The last 32 of the final European Tour event of the year takes place across the two sessions of play in Gottingen on Saturday as the European Darts Trophy sees the seeded players coming to the party for the first time this week.
There is plenty on the line for a number of players over the course of the weekend and to win the big money matches have to be won on Saturday so we might see one of the most competitive days of darts we’ve seen all season.
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Afternoon Session
The day begins in good style with Joe Cullen is action against Matthew Edgar before one of the favourites for the tournament is on show when Michael Smith goes up against the Finnish World Cup star Marko Kantele. Dave Chisnall is another high profile player out early in the afternoon. He faces Ryan Joyce before Stephen Bunting takes us to the interval when he faces Mickey Mansell.
The big names keep on coming in the afternoon as Daryl Gurney gets play back up and running after the break. He goes up against Luke Humphries before Simon Whitlock and Richard North do battle yet another time in 2018. Ian White is up in the second to last match of the afternoon when he takes on John Henderson while Jonny Clayton faces Gabriel Clemens to bring the session to a close.
Evening Session
The home crowds will be in good voice for the first match of the evening as it sees local last Martin Schindler in action. He faces Mervyn King for a place in the last 16 before Gerwyn Price takes to the stage to meet Steve Beaton. The third match of the evening will be a blink and you miss it job when Darren Wenster and Ricky Evans collide and the match after that is unlikely to be much slower when good friends Michael van Gerwen and Vincent van der Voort do battle.
After the interval the star names and good looking matches keep on coming. World number two Peter Wright faces up to Jelle Klaasen before James Wade faces Toni Alcinas. The German crowds will be in good voice once again in the penultimate clash of the night as Max Hopp faces Krzysztof Ratajski before the day is rounded off with the world champion Rob Cross in action. He faces Jeffrey de Zwaan in what might just be the pick of the matches on Saturday.
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Betting
I’ll be with the home crowds on Saturday as I’m backing a couple of German talents to come through. Martin Schindler showed some good form on Friday and he can take care of a Mervyn King who is never one to like the crowd against him as it will be here. King looks like a man struggling fitness wise as much as with his form while Schindler will surely be inspired by the crowds. Schindler averaged 91 and loose change on Friday. Anything around that mark may well be enough on Saturday too.
Max Hopp is enjoying a fine season and he can strengthen his seeding for the European Championship a little more by beating Krzysztof Ratajski on Saturday. Credit goes to the Pole for beating Steve West on Friday but I think he might have his work cut out not just against Hopp on Saturday but also the crowd. Hopp usually uses the crowd for inspiration and to get him going and with them behind him he can see off the talented, but sometimes one-paced, Polish player.
Tips
WON – Back M.Schindler to beat M.King for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
Back him here:
WON – Back M.Hopp to beat K.Ratajski for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with William Hill
Back him here:
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