Dutch Darts Championship 2023 | Day One Preview and Order of Play
The 2023 Dutch Darts Championship gets under way in Leeuwarden on Friday as the qualifiers collide in the opening round.
The sixth of 13 Euro Tour events this season features 48 players battling it out for £175,000 in prize money at the WTC Expo from April 28-30.
The top 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit (as of February 28) are seeded and enter at the Second Round stage, while 32 qualifiers battle it out for the right to join them.
Gary Anderson makes his eagerly-anticipated return to the European Tour for the first time since 2016 after coming through the Tour Card holder qualifier.
Anderson’s most recent appearance in a Euro Tour event came at the 2016 European Darts Open in Düsseldorf, and his sole Euro Tour title to date came at the 2014 German Darts Championship.
The two-time World Champion dropped to 22nd in the Order of Merit following the World Championship but has made a promising start to the season, picking up a Players Championship title last month.
Anderson has been drawn to face East European Qualifier Roman Benecký – the Czech thrower who took Ryan Joyce to a last-set decider in the 2021/22 World Championship.
Friday’s afternoon session features a clash between Scottish star Alan Soutar and Dutch Open champion Berry van Peer.
Krzysztof Ratajski, who returned to the winner’s circle on the ProTour a fortnight ago, starts out against 2018 European Matchplay semi-finalist Andy Boulton.
Martin Lukeman, a runner-up on the Euro Tour last season, marks his first continental outing of the campaign against Associate Member qualifier Martijn Dragt – who reached the Last 16 of the Baltic Sea Darts Open in February.
Adam Gawlas aims to recapture the form which led him to the Semi-Finals of the UK Open last month when he opens up against new Tour Card holder Graham Hall.
Former World Masters champion John O’Shea takes on Latvian number one Madars Razma, while recent German Darts Grand Prix quarter-finalist Keane Barry meets Finland’s Marko Kantele.
Former BDO World finalist and Players Championship event winner Jim Williams takes on two-time Development Tour winner George Killington, while Irish youngster Dylan Slevin faces German qualifier Marcel Hausotter.
The evening session features a blockbuster clash between five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld and Premier League star Dimitri van den Bergh.
Dutch legend Van Barneveld is set for a hero’s welcome on his return to home soil as he looks to take another step towards qualification for July’s World Matchplay, as well as the European Championship.
A resurgent Ian White, three times a Euro Tour event winner, starts out against former World Youth champion Arron Monk, before German number one Gabriel Clemens takes on 21-year-old Dutch star Gian Van Veen – a ProTour event finalist last November.
Reigning European Champion Ross Smith opens up against quick-fire Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena, as former Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting does battle with former World Master Adam Smith-Neale.
Daryl Gurney looks to continue the form which carried him to last week’s Austrian Open Semi-Finals when he starts out against emerging German prospect Ricardo Pietreczko – who was narrowly beaten by Michael Smith in a deciding leg last weekend.
Former Lakeside Champion Steve Beaton, quarter-finalist in the season’s first Euro Tour event, has been drawn to face Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts – winner of Players Championship Three in February.
The action gets under way from 12pm BST, with First Round matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
WATCH THE DUTCH DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP STREAMED LIVE
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Dutch Darts Championship 2023 Day One Schedule
All times BST (Local time one hour ahead)
Friday April 28
First Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Graham Hall v Adam Gawlas
Andy Boulton v Krzysztof Ratajski
Alan Soutar v Berry van Peer
Madars Razma v John O’Shea
Keane Barry v Marko Kantele
Jim Williams v George Killington
Martin Lukeman v Martijn Dragt
Dylan Slevin v Marcel Hausotter
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Ian White v Arron Monk
Gian van Veen v Gabriel Clemens
Gary Anderson v Roman Benecky
Stephen Bunting v Adam Smith-Neale
Ricardo Pietreczko v Daryl Gurney
Raymond van Barneveld v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Steve Beaton v Kim Huybrechts
Ross Smith v Jermaine Wattimena
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