Live Darts on Saturday | Dutch Darts Championship 2026 Day Two Preview and Order of Play
The seeded stars commence their 2026 Dutch Darts Championship campaigns in the second round in Maastricht on Saturday.
The opening day of the season’s final European Tour event saw Kim Huybrechts squander four match darts in a deciding leg defeat to Jimmy van Schie, severely damaging his chances of European Championship qualification.
Meanwhile, Karel Sedlacek, Sebastian Bialecki and Michael Smith all picked up crucial wins in their quest to reach Dortmund next week.
The qualification race is set for more twists and turns on Day Two, kicking off with a crucial showdown between Czech star Sedlacek and German number one Martin Schindler.
Sedlacek, who saw off Callan Rydz in Round One, could all but clinch his qualification with victory here, while the same applies to Schindler – who has not been beyond the second round stage in his last seven European Tour outings.
The afternoon session also features a clash between World Series Finals winner Ross Smith – who is guaranteed to be number one seed in Dortmund – and former European Tour finalist Ryan Joyce, who whitewashed Owen Bates on Friday.
Wessel Nijman, a winner of two European Tour titles this season, comes up against Players Championship event winner Jeffrey De Graaf.
Baltic Sea Darts Open champion Luke Woodhouse opens up against former UK Open champion Andrew Gilding – who edged out Max Hopp in a last-leg shootout on Friday.
Fifth seed Danny Noppert, who continues to chase down an elusive maiden European Tour title, faces eight-time European Tour event winner Dave Chisnall.
Heine Uuldriks enjoyed a fairy-tale debut on Friday by recovering from 3-0 down and landing a bullseye finish to defeat Ricardo Pietreczko, and the host nation qualifier now comes up against Brendan Dolan – who received a late call-up via the reserve list following the withdrawal of Rob Cross.
World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode looks to delight the partisan Dutch crowd once again when he faces World Championship semi-finalist Ryan Searle.
European Darts Open champion Krzysztof Ratajski faces a tough opening assignment against two-time European Tour semi-finalist Niels Zonneveld – who dispatched Mike De Decker in Round One.
The evening session sees home hero Michael van Gerwen, the most successful player in European Tour history, aim to put his miserable run of form behind him when he faces William O’Connor in a repeat of their World Championship clash last December.
Van Gerwen has already suffered four opening match exits on the European Tour, including in his last two appearances, more than any other in a single season since the incept of the Euro Tour in 2012.
Former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall takes on former World Champion Michael Smith in another mouth-watering encounter.
Aspinall picked up the German Darts Grand Prix title earlier this season and will be out to end Smith’s hopes of gate-crashing the European Championship, with ‘Bully Boy’ having survived two match darts from Stephen Burton in the deciding leg before taking out 80 to seal a 6-5 win on Friday.
Swiss Darts Trophy champion Jonny Clayton launches his quest for back-to-back European Tour titles with a tie against Damon Heta – a four-time semi-finalist on the Euro Tour this season.
All eyes will be on Stephen Bunting as he faces a make or break battle against Cameron Menzies in terms of the European Championship race.
Sedlacek’s opening round win saw Bunting drop out of the provisional spots, and he now faces a nervy showdown against Menzies – who thrashed Nick Kenny 6-1.
Second seed Gerwyn Price, runner-up in his last three major tournaments, starts out against former World Championship semi-finalist Scott Williams – who saw off Niko Springer in a dramatic decider on Friday.
Reigning European Champion Gian van Veen looks to warm up for next week’s title defence in style this weekend, and the world number three faces a tricky opener against emerging Polish star Sebastian Bialecki – who must win to keep his slim qualification hopes alive.
Former European Championship finalist Jermaine Wattimena faces an all-Dutch showdown on home soil against 2025 WDF World Champion Jimmy van Schie – who took out 116 to sink Huybrechts in a decider on Friday.
Former World Championship semi-finalist Chris Dobey aims to put his wretched recent form on the doubles behind him when he comes up against Spain’s Cristo Reyes – who is also already assured of a place in the European Championship.
The action gets under way from 12pm BST, with second round ties to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
Dutch Darts Championship 2026 Day Two Schedule
All times BST (local time +1 hour)
Saturday October 17
Second Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Martin Schindler v Karel Sedlacek
Wessel Nijman v Jeffrey De Graaf
Luke Woodhouse v Andrew Gilding
Ross Smith v Ryan Joyce
Danny Noppert v Dave Chisnall
Ryan Searle v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Brendan Dolan v Heine Uuldriks
Krzysztof Ratajski v Niels Zonneveld
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Gerwyn Price v Scott Williams
Jermaine Wattimena v Jimmy van Schie
Stephen Bunting v Cameron Menzies
Gian van Veen v Sebastian Bialecki
Michael van Gerwen v William O’Connor
Jonny Clayton v Damon Heta
Nathan Aspinall v Michael Smith
Chris Dobey v Cristo Reyes
