The PDC regular tour resumes on Friday when the European Darts Trophy begins in Muelheim. This tournament is quite a significant one with the World Grand Prix fast approaching and those not yet in that event, and there are some big names, are running out of time to qualify.
As always with the current format for European Tour events this is a three day tournament with the qualifiers facing each other on Friday to try and progress to face the seeded players on Saturday before the tournament concludes from the last 16 stage on Sunday.
I will provide an outright preview of the event once the tournament is down to the last 32 stage after Friday’s play but there are 16 matches on the opening day in Germany which we can get stuck into before then.
There are some really big names in action on the first day of the tournament. Three world champions toe the oche on day one with Christian Kist, Raymond Barneveld and Stephen Bunting all in action and there are some other established stars such as Mark Dudbridge, Wes Newton and Kevin Painter also on show.
These matches might be harder to bet on than usual as this is the first time since the World Matchplay some of these players will have played competitively so I’m expecting a few surprises along the way it must be said.
In the afternoon session on Friday finding safe bets looks a tricky exercise although you would think the likes of Daryl Gurney, Cristo Reyes and Jyhan Artut should come through but my betting fancies come in the evening.
Christian Kist hasn’t been having a particularly good time of it recently and I think he’s there for the taking in this match. He takes on his improving countryman Dirk van Duijvenbode for the right to face Robert Thornton in the second round and I think the youngster is a little overpriced.
Van Duijvenbode has reached a couple of quarter finals this year including in the last round of Players Championship tournaments so he is making positive strides on the circuit. Couple that with Kist who has only gone past the last 16 of a tournament once since March and I think you could say this match is priced up wrongly.
At the prices on offer I think van Duijvenbode is worthy of a bet and he looks the best value on what is likely to be a tricky opening day for punters.
Back D.van Duijvenbode to beat C.Kist for a 3/10 stake at 2.63 with Coral
