Darts: PDC Players Championship.

[theoldmaster]

well i'm still smiling after my excellent World Championship but eager to get back to betting on top class darts again and the this is the perfect start for 2010. This tournament is contested by the top 32 players in the Players Championship Order of Merit, this is collated from all the PC's held over 2009, all mainly floor events, untelevised held throughout Europe, and hence why you may notice top names missing, Barneveld, Part, and Whitlock are the notable absentees, through not plying enough of the qualifying events. Sorry for going over the format for non darts fans but think it's only right to explain for any new members. right down to business. OUTRIGHTS COLIN OSBORNE @ 50/1.e.w felt sorry for Colin at Ally Pally he was avg 96 and still lost to a superb Whitlock performance, but this is a different event and the Wizard comes into it as the No.3 seed. this seeding displays how well Colin played last year on the tour. and like all my picks is in the opposite half to Taylor, he will have to fight past good players Stompe awaits in round one and we all know he was a man possesed at WCs, but i'm taking Col to edge him out, then i expect him to have to face Caven (more on him later), then Baxter in last 8 before he meets Anderson in semis, make no mistakes these are quality opponents but all players that Osborne is capable of beating and to win big tournaments these boys have to be overcome. just think for number 3 seed 50's is far too long. MARK WALSH @ 40/1.e.w. number 2 seed at 40's yes please i'll have that! with Walshie we know what we will get. grit, determination and consistentcy all qualities that win titles. he had an excellent year on the floor too, but went out in Worlds to Webster but i reckon if walshie had won that one he would hve reached last 4 too. He's will have to beat the "bakers boys" in first two rounds, the muffin man and pieman! then he will have last 8 spot and he is very capable of going the whole way. JAMIE CAVEN @80/1 e.w . Jabba must still be smarting after losing to Gary Anderson at the Ally Pally he had chances to win but allowed the bottler to squeeze past him, but caven impressed me nontheless. he was scorin g excellently and while he is only 14 seed for this he is going to be a definite threat, after disposing of van gerwen in round one he will have osborne and i have the winner of this to reach final, so thats why i've taken both. baxter and Anderson are next potential opponents, but we know they are erratic finishers who struggle to close out games, and i fancy Caven to be fit for either of them. i note also the Wade is 10s and king 25s before you rush into backing King him and wade meet in round one so one has to lose, i don't want to call that one ( but hope Wade gets thumped). i am going to look at top half players later just in case Taylor comes a cropper, worth bearing in mind this event is over 11, legs in round one , and we know the power can struggle in short formats, so i'm going to consider, Nicholson, Lewis, Thornton and Lewis as back ups so will get back to you on this .

[theoldmaster]

Re: Darts: PDC Players Championship. right four from the top half of the draw the Taylor half. PAUL NICHLOSON @80/1. ew. as regulars here know i really rate the assasin, he has the lot to get to the top of the game for me, excellent technique, superb temprament, solid under pressure. At Ally Pally he went out to Terry Jenkins but thats a game could have gone either way, Nicholsons preperation was badly disrupted due to a few flakes of snow one night! but i noticed during the game he almost always hit a treble with the third dart if he needed to, ask anyone who knows about darts that the sign of a quality player. he is an excellent scorer and really strong on big out shots, i don't see any weakness's in his game. he has Preistley in round one a tough game for sure, but he has beaten Den before and Dennis is not the hungry player he once was, round two would see Eccles or Beaton i strongly fancy Paul against these two, i would expect then to see a clash with Lewis in last 8 a real mouthwatering affair, but 80s is too big a price for me to ignore and no doubt because he's in Taylors half, ROBERT THORNTON 80/1 e.w. last years runner up and he was'nt hammered either wasd toe for toe with taylor for the first dozen or so legs, This proves he is'nt overawed against the Power who he should play should he reach the last 8, and that is first to 9 legs so he has a chance, The Scot also took a set off Taylor at WC only Whitlock and him acheived that. Bob should be nearer 40 -50s given his ranking, and record here but as always everyone is priced 10-15 points higher than they should be because the power lurks. i think Bob is underated he is a really good player, and for me is a potential winner. KEVIN PAINTER 66/1 e.w. well Kevin really pissed me off at Ally Pally, he was a disgrace against Barney who was rocking and was there to be beaten but the Artist just failed to produce, he was playing well in first two rounds before capitulating badly. i'm giving him another chance in this event remember he has reached final of WC at the tavern and he is a great 180s hitter if he gets past Thornton in round one then he could go all the way. ADRIAN LEWIS 16/1 e.w. was awesome at WC and absoulutely hammered the lipstick, if he's on that form he can beat anyone, and i think leg play suit him better that set play as he can run off 3-5 legs in no time and leave opponents no way back set play can halt momentum like that. 180s we know he will deliver and i expect him to murder Dolan and prob Tabern in round two he would then take on Nicholson i reckon a great game promises here but we have backed both so have this covered, it would be Taylor next and we'll see if he's learned to zip it after goadf Taylor at Ally Pally that only spurred the power on asif he needs encouragemnet. as i have stated we know Taylor is in this half but also we the likes of Painter, Thornton and Lewis have the ability to set off like a train and if Taylor is in one of his slow starting moods those three could take him out worth considering for me.