The semi-final line up for the PDC World Darts Championship will be finalised in the evening session of the tournament on New Year’s Day as the last two quarter finals get played out inside Alexandra Palace in London.
We have three stars of the game looking to make it into the last four and one of the more entertaining rising stars looking to create a major upset on what looks set to shape up to be a wonderful session of action.
Michael van Gerwen vs Scott Williams
The first of the evening quarter finals sees the man who has climbed the mountain in this tournament three times in the past in Michael van Gerwen going up against a player who is in a first World Championship quarter final in Scott Williams.
Van Gerwen knows what occasions like are all about having been in them a number of times in the past. He goes into this quarter final having yet to drop a set and absolutely dismantling Stephen Bunting in the previous round. Williams has had to come through a few battles to make it to this stage but there hasn’t been a time in the tournament where his level has sufficiently dropped and let his opponent in. He is going to need to be very consistent in this match and make absolutely sure he scores well on his own throw if he is going to have any chance here. In truth, I don’t give him much of a hope without a significant drop off and lots of help from van Gerwen but the outsider doesn’t have much to lose which is something that might help him. Nothing really jumps out in this one although if van Gerwen throws first the 3/1 on him winning 5-0 could give a run for its money. He walloped Chris Dobey by that score in this round last year and were MvG to go 3-0 up which would only need a break of throw in the second set, Williams’ head could drop against someone who is top notch as a front runner. Until we know who has the throw though I’m happy to leave this one alone.
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Luke Humphries vs Dave Chisnall
The last of the quarter finals pits two men who would have arrived at Alexandra Palace at the start of the tournament with the intentions of walking off with the trophy against each other when Luke Humphries takes on Dave Chisnall.
This should be a good one because Humphries has dominated the TV tournaments for the last couple of months while Chisnall was superior on the European Tour, a series where he won three finals against Humphries, so both men have been performing on the stage throughout 2023 and they could get 2024 started with a classic. Those three wins will certainly have Chisnall in no doubt that he can win this while the poise Humphries showed from behind in that epic with Joe Cullen to round out last year told us the levels of confidence and belief that he has in himself and the fact Cullen misses match darts to win will only make Humphries feel more bullet proof. That should further ensure we are in for a cracking contest here. The obvious initial thought is to attack the 180s in this match but a line of 22.5 is a little on the steep side although I do think it will cover. In order for it to cover you would imagine we’ll need eight sets so I would rather back over 7.5 sets instead then if there is a set or two which is won 3-0 without a flurry of 180s we are not dead. Their five meetings in 2023 were all in finals and ended 8-5, 8-5, 8-7, 8-7 and 8-3 so in four of them there was little between them. I sense that pattern continues here so at odds against over 7.5 sets will do me.
Tips
Back L.Humphries vs D.Chisnall – Over 7.5 sets for a 3/10 stake at 2.05 with Coral
