Grand Slam Of Darts

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This gets underway today, at 2pm. It's like a Champions League of Darts, I suppose. There are 8 groups of four players. The top 2 go through to make a final 16 and that final 16 then go into a knock-out competition.

Group A:
Clemens
MVG
Cullen
Hunt

Group B:
Anderson
Whitlock
Searle
Gawlas

Group C :
Smith
Ratajski
De Sousa
Ashton

Group D :
Cross
Chisnall
Humphries
Pipe

Group E:
Wright
White
Petersen
Van Duijvenbode

Group F:
Wade
Durrant
Wattimena
Heta

Group G:
Price
Clayton
Joyce
Suzuki

Group H:
Aspinall
Van Den Bergh
Evans
Warren

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You can pretty much pick out who will make the last 4 if you know who wins the groups and who comes second. Ofcourse nobody knows that but I'm basing that on my picks (selecting whom i think makes each group and going from there) and with that I have 4 main picks (2 from each side of the group) and 2 outsiders. 13pts staked.

2pts E/W De Sousa to win GSOD (grand slam of darts) 25/1 willhill
1pt E/W D.Heta to win GSOD 40/1 betfair
1pt E/W D.Chisnall to win GSOD 40/1 willhill
1pt E/W J.Cullen to win GSOD 40/1 bet365
1pt E/W S.Whitlock to win GSOD 66/1 bet365
0.5pts E/W Van Duijvenbode to win GSOD 100/1 bet365

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A few match bets I like today/tonight

Pipe performed well last week in the Winter Series. Infact he beat Cross in a last leg decider. Cross just looks out of it at the moment. He is struggling massively. Even in the World Cup of Darts he looked like his nerve has gone. Heta has beaten Wade in the last 2 head to heads and I would say is playing the better between the two. Wattimena is also on a bit of form and Durrant looks pretty poor going out cheaply on multiple occasions last week. This is all assuming the forum continues this week.

4pts J.Pipe to beat R.Cross 11/8 betfred
4pts D.Heta to beat J.Wade evens bet365
4pts J.Wattimena to beat Durrant 13/8 bet365
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1pt accy - White / Heta / Pipe 9/1 bet365
0.5pts longer shot accy - Chisnall / Wattimena / Cullen / White  16/1 paddypower

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Wattimena wins but let down by Pipe and Heta. Wade was pretty impressive to be fair to Heta. I'm going with the better game up on stage today mixed with the better form. I think Chisnall should see off Cross. Cross actually played better than i expected against Pipe but I think the lack of scoring from Pipe made him more comfortable. Chisnalls scoring should put that pressure on. Chisnall also has an awesome record against Cross.

Van Den Bergh had the performance of the round yesterday and hit the record for highest average in this event. Part of that is why I'm going for Aspinall here. You rarely see somebody do that twice. Now it's in his head. Finally, despite having De Sousa on the outright pick, I think Smith beats him today. Smith will be playing without any pressure really after an easy win already. De Sousa also won ofcourse and if De Sousa lost then I wouldn't be betting this. Smith has already beaten De Sousa much to my angst whenI was on De Sousa at the Winter Series. De Sousa knows if he loses here then all he needs to likely do is beat Ashton and 2 wins from 3 probably sees you through in a group.

There's a few trappy looking matches today and a few outsiders now that have been priced up purely based on form and I think it's worth a point on these 3 in my outsider accy.

5pts D.Chisnall to beat R.Cross 4/5 betfair 
5pts N.Aspinall to beat Van Den Bergh 4/5 paddypower
5pts M.Smith to beat J.De Sousa 4/5 bet365
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1pt outsider accy - Wattimena  / Van Duijvenbode & Durrant 15.5/1 bet365 

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One that I'm going to add in the Petersen Vs Van Duijvenbode match. I don't remember the last time Petersen didn't get a couple of 180s atleast in a match and this is a match that I expect to go quite close. Infact, if Petersen doesn't hit his doubles he could easily struggle to win it

5pts D.Petersen Vs Van Duijvenbode (Over 2.5 180s) 4/5 bet365

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Crunch time today/tonight but also from a betting perspective, requiring a different look. A few players have already qualified and they go into their matches not really needing anything. That is perhaps going to affect their play.

In terms of my outrights, Chisnall and Whitlock are both already through. Chisnall is going to play Ratjaski/De Sousa. Whitlock will face Clemens or Cullen. De Sousa needs to beat Lisa Ashton but he also needs Michael Smith to do him a favour and beat Ratajski. Joe Cullen will need to beat MVG to go through. Sounds a hard task but atleast MVG doesn't need to win. Van Duijvenbode needs to beat Ian White and hope that Devon Petersen beats Peter Wright. Finally, Heta needs to beat Wattimena. That is a simple winner takes all.

I'm going to take Humphries to beat Rob Cross. It's a simple "Winner takes all" in this match. Humphries is scoring well and playing well too. Cross just still doesn't look right to me. Ryan Searle has looked in pretty good nick this tournament. He lost to Whitlock 5-3 but he averaged 96 for that match and his win yesterday, he averaged 99. If Gary Anderson doesn't step it up then he will be going home. His win over Gawlas (83 average) and loss yesterday (90 average) doesn't compare to Searle.

5pts L.Humphries to beat R.Cross 11/10 betfair
5pts R.Searle to beat G.Anderson 19/20 betfair
1pt accy - Humphries / Searle / Aspinall & Wattimena 10/1 betfair

Grand Slam bets -6pts
Darts 2020 - +54.50pts

 

 

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Cross and Anderson perform, ofcourse. I doubt Cross has hit an average like that this year. We complete the group stage tonight. Much like yesterday there are a few groups already decided. Michael Smith takes on Ratajski in the 2nd match and that will be following the De Sousa Vs Lisa Ashton match. Assuming that De Sousa wins then Ratajski will know he needs to win to go through. De Sousa will want a big win against Ashton (5-0/5-1 probably) but either way, Smith is through and will be pretty comfortable. I think a comfortable Michael Smith is dangerous though and I think he will win that match.

5pts M.Smith to beat K.Ratajski 4/5 bet365
1pt accy - Smith, Van Duijvenbode & Cullen 13/1 betfair

Grand Slam bets -17pts
Darts 2020 - +43.50pts

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Smith beats Ratajski. De Sousa goes through as does Heta. Cullen found a way to go out, missing multiple darts to get the 4th leg he needed. Elsewhere, Peter Wright went out and Price SHOULD have went out.

2pts boosted treble - Whitlock, Wade & Van Den Bergh 4/1 paddypower
1pt accy - Van Den Bergh / Whitlock / Wade / De Sousa to get the most 180s 6/1 skybet

Grand Slam bets -14pts
Darts 2020 - +46.50pts

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Treble and accy both come in. Much needed +14pts to hit level again for the tournament. Whitlock and De Sousa both through to the final 8 but bit worrying how poor the doubling looks. +14pts

Grand Slam bets 0pts
Darts 2020 - +60.50pts

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The remaining 4 matches get underway tonight. Michael Smith kicks off the night against Rob Cross. I see Smith as the favourite in this event right now and i think he beats Rob tonight and most likely with a few legs to spare. Smith, since winning that all important PDC event, has won 3 out of 3 and hit over 100 averages in all three matches. 

The 2nd match is Devon Petersen against Damon Heta. I'll be hoping for Heta to get through this but he's going to need to sharpen up on his doubling. Devon was pretty shocking against Wright but Wright was worse and Devon has the excuse that the match didn't matter. If Heta turns up and can hit an average in the latter 90s then I think that will be enough to see him through. 

MVG takes on Anderson next. Anderson has a real problem with his knee and he has always struggled with back issues. MVG has just came back from a back issue himself and so it could be a scrappy match. You'd have to side with MVG based on Andersons recent form. Finally, Aspinall takes on Price. Aspinall has beaten Price in both of their 2020 head-to-heads. Price shouldn't be here after being 4-2 against Joyce in a "first to 5" 

I'll add Aspinall in an accy with Heta and the two favourites. I'll go with a point saver with MVG and Price to hit their match trebles. 

2pts M.Smith to beat beat R.Cross, most 180s and highest checkout 5/2 paddypower
1pt accy - Smith, Heta, MVG, Aspinall 12/1 willhill
1pt boosted double - MVG and G.Price to both win their matches, most 180s and highest checkout 22/1 paddypower

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12/1 accy comes in. 3 outrights into the final 8. Whitlock, Heta & De Sousa. 

Grand Slam bets +9pts
Darts 2020 - +69.50pts

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Quarter-finals today with the Semi-finals running after it. Here is the line-up ;

M.Smith Vs J.De Sousa
D.Heta Vs J.Wade
N.Aspinall Vs D.Van Den Bergh
MVG Vs S.Whitlock

Whilst I hope De Sousa can beat Smith and Heta can beat Wade etc etc I think Smith beats De Sousa and Wade wins too and both to win with a few to spare. Mainly because of experience. Wade especially looks to be up for this and his doubling was the best of everybody lastnight.

If Whitock turns up then he can easily beat MVG. He's done it before on multiple occasions.

2.5pts M.Smith (-1.5 legs) J.Wade (-1.5 legs) Van Den Bergh 5/1 bet365
1.5pts M.Smith & J.Wade to win and hit the most 180s in their match 14/1
 

[Fader]

Must admit I thought it was all finishing tonight like it normally would.

semi finals tomorrow and finals next day like you say, yes.

the 14/1 I actually expected to come in today. It should have too. It Smith wins the match it comes in but I can’t really complain about my outright pick going through to the Semi finals. Whitlock making it through would make it rather special 

[Fader]

11 minutes ago, BrandNew said:

I don't think that they would make the players play two matches of that length in a day - let alone three!

Well, no. 

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YES! Whitlock!! He just hit 20!! 180s. Simon Whitlock Vs De Sousa Semi-final. What a Semi-final that is going to be tomorrow. In the other Semi-final Van Den Bergh takes on James Wade.

Grand Slam bets +5pts
Darts 2020 - +65.50pts

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Semi finals tonight then :

S.Whitlock Vs J.De Sousa
J.Wade Vs D.Van Den Bergh

The first Semi-final, I think De Sousa wins. Whitlock has now beaten MVG three times in a row. It's a match he just loves recently and has rose to the occasion in all 3. He got abit of luck last night with MVG missing doubles but he still averaged close to 100 and hit TWENTY 180s. I think his level drops tonight and I think De Sousa wins a scrappy one. In the other match, if it continues in both players form then it could be an epic match. You would have to say the winner of Wade Vs Van Den Bergh would be the favourite to win the event. I'm siding with Van Den Bergh's scoring here. 

5pts De Sousa & Van Den Bergh double 2/1 paddypower

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If Whitlock is to win tonight he's going to need to hit 180s. Van Den Bergh is going to outscore Wade. If I think Van Den Bergh wins and hits the most 108s (which I do) I think it's worth a 1pt saver on the following

1pt S.Whitlock and Van Den Bergh to both win and get the most 180s 13/2 paddypower

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Ugh Van Den Bergh really bottled a few legs at the end there and Wade done what Wade does. The big final then. I already have De Sousa as an outright pick and so for me it's a no bet tonight. I think Wade wins it but I'm sticking by my guy. Come on De Sousa!

Grand Slam bets -1pts
Darts 2020 - +59.50pts

[Foo_Fighter]

43 minutes ago, Fader said:

Ugh Van Den Bergh really bottled a few legs at the end there and Wade done what Wade does. The big final then. I already have De Sousa as an outright pick and so for me it's a no bet tonight. I think Wade wins it but I'm sticking by my guy. Come on De Sousa!

Grand Slam bets -1pts
Darts 2020 - +59.50pts

De Sousa is a fantastic player. Why is he considered the underdog in tonight's final? Don't have much experience in darts so I'd appreciate it if you could give me some information about their games, their past or their current level of play etc @Fader

[Fader]

1 hour ago, Foo_Fighter said:

De Sousa is a fantastic player. Why is he considered the underdog in tonight's final? Don't have much experience in darts so I'd appreciate it if you could give me some information about their games, their past or their current level of play etc @Fader

Hi Foo_Fighter,

It's purely experience and more importantly, Composure. 

Not many players would have beaten Van Den Bergh yesterday from a position of being so far behind. Van Den Bergh was throwing for the match and was broken. He broke back and then got broken again by Wade. Wade was behind all match until the final dart. He just never gives up and in positions where he needs to hit a double 9 times out of 10 he hits it.

De Sousa scores better and he has been far more solid in a sense. He has hit 95+ averages all week and he did it consistently in the series too. The problem is the finals was a different story. In positions over the last two matches he has looked shaky when he sees the finish line. Luckily, his scoring and the opposite player not being close enough has been enough for him to surge ahead but with Wade he is just always there nagging you, waiting for your mistakes.

Wade has played De Sousa twice and won both. De Sousa actually said he would have preferred to play Van Den Bergh. Wade CAN through in a shocker of a match now and again though. I just want De Sousa to not let himself down with a rubbish average.

my prediction is Wade wins by 2. Wade 16-14 De Sousa

Hope I'm wrong

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Brilliant performance. A 158 out to win it. That was nervy.

[vikki37]

hooray!!!!!! Well done and thank you as always!! Congrats, @Fader!!

[Fader]

Thanks @vikki37Hope you were on.

Grand Slam bets +65pts
Darts 2020 - +125.50pts