teenager finished the leg in 15 darts, following on from legs won in 19 and 17 darts, to clinch the second set 3-0. Girvan fought back at the start of the next set with his best scoring leg of the match, firing in scores of 134, 81, 85 and 139 to leave just 62 after 12 darts. But after missing darts at doubles for the first time in the match in his next visit, the Scot was punished as van Tergouw took out 54 in two darts for a 14 darter and a break of throw. Van Tergouw went on to win the next two legs in 20 darts each to wrap up another 3-0 set and seal a straight sets win in the final.

Winner: Justin van Tergouw

Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

CHRISTOPHER KEMPF MATCH OF THE WEEK - MARTIN ADAMS 3-2 RYAN JOYCE (BDO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP)

Wolfie triumphs in Lakeside belter It was a tight, thrilling contest between a newcomer and a darting great that burst into life and held the audience’s rapt attention until the sudden-death climax. The two players, a generation apart in both age and strategy, never managed to get more than two or three legs clear of their opponent. Moving to the left and right to find a better angle into the bed, Martin Adams fired 92 per cent of his scoring darts at treble 20, finding the red bit with 128 out of 340 darts. Ryan Joyce, on the other hand, switched often to treble 19 and attempted nearly eight times as many darts at the second-largest treble. But while Adams was far more effective at hitting his preferred scoring targets, many more of his darts strayed to the right and especially to the left, into the fives. That inaccuracy mitigated what would otherwise have been a significant scoring advantage. With “game shot and the match” approaching for Joyce, Wolfie unleashed a torrent of trebles on two occasions. Sitting 2-1 behind in sets and following a Joyce break of throw, Adams produced five 140s and a maximum to win the next two legs, and the fourth set, in 11 and 14 darts. After a disastrous second leg of the final set, two 12-dart legs followed for the Lakeside veteran, won on spectacular finishes of 129 and 86. Wolfie, who had played sub-par darts for much of the match,

roared back again and again just as the match appeared to be slipping out of his grasp. And after Joyce missed a dart to win the match at double 18, Adams responded with a 115 checkout to break his opponent’s throw and turn the tide of the match. But when Joyce’s dart found the bullseye in the 27th leg of this first round match, it was as if he had dropped a bomb in the storied venue. Adams had just missed a dart at double 10 for a match-winning 140 finish when Joyce, whose highest checkout of 100 had been scored 25 legs before, dropped a 164 finish on the fans howling in support of Adams. The astonishment was palpable in the commentary box and in the crowd. Joyce, in his first appearance at Lakeside, had produced one of the great matchsaving finishes in the tournament’s history to reverse Wolfie’s momentum and force a lastleg decider. But there’s a lot to be said for experience. Adams was able to draw on nearly 20 years of match experience at Lakeside to hold his nerve in the suddendeath leg, and did so with stunning effect by striking the dead centre of the bullseye to throw first after Joyce’s x

dart had missed far outside even the 25. In his third visit of the final leg, moreover, Wolfie pounded three darts into the treble 20 to pull well ahead in the leg and require a miracle 128 finish for the match that Joyce could not produce. And in throwing match darts under pressure at the double nine, Wolfie struck the green sisal with remarkable composure after a wild missed first dart. Neither player threw their best darts. Adams missed 31 darts at double and Joyce only averaged 87. But it was nonetheless a legendary match that demonstrated the enduring appeal of the Lakeside atmosphere and the darters who find heroic feats within them with the world title on the line.

Darts Weekly Friday 13 January 2017

Duzza faces tough battle to win first world title this weekend DAVID GILL

Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Glen Durrant heads into the final three days of another Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship still in the running, with 2017 presenting the BDO number one a third appearance in the quarter-finals. On Wednesday night, just two days ago, it could have all been different. Paul Hogan had match darts to send the top seed home and mulling over a whitewash 4-0 defeat in the second round. And while it has been Durrant who has squandered leads in matches on the Lakeside stage in years gone by, this time it was the turn of his opponent to feel the pressure at the crucial moment. Hogan missed, and an inspired Duzza fought back to win 4-3 and maintain his challenge for a first world title. If Durrant is to get over that winning line in the BDO’s biggest tournament this weekend, he is likely going to have to do it the hard way. Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas, the eighth seed, provides the reigning World Masters and Finder Darts Masters champion his next test in the quarter-finals this evening. It was Labanauskas who handed Durrant his last defeat on the Lakeside stage, defying a 104 average from the Teesside thrower to win 7-3 in the second round of the World Trophy back in May. Labanauskas averaged 101 that day, and Durrant himself has, perhaps with tongue in cheek, said during this tournament it will take a 100 average to beat him. While Durrant needed a comeback in the second round to get through to the last eight, threetime world champion Martin Adams used his get out of jail free card in the first round, coming

from behind to edge past debutant Ryan Joyce in a sudden-death leg. Wolfie’s last world title triumph at Lakeside was back in 2011, but he did reach the final two years ago, losing in a deciding set to Scott Mitchell. Fifth seed Adams will take on fourth seed Jamie Hughes in one of two men’s quarter-finals in this afternoon’s session. Hughes has quietly gone about his business so far this week, seeing off Martin Atkins and Jim Williams for the loss of just two sets, but Adams will pose a much trickier threat to the Finder Darts Masters finalist’s hopes of reaching back-to-back World Championship semi-finals. Before those two square off, Belgium’s Geert de Vos and World Trophy holder Darryl Fitton will contest for the first place in tomorrow’s semi-finals. De Vos finally got over his second round hoodoo at Lakeside this week, and he did so in emphatic style, knocking out 2015 champion Mitchell 4-2. Five previous Lakeside campaigns had all ended in the last

16 for de Vos, with his now record run seeing him come up against Fitton in the last eight today. This will be Fitton’s seventh World Championship quarter-final and he would hope that his experience will come in handy, as the draw has done, with the Dazzler missing out on playing seventh seed Dean Reynolds and second seed Mitchell due to their early exits from the tournament. The final men’s quarter-final pits the defending champion Scott Waites against third seed Danny Noppert, and it is a match which has the potential to go all the way this evening. Waites showed his comeback skills last year on his way to lifting his second world title, and he had to do it again yesterday as he battled back from 2-0 down to defeat Mark McGeeney 4-2 in the second round. Noppert’s World Championship debut has so far gone to plan with wins over David Cameron and fellow Dutchman Richard Veenstra, but now the pressure ramps up a couple of gears. Can Noppie handle the pressure?

Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

Lakeside provides warm environment Dave South DARTS WRITER at Lakeside It was 12.30pm on the 7th of January, 2017 and my destination was Frimley Green, Surrey to the Lakeside. As I drove up Wharf Road, past the library and youth centre, I was met by fans making the short stroll up the hill, some of which in costumes, and some clearly excited about their upcoming destination! Fans did not let the dull weather dampen expectations as I entered the arena not for the first time, but the first time where I was there representing Darts Weekly with my press pass. The feeling as you enter the Lakeside arena and see the stage is something unlike a PDC event. With a packed arena full of fans, costumed fans including bumping into the red power ranger within 90 seconds as I approached the bar for a lemonade refreshment! The atmosphere was as I expected; a warm environment with free-flowing drinks, conversation, party music between matches and the TV cameras awaiting transmission time. ‘Little Richard’ Ashdown briefed the fans making them aware of transmission timings fast approaching, and the warm sense of the atmosphere was very welcoming. With plenty of fellow fans clocking my press pass as I mingled and made conversation with fellow fans, we awaited the arrival of the opening game, we were full to capacity and ready to go. The crowd were revved up as Glen Durrant, the men’s top seed, approached the oche to take on Welshman Nick Kenny. Durrant got the crowd going in the very first leg with a magnificent 167 checkout, and the crowd erupted inside the arena.

Admittedly on the TV the atmosphere is partially blocked out compared to being inside the arena, but being live in the arena you do miss the TV commentary element of it! Having to watch on the big screen and listening harder for the referee’s scoring makes the experience entirely different. Having been at events with both codes, this was the second time when I was alcohol free due to media commitments to Darts Weekly, I had to show the right composure! Those reading who may/may not have seen me, I was possibly the only person outside an actual BDO official to be in a shirt/tie and smart trousers! Yes that was me, and I can conclude that having spoken to many people I had never met before, had a warming feel as we all had something in common. We were all there to appreciate and watch some entertaining darts and it gave this a real family friendly feel. Having met Martin Adams and Trina Gulliver especially last Saturday, Trina being after her victory where her partner Sue was co-ordinating fan selfies. Martin was very approachable and happy to say hello to fellow fans. This is not uncommon within the BDO code and emphasises the family atmosphere feel. With a very busy environment, attempting to get more than a couple of minutes’ chat with anyone, especially with the atmosphere, was no easy task. A very warming feel good factor surrounds the Lakeside Country Club, and I must thank the organisers for allowing me to access the event. I’ll be back there tomorrow and on Sunday to hopefully speak with the eventual champions of the men’s and ladies events!

Darts Weekly Friday 13 January 2017

7 DAVID GILL

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Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

“I’ve got no doubt in a couple of years’ time Richie will be in every TV major again”

Director of Relentless Promotions, Danny Cox, chats to Alex Moss about signing Richie Burnett

mong the hundreds of players who will be battling it out for tour cards on the PDC circuit at next week’s Qualifying School in Wigan will be Richie Burnett, a former world champion, World Master, and a player who will soon be surpassing Rocky Balboa for the amount of comebacks he has had. The Welshman, who turns 50 next month, has battled through dartitis, recovered from a severe loss of form to reach televised semi-finals on the PDC circuit, and now his next obstacle in his way is Q-School next week. Burnett will not be the only high profile name bidding to win one of the two-year tour cards on offer at the Robin Park Tennis Centre, three-time world champion John Part, Ronnie Baxter, Paul Nicholson and Peter Manley are also entered into the field. This past Tuesday it was announced that Relentless Promotions had signed Burnett to their team, and the company’s director Danny Cox has plenty of confidence in his new recruit. “I’ve known Richie for a very long time,” Cox said. “He’s going back into the fold, starting out at QSchool and I believe he’s a class act. He’s a great addition to the team. “Should the opportunity arisen for this to happen earlier we would have done so. He’s a former world champion, he’s got great pedigree and he’s still in my eyes a top 16 player.” Burnett joins a team which also

“He’s a former world champion and he’s still in my eyes a top 16 player”

includes fellow Welshman Jamie Lewis, Dutch duo Christian Kist and Jan Dekker, and Ross Twell, who finished runner-up on the PDC Development Tour last year. “Previous to that we’ve got a strong heritage of bringing through youth,” Cox explains. “We’ve brought Joe Cullen through as an 18-year-old. I think he was 18 or 17 at the time, we’ve also had Devon Petersen in the past and they’ve gone on to pastures new now. “I think you have to have that bit of competitiveness within any stable. “When you’ve got players attached to a management team, they always want to be the best out of the bunch and it’s a bit of an internal competition if you like.” Burnett’s last televised tournament, the 2014 World Grand Prix, perfectly illustrated how even after all these years in the sport, he is still pure box office. In the deciding leg of his first round match against Simon Whitlock, Burnett had missed his first seven darts at doubles to get started, before scoring 100, 100 and 180 to leave 121, which he took out on the bullseye to win. “The only thing that’s stopping me being in the top eight of the world is consistency, and I’m working hard on it,” Burnett said after that win. Few would have predicted that after losing to Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals, some two years later we would not have seen Burnett on our screens again. A

Darts Weekly Friday 13 January 2017

9 LAWRENCE LUSTIG/PDC

x x x

“x x x x” day before the first round draw was made for the 2015 PDC World Championship, Burnett was removed from the field due to personal reasons. In January 2015 it was announced that the Welshman was not renewing his tour card for the 2015-16 season, and in October of that year, UK Anti-Doping revealed that Burnett had tested positive for cocaine at the Grand Slam of Darts Qualifier in November of the previous year. Burnett was banned from the sport for 18 months, with his latest comeback in the PDC starting on the Challenge Tour last year, where he enjoyed plenty of success. Despite his ban meaning he missed the first four events of the tour, Burnett won two of the remaining 12 events, and reached a semi-final and three quarter-finals

in other events to finish third on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. Although only the top two finishers on the Order of Merit gain tour cards for the main PDC circuit, Burnett’s third-place finish secured him automatic entry into Q-School next week. “I think Richie Burnett is top 16

“Richie’s a true character of the sport and has great pedigree” all day,” Cox said. “I think he’s still as good as he was, if not better, than when he won at Lakeside. “He’s shown before, this will be his kind of third comeback if you will, but he really is a world class player. “I’ve got no doubt whatsoever in

a couple of years’ time he’ll be in every TV major again and climbing up those rankings. “We’re extremely thrilled to welcome him to the team. Richie’s a bit of a left field one because we’ve got a strong heritage in youth. “But the opportunity presented itself. He wasn’t short of offers that’s for sure. “Richie’s a true character of the sport. We had no hesitation in partnering up with him.” Cox, son of Tommy Cox, one of the founders of the PDC, and a former manager for the likes of Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson and Phil Taylor, has plenty of advice available to him from his dad. “Tommy’s still very hands on,” he said. “When there’s darts involved it would be silly not to utilise someone with his experience.”

Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

Does Q-School really offer the much-heralded golden ticket? Matthew Kiernan THE DARTING NERD It is described by Barry Hearn as the “Willie Wonka golden ticket” the much coveted PDC tour card. Billed as a chance to reach the upper echelons of the sport, it is premise which has certainly been bought into. Entries into the PDC’s Qualifying School have increased ever since its conception. Last year over 400 players tried their hand. Every year I’m completely hooked. There is something quite special about following players at the beginning of their darting journeys. Or indeed redeeming themselves if they are trying to make a return. And that’ll certainly be the case this year with Stuart Kellett, John Part, Paul Nicholson and Ronnie Baxter among the entrants. For four days in January every year, I mercilessly hammer away at the F5 button on my keyboard in the desperate search for the latest results on the PDC website. But in light of the Invisible 90% article written in this magazine last year, does Q-School really represent that golden ticket that is so often heralded? Just how well do the players fare after their Wigan triumph? To explore this debate further it would be apt to look at the class of 2015, whose two year tour cards will have now expired, unless they are in the world’s top 64. Perhaps unsurprisingly, only a small percentage of those who gained a tour card in 2015, keep their spot on the tour due to remaining in the top 64. Only a dozen survive for 2017, and the top three of those in the rankings were all big BDO names who made the switch together two years ago. Alan Norris will of course be the

happiest from the class of 2015, amassing over £190,000 in prize money across two years. James Wilson and Robbie Green will also feel that, financially at least, the move was justified. Chris Dobey continues to impress, reaching the last eight of the Grand Slam, while five-time Lakeside attendee Steve West enjoyed a late flourish to the year

How the class of 2015 Q-School have fared in the PDC? Number indicates the player’s place on the PDC Order of Merit at the end of the 2016-17 season 18th - Alan Norris 36th - James Wilson 40th - Robbie Green 42nd - Chris Dobey 43rd - Steve West 49th - Jermaine Wattimena 50th - Devon Petersen 52nd - Jonny Clayton 57th - Andy Boulton 57th - Jeffrey de Zwaan 61st - Andy Jenkins 64th - Willie O’Connor 66th - Magnus Caris 75th - Nathan Aspinall 77th - Darren Johnson 78th - Matthew Edgar 79th - Nathan Derry 81st - Nigel Heydon 86th - Jamie Robinson 89th - Jason Wilson 90th - Mike Zuydwijk 92nd - Jim Walker 95th - Johnny Haines 100th - Jason Lovett 115th - Ken MacNeil 118th - Lee Palfreyman 119th - Paul Milford 120th - Curtis Hammond 120th - Stephen Willard 122nd - Prakash Jiwa 132nd - Steve McNally 185th - Tony Richardson N/C - Haruki Muramatsu *Steve Douglas did not continue his tour card into 2016

to see him reach 43rd in the rankings. The others were regular faces in the early rounds of TV tournaments, albeit rarely featuring in the latter stages of said events. One of the big arguments on the forums and social media, and it’s certainly a very valid one, is the sheer cost of just taking part on the tour. What is striking is the lack of prize money across a two-year period that even those just inside the top 64 obtain. Willie O’Connor gained just over £30,000 in two years and just squeezed in thanks to those above failing to defend previous years’ winnings. With a £105 entry fee into most tournaments, such as the 22 Players Championship floor events for example, very few would have broken even from prize money alone. Perhaps a financial warning to those who gain their card at Wigan this time round. Sponsors have never been more important to those in the lower echelons of the tour. Despite the potential financial pitfalls however, the prize of being a professional is just too great for many to resist. Over a hundred players last year failed to win more than one match on a day’s play and a significant number lost in the first round every day. A £250 entry fee plus travel, food, accommodation, it is a huge financial commitment for little reward for the many hundreds that attend. But in all honesty I can’t blame them, the riches (both monetarily and prestige) on offer are potentially life-changing for the few who make it. And as the old adage goes, you don’t want to be decades down the line wondering “what if?” They might just need a few financial sound backers in the first instance.

Darts Weekly Friday 13 January 2017

11 PDC

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Lamb 4-0, as the visitors won four of the last five games to pull away to victory. Elsewhere in Division One, Cleveland and Kent drew 18-18 and bottom side London beat County Durham 19-17. Northamptonshire maintained top spot in Division Two with a 23-13 win at home against Staffordshire. Surrey reduced the deficit at the

3-1. Second round - G Durrant (89.85) bt P Hogan (92.01) 4-3; D Labanauskas (89.37) bt K Ratajski (86.76) 4-3; M Adams (89.94) bt J Smith (89.31) 4-1; J Hughes (84.96) bt J Williams (89.85) 4-1; G de Vos (92.28) bt S Mitchell (89.94) 4-2; D Fitton (87.75) bt P Blackwell (83.73) 4-1; S Waites (88.14) bt M McGeeney (87.03) 4-2; D Noppert (91.02) bt R Veenstra (87.93) 4-0. Ladies first round - C Gallagher (79.86) bt D Hedman (73.62) 2-1; C Hammond (70.44) bt P Farrell (61.26) 2-0; L Winstanley (74.52) bt A Zijlstra (63.51) 2-0; A Dobromyslova (85.50) bt R Griffiths (86.46) 2-1; L Ashton (87.06) bt S Prins (74.70) 2-0; F Sherrock (78.39) bt O Byamukama (69.87) 2-0; T Gulliver (72.00) bt C Brookin (66.12) 2-0; A de Graaf (76.44) bt R Brooks (70.26) 2-0. Quarter-finals - C Hammond (70.08) bt C Gallagher (68.85) 2-0; A Dobromyslova (82.20) bt L Winstanley (71.76) 2-1; L Ashton (81.12) bt F Sherrock (76.05) 2-0; A de Graaf (69.78) bt T Gulliver (63.99) 2-0.

TODAY LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (Frimley Green, Surrey) (12.30pm) - Men’s quarterfinals and Ladies semi-finals - G de Vos v D Fitton; L Ashton v A de Graaf; M Adams v J Hughes. (7pm) - A Dobromyslova v C Hammond; G Durrant v D Labanauskas; S Waites v D Noppert.

Database BDO LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (Frimley Green, Surrey) Men’s preliminary round - R Joyce (90.18) bt D Nilsson (81.69) 3-0; J Smith (84.63) bt S Asada (86.70) 3-1; M McGrath (81.60) bt R Janssen (77.37) 3-2; P Hogan (85.65) bt T Sawyer (72.69) 3-0; K Ratajski (88.05) bt W Mandigers (87.48) 3-2; R Smith (80.31) bt D van Baelen (83.55) 3-2; D Cameron (86.19) bt Ji Hendriks (86.40) 31; D Harbour (81.99) bt C Caldwell (79.74) 31. First round - G Durrant (96.96) bt N Kenny (92.64) 3-1; P Hogan (91.62) bt M Phillips (83.61) 3-2; D Labanauskas (91.74) bt C Whitehead (83.46) 3-1; K Ratajski (84.15) bt W Harms (84.27) 3-0; M Adams (91.74) bt R Joyce (87.87) 3-2; J Smith (91.71) bt B Dawson (87.24) 3-2; J Hughes (94.38) bt M Atkins (88.69) 3-1; J Williams (82.62) bt T O’Shea (76.47) 3-0; S Mitchell (87.81) bt M McGrath (78.54) 3-0; G de Vos (96.96) bt R Smith (92.19) 3-0; P Blackwell (81.36) bt D Reynolds (79.26) 3-2; D Fitton (85.26) bt W Vaes (79.65) 3-0; S Waites (90.54) bt D Harbour (89.28) 3-1; M McGeeney (90.96) bt J Hurrell (87.75) 3-1; D Noppert (98.06) bt D Cameron (86.77) 3-1; R Veenstra (91.47) bt R Montgomery (86.25)

WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (Frimley Green, Surrey) Final - J van Tergouw (88.20) bt N Girvan (74.55) 3-0. FIXTURES TODAY LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL

TOMORROW LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (2.30pm) Men’s semi-finals and Ladies final. SUNDAY LAKESIDE WORLD PROFESSIONAL DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (4.45pm) Men’s final. THURSDAY - SUNDAY (22nd) PDC QUALIFYING SCHOOL (Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan) Selected entries - B Bates, R Baxter, R Eidams, M Frost, M Hylton, W Jones, S Kellett, B Koltsov, Lennon, B Lynn, K MacNeil, P Manley, A Monk, H Muramatsu, P Nicholson, D Parody, J Part, C Rodriguez, C Roelofs, A Smith.

Friday 13 January 2017 Darts Weekly

DAVE McNALLY DARTS WRITER

The dartboard has had lots of variations over the years Recently I have been to watch a few tournaments around the Derbyshire and Cheshire areas of the UK, watching friends in different disciplines. One such tournament took place on a Manchester board, or also known as a ‘log end’ as it is made out of wood, and it got me thinking about the other boards that are up and used for competition. The aforementioned log end is unusual in the fact that it is dyed black, doesn’t have the traditional number order around the board, there are no trebles and is about half the size of a normal board, with tiny doubles and bullseye to aim for. Add to this the fact that you have to keep it submerged in water between uses to stop it drying out, it really is a unique board. Most people, like my self’s first experience of darts was a paper wound board, normally in yellow and black, with a plastic wiring that the dart would often stick into, but on the back was a spiralled board made up of concentric rings much like an archery target. Scoring was rewarded the closer you got to the bull. I don’t really remember any games that were played on it, as it seemed to be more of a novelty. The Yorkshire board is a replica of the normal standard dartboard, but actually was around before the dartboard that we now associate with the modern game. The Yorkshire board has no trebles or outer bull, but retains the standard colours that we are familiar with.

An identical board, but all-black in colour is the Lincoln board, that as you may have already guessed was popular in the Lincolnshire area of the UK. A lot of these ‘unusual’ boards are often popular in different regions and are often never even heard of outside of those areas. For instance, the 5s dartboard

‘Scores of 240 were possible with the quadruple section on the Quadro’ was a board with only 12 segments that were multiples of five up and including 20. The board also features standard size doubles, trebles and bull area. This board also had a stable mate that has half size doubles and trebles, known as “Narrow Fives” or “London Fives”.

These boards were common place in their respective areas and involved coming down from 305 and 505 because of the limited numbers. There were some novelty boards cropping up here and there and I can remember owning a casino board that was a normal dartboard, with playing cards depicted around the edge for playing some sort of poker and other such variations of card/dart hybrids. One board now deemed to be a novelty was the ‘Quadro’. This had a quadruple section allowing scores of 240 to be possible. It might seem a novel idea but it was actually used on the pro circuit, most notably in the Skol Matchplay, but it was soon consigned to history as it took away from the intrinsic basics of darts, and many of the players chose to ignore it, and thus a seven-dart finish was never achieved.