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!

Interview with 2001 PDC Grand Prix Winner and former BDO and PDC World number 1: ' the Iceman' Alan Warriner-Little

Hi Guys

It is my pleasure to bring to you my interview with the former 2001 PDC Grand Prix Winner and former BDO and PDC World number 1, ' the Iceman' Alan Warriner-Little:

Q1:  A nice easy and obvious one but how did you get into playing darts and did you have any inspirations?

AWL: Started playing darts in a league when I was in a snooker, billiards and darts league team in Lancaster for my then snooker skills!! around 1983 (I did play at home but wasn’t in any darts teams at the time) They were short one week so put me in to play darts and I beat who was considered the best player in the league at the time, he wasn’t happy so challenged me to another game after the match for £5, which was a lot then, and beat him again. So then played Darts regularly and I won the singles the same year. My Dad who got me into this team was one of the top darts & billiards players in his time so got it from him.

Q2: You actually appeared on Bullseye as a contestant before becoming a professional player. Memories of that show?

AWL: Bullseye was brilliant, and still is, at the time it used to have an incredible following on Sundays going well into the millions, and was massive in the sense of promoting the game. I remember travelling down straight from a night shift at 7am as work wouldn't give me the night off so was pretty tired. Everyone at the show really made you welcome and having 3 shows a day you got to know a lot of other people there. We won the show, but didn’t gamble at the time as we had over £600 and most of the prizes and you gambled everything at that time. My wife now still has it on the SKY planner, with all the ones I did since when I did the bronze bully challenge ‘About 6’ she often puts them on when we have visitors, so I leg it upstairs…!!  

Q3: You made an impact virtually instantly, winning the British Pentathlon in 1988 (ending Lowe’s 6 year run beating him in the final) , winning the Belgium and Dutch Opens in 89 and going to a sudden death leg with Jocky in the second round  of your World Championship debut, having had 8 match darts to win.   You were only mid 20’s at the time, memories of that time (if you had won it could have changed the face and future of darts as Bristow may have gone on to win his 6th title or you could have done an 83 Deller).

AWL: Yes, got into the County team very quickly, and started playing in the opens etc Was selected for England within 1 year of playing County Darts and won the 2nd open event I played in ‘Isle of Man Open 1986’ I won £1,000 for that and was only on a small wage at the time. Into 88 & 89 got sponsored off Datadart * Managed by Tommy Cox so started travelling to the World Ranked Opens and had an immediate impact, and started qualifying for the TV events. Against Jocky Wilson, I remember I was 0-3 down in sets then woke up to get back to 3-3 and lead in final set, I left 46 after 9 darts but couldn’t hit the double to win it ‘8 Darts’ and eventually lost. Could have changed everything, but at the end of the day it didn’t happen.    

Q4: An obvious one but what were your first set of darts and what were your practice routines back then and as you developed.

AWL: First set of darts I got was for x-mas, were bristows darts and got a board so used to play a lot at home in my bedroom, my darts after that ‘From Datadart’ were very similar. Used to just play in a lot of leagues in the town, most nights basically and at home. As when you go out, your not just playing you play before and after.

Q5: You made the 1993 final against John Lowe, derailing Steve Beaton 5-2 in the semi-final when Beaton was running through everyone. What happened in the final with Lowe, you didn’t look like the same player, though interestingly despite the scoreline in the averages there was nothing in it.

AWL: Just didn’t happen, had loads of chances early on but made it too hard to get back.

Q6: You were Mr Consistency in the PDC for 15 years, consistently making late round in tournaments (7 quarter finals and 2 semi-finals in the world championship), were both the World number 1 in BDO and PDC and winning multiple events. What do you attribute your ability to stay at the top for so long to?

AWL: Desire to win, didn’t like losing so used to go into a game with the attitude ‘Your Not Beating Me’

Q7: The 2001 PDC Grand Prix was a Massive win for you, your first PDC major and hitting a 106.45 average on double start which stands to this day (2017). Memories of that event, you looked like you wouldn’t be denied!

AWL: Getting that first World win was ‘The Monkey off the back' scenario’s as had lost in so many semis and finals. I was so determined to win, I wasn’t going to let it go this time, my focus was incredible, I wasn’t to be denied. 

Q8: If you could name your one greatest match what would it be (televised or other) – heard you posted a 9 darter in the Irish Open in 2002 (back before it was common as it is now).

AWL: Probably the semi-final of the WMP v Baxter, who was one of the top boys at the time. I just hit everything, I remember Jeff Stelling saying to me after, I spoke to you during one of the breaks and you didn’t know I was there, you were so focused. The other was an invitation open in Surrey where I beat Phil Taylor in the Final, both of us averaged over 106 which was unheard of at the time.

Q9: You retired from the Professional circuit in 2010 (think Australian Open Players Championship that August) at the young age of 47/48. What prompted the move as there still a fair few over 50 competing now?

AWL: I actually retired in 2007, I only played in the Australian Open in 2010 as I was over there with 4 other players doing a week of exhibitions work. I stopped enjoying it, and didn’t want to practice, at the same time I started doing the PDPA work which I an still doing and was asked by ITV to do the first Grand Slam of Darts as a pundit/commentator, which I am still doing so it was an easy transition.

Q10:  What a typical day in the life of Mr Warriner-Little these days?

AWL: With the PDPA work I do now, it is pretty much 24/7 as during the week we have a PDPA office in Carlisle 10-4, I attend most PDC events ‘Pro-Tour, Challenge Tour, Development Tour, TV Events’ which take up most weekends, and work from home when not travelling, in the office or at events. We get a constant stream of calls, texts, emails and queries, comments and complaints from players and I also run the PDPA website by myself ‘www.pdpa.co.uk’ which has to have all the updated information on regarding rules, changes, deadlines, travel, hotels event info etc, etc on a daily basis, I am also in daily communication with the PDC & DRA on all issues so its pretty much now stop. And have a lot of PDPA Partners, I still do the odd exhibition when I can fit it in.

I just want to take the time to thank Mr Warriner-Little for taking the time to do this interview as it has been an honor and pleasure.

Luke

Out with the old, In with the new...........Winmau Blade 5 Board!

Hi Guys

Take a look at this Winmau Masters board: 

No it hasn’t spent a life on the rubbish tip or some ancient social club, a relic of the early 80’s!

This is the board I have been using for about 3 years. It’s served me well but has become utterly unplayable. Now I like to use an old style board as I find it makes you more accurate (thicker wires, staples etc.) however there comes a time when the thing is so wrecked that it’s actually a hindrance to practicing!

The time has truly come to put this thing out to pasture.

Look at that T20. I must have been doing something right!

I there elected to finally trade up to the latest Winmau Blade 5. Now I know there is a lot of debate over the Unicorn HD 2 vs Blade 5.

Now I have owned a HD and I’ll be honest it lasted only a few months. It looked great out of the box (stunning in-fact), but after a few hours play it looked a year old! Admittedly my inaccuracy played a part however 2 numbers on the ring broke in the first 5 minutes, and the spider looked wretched by this point. That I changed it for the Winmau Masters within a few months speaks volumes.

 You only have to see the issues players in the PDC are having at major tournaments (bounce outs and fallouts) to know that something isn’t quite right.

The Blade board is a pub standard and the official board of the BDO. I have had a 2 and a 3, and played my league matches on a 4 and they’re great, and the 5 is no exception. Wafer thin spider, clear as hell and looks great!

I was lucky in that Argos were doing a deal for £35 for both the board and the surround! 

So here you have it, my new setup:

I would truly advise anyone thinking of buying one to invest in one of these.


Take Care

Luke

PDC Players Championship 2017: Summary

Hi Guys

A great Players Championship 2017. came to an end Sunday, with MVG coming out a deserved winner over the 3 days averaging about 104 for the tournament.

There was some upsets along the way with my pick Gary Anderson going out in the first round and  Dave Chisnall bowing out in the second round to William O’Connor.

I must single out a few players who I thought were outstanding:

Justin Pipe: Overcame number 2 seed Darryl Gurney 10-9 in the quarter final to reach his furthest in a major since the Players Championship 2013. Here’s hoping that this will help propel the ‘Force’ back up the rankings.

Rob Cross: My number 2 pick made the quarters for the 3^rd consecutive PDC event, and has come from nowhere to reach number 20 in the OOM in less than 1 year.

Steve Beaton: The ‘Adonis’ reached his furthest in a PD major since the World Matchplay 2016 and if it wasn’t for a very spirited performance from Jonny Clayton (himself reaching his first ever major final) he could have been a  finalist for the first time since the 2009 European Championship.

All in all it was great to see a variety of players showcased that we don’t usually get to see and a  BIG Well Done to MVG who won his 4^th title in 5 years.

PDC Players Championship Final 2017: My View

Hi Guys

Its one of my favourite tournaments of the year this week, the Players Championship final 2017, held at Butlins Minehead.

I love this as it gives a chance of television time to players you won’t usually see on TV events as they are outside of the top 16 and 32.

Now that’s not a knock on the PDC, however some of the tournaments are top xx only, which means that you are seeing the same matches (however fantastic quality) over and over again, whereas I like the idea of floor events where anyone can qualify.

In-fact at £100,000 for the winner, it’s a fantastic opportunity for players lower down the top 64 to rocket up the OOM, crack the top 16 or secure their position.

There is a helluva lot to play for.

This could be a breakthrough tournament for Rob Cross, as he has excelled on the pro tour this year winning 4 events and topping the tour order of merit (oom), is getting better by the month and is arguably the newcomer of the year.

Whilst I’d love for it to be an upset winner it  will be hard to look past MVG who has won this in 3 of the last 4 years, 2014 winner Gary Anderson and Peter Wright (who won the UK Open and has been a finalist in Matchplay, Grandslam and Premier League events this year).

I’m therefore going to cop out and choose 2, 1 from the favourite pile and 1 from the outsider section.

Favourite: Gary Anderson
Outsider: Rob Cross

Lets’ see how it unfolds

Luke

Rob Cross: I said he was one to watch!

Hi Guys

back in March 2017, i did one of my World Watch blogs:

http://mydartinglife.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/world-watch-rob-cross-this-guy-is-gonna.html

on Rob Cross saying he was one to watch in 2017/18 and boy has that come to true.

Since then Cross has won 3 more Player Championship events, made multiple tour finals and qualified for the BIG TV events as well as storming up the rankings (23 at the time of this post)!

Considering that less than 2 years ago he was playing causal darts in the pub, this is an incredible achievement!

If he can keep this up i can see top 10 within the next 12 months.

Rob Cross: You are a MASSIVE inspiration to us all

Luke

3/11/2017: 180!!!

Hi guys

Just hit a 180 with 24g Ton Machines,  short nlyons and 75mn Les Wallace flights