Kevin Munch:I said he'd make waves!

Hi Guys

I seem to be on a roll at the moment with my world watches.

I singled out Rob Cross to make it BIG this year and another of my world watches Kevin Munch:

http://mydartinglife.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/world-watch-kevin-munch-hitting-gold-in.html

has just taken out 2x PDC World Champion Adrian Lewis in the first round of the  2018 World Championship!

With Klassen,  Bunting, Lewis, Wade, Chizzy, Webster all suffering first round exits i think we could see some unexpected players going deep this year

Luke

Paul Lim delivers a staggering performance aged 63 to show everyone that age is no barrier!

Hi Guys

Wow!!!!

That's all i can say!

Watching Paul Lim, aged 63 (64 in January) and the last active player from the 80's golden era and who made his World Championship debut in 1982 (35 years ago, before Mark Webster was even born) perform better than he had at any previous World Championship was breathtaking stuff!

Whats even more remarkable is that Lim had to play a prelim match beforehand (winning 2-0), and then to take the 5th set 3-0 at nearly midnight to win 3-2. To do that at any age is tough let alone over 60 and shows just what a legend the man is.

In doing so Lim qualified for the first round for the first time in 4 years and reached the second round for the first time in 15 years. To do it with his highest average ever in the Championship and under these conditions is quite frankly staggering!

It was fantastic seeing the crowd get behind him and his ovation at the end would be worthy of anyone winning the Championship.

In an era when age is always being sighted as a reason not to do something or be considered unable to do something Lim is for me just pure inspiration.  To put things into perspective, Lim is 3 years older Nearly 4) than Eric Bristow who has been retired from the Professional ranks for 20 years, 6 nearly 7 years older than Keith Deller who retired 10 years ago and he has outlasted a number of his contemporaries and 90's counterparts.

Next up is former 2x World Champion Gary Anderson. It will be a VERY tall order but even if he doesn't get through, he gave us something special that will be remembered for years to come

Luke

PDC World Championship 2018: My prediction

Hi Guys

Its that time of year again.

Im abit late with this, and there has already been a few surprises with Bunting, Chizzy and Klassen all making first round exits.

On paper it would seem like one of the obvious 2 to win it in Gary Anderson and MVG seeing as both have won it twice in the last 4 years.

It has been nice to See  Steve Beaton and Vincent Van De Voort progress to round 2, however its the half with MVG which will be a VERY tall order for anyone.

Really want to see Paul Lim get through the prelim and face off against Mark Webster.  I'm a fan of Webster however i have a soft spot for the 'older' player and Lim is the last of the 'Golden' era of 80's BDO players still active having made his BDO World Championship debut in 1982 (35 years ago).

We of course cant write off the 16x World Champion Phil Taylor, whose appearing in his last World Championship and will look to go out on a high.  Everyone wrote him off before the 2017 Matchplay and look what he did there, and Rob Cross is having an amazing 2017 and seems like set play.

As usual i am going with a favorite and an outsider

Favorite: MVG to power to his 3rd World Champsionship
Outsider: Rob Cross

Lets see how it goes

Luke

2017 Zuiderduin Masters: Well done to Danny Noppert who takes the 2017 trophy!

Hi Guys

I have been off the scene for abit, however i just wanted to say a BIG

"WELL DONE"

to Danny Noppert who won his first BDO major in the 2017 Zuiderdiun Masters.

In doing so Noppert ended Glen Durrant's run of 2 consecutive wins and become the first Dutchman in 13 years to lift the Trophy (the last being Barney's 5-1 over Ted Hankey in 2014, when Noppert was 13)

Having reached the BDO World Final in 2017 and now adding this Major Noppy will be one to watch in the 2018 World Championship

Interview with the Legend Dennis 'The Menace' Priestley

Dear all

It is my absolute pleasure to bring you my interview with the 2x Champion of the World, and true  Legend in the sport of darts.............. Dennis 'The Menace' Priestley!

Q1: You seemed to come out of nowhere aged 40 in 1990, won the BDO World Championship in your first appearance in 1991 and then seemed to win everything. When did you start playing darts, What were you doing in darts before then and what made you turn pro (it was obviously a fantastic decision)?

DP: I had a bet on a horse called Grundy which won the derby in1976 so I bought a set of tungsten darts which were £11.20. I started playing once a week in a league an then all of a sudden I was playing everyday in different leagues, and I won local individual titles. I won McCeans open at Morecombe I think in 1983.I then got selected for Yorkshire and England I went to some tournaments and qualified for the embassy which after winning at my 1st attempt allowed me to turn professional

Q2: You use a very specific set of darts, what were the darts you used before your Winmau model and what weights have you used. It’s rumoured that you won the 1991 Worlds with a 12g set which if true is a record for lightest darts to have won a World Championship (either PDC or BDO)?

DP: My darts started at 26g copper tungsten they wore down to 11g and were this weight wen I won both world champs they eventually broke on the thread.

Q3: Bobby George tells a story of a practice match you had with him at lakeside in 1992 where you had darts at a 9 darter for the 5 legs played and you went 10-10-10-10-9 in legs which prompted him to have  a large bet on you.  Bobby Said it’s the greatest performance he’d seen.  Can you share any details on this legend?

DP: Yes what Bobby says is correct

Q4: An obvious one but how often and for how long did you used to practice, both pre-professional and after and did you change anything up as you got older?

DP: I played everyday and after turning pro I had plenty of exhibition work which was good practice. As I got older I found that I didn’t practice much but did practice coming up to tournaments. Now the darts circuit is full and they are playing competitive darts which keeps them match fit.

Q5: This ties into Q4. What were your practice routines both pre-professional and after and did you change anything up as you got older?

DP: I used to go round the doubles and different finishes up to 80 then round off with games of 501

Q6: You have a very poised throw which was different from anyone else at the time. Was this something that came natural or by necessity?

DP: By necessity

Q7: After winning the championship again in 1994, winning everything and hitting the averages you were (100+, which then was exceptional) it must have felt like you were about to dominate darts for the foreseeable future, however the 6-1 loss lit a fire under Taylor that in effect drove him to become the greatest ever.   It must have felt at times like “what have I done”?

DP: yes I always tell people that I made him the all-time best player by that 6 1 beating.

Q8:  What is your favourite match outside of your majors?

DP: I once did 2 nine dart games and missed double 18 for a 3rd in an exhibition in Woolwich. I know the Winmau World Masters is a major but I had 2 of my best games I beat Alan Warriner in the semis with a 105 average and then Mike Gregory in the final with a 102 average.

Q9: You retired from the circuit in 2014 after an incredible career winning major titles, and events. What prompted the decision to call it a day?

DP: I lost my desire and also my age prompted me to call it a day, I still do exhibitions and legend nights.

Q10:  How is your health now, and how do you spend your days now you are not active on the professional circuit.

DP: My health at the moment is good ,I have blood tests every year to check my P.S.A. levels as I said in Q9 I still do exhibitions when asked .

I just want to take the opportunity to thank Mr Priestley for doing me this honor, it has been a privilege 

Luke

Zuiderduin Masters 2017: My Prediction

Hi Guys

One of my fave tournaments starts the 8th of December, the 22nd annual Zuiderduin Masters!

I have a soft spot for the Dutch anyway, however this is a fantastic event and a highlight of the BDO calendar.

The trophy has been lifted in the past by such darting alumni as:

Gary Anderson (x2)
Barney (x4)
Martin Adams (x2)

Glen Durrant has won it the last 2 years in a row, and based on current form would be favoured to be the first player to lift in 3x in a row.

Mark McGeeney is having a cracking 2017 also though having won 4 opens (including the Dutch open) and getting to the World Masters final.

Im going to have to go with Glen on this one though i wouldn't be surprised to see McGeeney, Waites, Mitchell or even Fitton come out on top

Luke

How I Got into Darts: Chapter 12: The day i realised i could be a good player!

The date was the 22nd of June 2015.

This was the day/date when I realised that I had what it takes, not just to be a good pub darts player but potentially a player who could make some waves at local tournaments.

It was by far the greatest darts match I had played up to that point.

It wasn't my near victory over Eric Bristow or my run to the doubles final, but a match that if it needed a headline would be called "Redemption":

We were playing against the Seagull and it was the first time that I had come up against my old team since I left.

It was 16 months in the making and it felt like a shot at redemption and the opportunity to show that I wasn’t the player they thought I was.

Now it should be stated that the Seagull were a VERY good team. They had got promoted to the top league the season I was with them (don’t think they lost) and all their players were of a good standard. 

I was Captain at the time and when the draw was being done, in my head I was thinking “don’t draw their Captain, don’t draw their Captain”

Guess what………………I drew their Captain!

Now let me explain, there team was full of good players however their Captain was VERY good (didn’t lose a league game the season I was with them) and took the game seriously. I had watched him give (then) BDO top 30 player Gary Stafford all he could handle (and had darts to win) in the cup when at the Seagull so knew he had a strong game and was a better player than me.

I can remember everything clearly. 

I was wearing a bright Dutch orange polo shirt , using 18 gram red dragon featherlite darts, short medium nylon deflectagrip stems in blue and Co Stompe orange Kite Flights.

I was used to ending up going on late (23:00+) however fortunately the draw was kind and I was early in the third match (about 21:00).

My heart was racing, this would be a shot at redemption for me:

He won the bull however I got off to a flyer hitting BIG scores as did he.

He hit 60, I hit 60, he hit 60, I hit 80, he hit 80, I hit 138, he hit 100, I hit 120, he hit 100, I hit 100

I took the first leg taking out D4 after some iffy D16’s, averaging around 80!

He then took the second leg in a close one.

It was now 1-1.

 I won the bull to start to start the decider and i again got off to a blinder hitting 

140,46, 95,100, 80,  to leave myself on 40 after 15 darts and my opponent still back on 270!

At this point my heart was littering beating out of my chest and I botched D20 to end up on 5. 

I took out 2-1-d1 to take the decider!

Afterwards even a lot of their team said “great darts”, which was nice. 

It was a special moment for me to beat a player of that quality, in that situation, in that way and showed that on my day I could be a match for a lot of good players!