Baltic Sea Darts Open 2023 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

The seeds commence their 2023 European Tour campaigns at the Baltic Darts Open on Saturday as the Second Round action takes centre stage in Kiel.

The first of 13 European Tour events this season features 48 players battling it out for £175,000 in prize money at the Wunderino Arena in Kiel, Germany from February 24-26.

Friday saw the 32 qualifiers go head-to-head in Round One, with a host of big names suffering early exits and the Host Nation qualifiers safely progressing.

The afternoon session on Saturday features a multitude of major winners in action, including 2018 World Champion Rob Cross – who starts out against Dutch debutant Martijn Dragt.

Cross, a three-time Euro Tour finalist last season and runner-up in last month’s Masters, will be out to avoid a potential scalp at the hands of the Associate Member qualifier – who knocked out Ricky Evans 6-2 in Round One.

Danny Noppert is gearing up for his UK Open title defence next week and opens up against former World Youth Champion Keegan Brown – who secured an immediate return to the tour via Qualifying School in January.

Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh takes on former Euro Tour semi-finalist Ritchie Edhouse, while recent Players Championship event winner Ryan Searle faces Belgian veteran Mario Vandenbogaerde – who registered his first win on the Euro Tour by edging past Niels Zonneveld 6-5.

An all-Dutch affair sees last Sunday’s Players Championship Four winner Dirk van Duijvenbode take on two-time BDO world semi-finalist Richard Veenstra.

Dave Chisnall, the reigning Belgian Darts Open champion, kicks off his campaign with a tricky tie against 21-year-old Lewy Williams – who averaged 98.5 in a 6-3 win over Dennis Nilsson on Friday.

Joe Cullen, the 2022 Premier League runner-up and three-time Euro Tour event winner, takes on former World Youth Champion Arron Monk – who dispatched Brendan Dolan in a deciding leg on Friday.

World Cup of Darts winner and Gibraltar Trophy champion Damon Heta will meet 2020 World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks.

The evening session includes a stand-out tie between two-time World Champion Peter Wright, who ended a five-year wait for a Euro Tour title last season, take on James Wade – who overcame Raymond van Barneveld in Round One.

Michael van Gerwen launches his quest for a staggering 36th Euro Tour title with a show-down against recent World Championship quarter-finalist Stephen Bunting.

Van Gerwen battled back from the brink to snatch Premier League Night Four glory in Dublin on Thursday, while Bunting defeated Willie O’Connor 6-4 in his opener with a 97.3 average.

World number one and reigning World Champion Michael Smith aims to silence the partisan crowd in Kiel by knocking out Host Nation qualifier Niko Springer.

Smith, winner of five Euro Tour titles including last year’s Dutch Championship, sits second in the Premier League table and will be out to utilise his vast experience to deny German ace Springer – who sprung a surprise on Jermaine Wattimena with a 97.5 average in Round One.

World number two Gerwyn Price, a six-time Euro Tour event winner, starts out against debutant Graham Usher – who defeated Ryan Joyce in Round One.

Steve Beaton aims to pick up from where he left off on Friday when he returns to face former UK Open champion and Premier League star Nathan Aspinall.

Beaton, 58, rolled back the years to defeat two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis 6-2 with a stunning 106 average.

Luke Humphries looks to continue his love affair with the European Tour into this season, and the number one seed begins his campaign against two-time major winner Daryl Gurney.

Humphries racked up a fantastic four Euro Tour titles during a memorable 2022, but faces a tough start against a resurgent ‘Superchin’ – who defeated Gabriel Clemens 6-5 with a 97.3 average on Friday.

An all-German encounter sees world number 27 Martin Schindler take on Host Nation qualifier Lukas Wenig – who thrashed Ryan Meikle 6-1 in his opener.

Jonny Clayton, whose sole Euro Tour success to date came at the 2018 Austrian Open, faces former World Youth Champion Ted Evetts.

The action gets under way from 12pm GMT, with Second Round matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.

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Baltic Sea Darts Open 2023 Day Two Schedule

All times GMT (Local time one hour ahead)

Saturday February 25

Second Round

Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Ryan Searle v Mario Vandenbogaerde
Rob Cross v Martijn Dragt
Dave Chisnall v Lewy Williams
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Ritchie Edhouse
Joe Cullen v Arron Monk
Damon Heta v Bradley Brooks
Danny Noppert v Keegan Brown
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Richard Veenstra

Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Nathan Aspinall v Steve Beaton
Jonny Clayton v Ted Evetts
Gerwyn Price v Graham Usher
Luke Humphries v Daryl Gurney
Michael Smith v Niko Springer
Peter Wright v James Wade
Michael van Gerwen v Stephen Bunting
Martin Schindler v Lukas Wenig