PHIL TAYLOR won the PartyPoker.net German Darts Championship title for a second time with an 11-4 win over Mervyn King in Halle.
Taylor, the 2007 champion, atoned for his loss to Co Stompe in last year's decider by claiming his 22nd tournament win of the year and adding a further £20,000 to his prize winnings.
Taylor followed up his four wins on Saturday with a narrow 8-6 win over Adrian Lewis in a thrilling quarter-final, a 9-1 defeat of Paul Nicholson in the semis and a comprehensive defeat of King in the final.
Lewis led Taylor 3-1 in the last eight before the world number one reeled off five successive legs to pull clear, only for the youngster to level, including legs of 11 and ten darts.
Taylor, though, hit a ten-darter of his own to lead 7-6 before sealing the win, and improved on his 106 average with a 109 average in storming past Nicholson in the semis.
King hit an 11-darter in sharing the final's opening two legs, but six of the next seven put Taylor in command at 7-2.
King won a third, but three in a row moved Taylor to the brink of victory, which was sealed at 11-4.
"I'm delighted to have won this title back," said Taylor. "It was disappointing to lose it last year but I treated it as a new tournament.
"I felt I was fortunate in a way to get past the last eight because Adrian Lewis was fantastic, and that took a little bit out of me. So to perform so well in the semis and then win the final is very pleasing.
"It's a great warm-up for the World Championship and it was important for me, after winning the Grand Slam of Darts last week, to keep myself in a winning frame of mind."
King had edged out Raymond van Barneveld 9-8 in the semi-finals and was also taken to a deciding leg against James Wade in the quarters.
Left-hander Wade led 4-2 and 6-4 before King took three successive 12-dart finishes with an 81 checkout to lead and then landed a key 180 in the deciding leg to seal victory.
World number two van Barneveld defeated Ronnie Baxter 8-5 in the quarter-finals, while Nicholson overcame Terry Jenkins 8-3, having led 6-0 following a superb start to the game.
King's run to the final sees him jump above Jenkins into fifth place in the PDC Order of Merit, following the final ranking event before next month's Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
"If someone had offered me the runner-up spot on Friday night I'd have snapped their arm off but it's obviously disappointing to lose in the final," said King.
"I played some absolutely fabulous darts on Saturday and the quarter-final was a fantastic game against James.
"The semi-finals and final saw my performances get worse as I went but I'll take the positives from yesterday's games and the quarter-final, and forget about the semi-final and final!
"Phil was in command of the final right the way through despite how hard I tried, and I can only applaud him.
"I'm going on holiday to Egypt for a week now - but I will be finding a dartboard and practising to make sure I'm ready for the World Championship."
Had Nicholson reached the final, he would have broken into the world's top 32 for the first time, but will now compete as a Players Championship Order of Merit Qualifier at Alexandra Palace.
Roland Scholten holds on to 32nd in the PDC Order of Merit, while Andree Welge, Mensur Suljovic, Dylan Duo and Jyhan Artut qualify via the European Order of Merit to play in the World Championship.
German Darts Championship
Quarter-Finals
Phil Taylor 8-6 Adrian Lewis
Paul Nicholson 8-3 Terry Jenkins
Raymond van Barneveld 8-5 Ronnie Baxter
Mervyn King 8-7 James Wade
Losers £3,000
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 9-1 Paul Nicholson
Mervyn King 9-8 Raymond van Barneveld
Losers £5,000
Final
Phil Taylor 11-4 Mervyn King
Winner £20,000
Runner-Up £10,000
Click here for German Darts Championship Day One Results
Match Information
Quarter-Finals
Phil Taylor 8-6 Adrian Lewis
0-1 - Lewis opens with a 180 and hits double 16 for a 13-dart finish
0-2 - Taylor hits four scores of 100 but misses double 16 for 101 finish, and Lewis takes out 77 on double five
1-2 - Taylor hits a 180 and takes out 82 on double top for a 12-dart finish
1-3 - Taylor misses double top and Lewis follows up a 174 with double 12
2-3 - Lewis this time misses on double top, and Taylor's earlier 171 leaves double 18 for a 13-darter
3-3 - Taylor hits a second successive 13-darter, hitting a 177 to set up double 14
4-3 - Taylor breaks throw with a 12-darter, opened with a 180 and finished with a 100 checkout
5-3 - Both players hit a 180, but Taylor lands double top for another 13-dart finish
6-3 - Taylor takes out a 66 finish of bull, double eight for a 15-dart finish
6-4 - Lewis ends a run of five successive legs from Taylor, punishing two misses at double top by landing double eight
6-5 - Lewis posts an 11-darter with scores of 134, 180, 140 and then finishing 47 on double top
6-6 - Lewis goes even better with a 10-dart finish, hitting 137, 180, 144 and double top to effectively make the game a best-of-three leg shoot-out
7-6 - Both players hit 180s and are on a finish after nine darts, but Lewis misses the bull for an 81 checkout and Taylor hits double 16 for a ten-darter
8-6 - Taylor seals victory on double 16 - but only after Lewis had hit six perfect darts with two 180s, only to miss two darts at double top to stay in the game
Final Averages: Taylor 106.80, Lewis 107.85
Terry Jenkins 3-8 Paul Nicholson
0-1 - Nicholson hits double 12 for a 13-dart finish
0-2 - Double 18, at the fifth time of asking, gives Nicholson a break of throw
0-3 - Nicholson moves 3-0 up by posting double 16 for a 14-dart finish
0-4 - Jenkins misses double eight for a 136 finish and Nicholson follows up a 180 with double 16
0-5 - Nicholson takes out double 16 once again, hitting another 14-darter
0-6 - Nicholson secures a third break of throw, landing double top for another 14-dart leg
1-6 - Jenkins wins his first leg of the match, hitting double top for a 14-dart leg of his own in punishing a missed double four from Nicholson
2-6 - Jenkins lands double five with his third dart to take a second leg
2-7 - Nicholson moves a leg away from victory, hitting three tons, a 165 and double 18 to win the leg in 13 darts
3-7 - Nicholson misses the bullseye on 121 for the match, and Lewis finishes 126 on double six to stay in the game
3-8 - Nicholson wraps up victory in 12 darts, hitting 140, 140, 180 and double 16 to ensure a semi-final place
Final Averages: Jenkins 93.39, Nicholson 105.63
Raymond van Barneveld 8-5 Ronnie Baxter
1-0 - Van Barneveld lands double top to hold throw in the opener
1-1 - Baxter hits a 180 and double eight for a 12-darter
2-1 - Double 16 gives van Barneveld a second leg
3-1 - Van Barneveld takes the first break of throw on double top for a 14-darter, having hit a 180 earlier in the leg
4-1 - The Dutchman takes out 110 to move three legs clear
5-1 - Double nine gives van Barneveld a further break of throw
6-1 - Van Barneveld takes out a superb 123 finish on double nine to close in on victory
6-2 - A 68 finish on double 18 gives Baxter a second leg
6-3 - Baxter breaks van Barneveld's throw on double four, after opening the leg with scores of 140 and 180
6-4 - Baxter takes out 86 for a 12-dart leg
7-4 - Van Barneveld opens with three 140s and lands double 16 to win the leg in 14 darts
7-5 - Baxter stays in the game, scrambling home double one with his seventh dart for the leg
8-5 - Van Barneveld seals victory on double two, after Baxter missed two darts at double 16
Final Averages: Van Barneveld 94.03, Baxter 97.97
Mervyn King 8-7 James Wade
1-0 - Wade hits a 180 but misses double top to break, and King hits the same bed to lead
2-0 - King doubles his lead on double eight, after Wade hit another 180 but missed two darts at double top
2-1 - Wade records a 122 finish on the bull for a break of throw, with King waiting on 40
2-2 - Wade lands double top to level the game
2-3 - Wade takes out 87 on double nine to punish four missed doubles from King, who hit a 180 but missed double 18 and three darts at double nine
2-4 - Double ten gives Wade a fourth leg, as King waited on 32
3-4 - The pair trade 180s before King finishes 121 on the bullseye
3-5 - Wade takes out double top for a 12-darter, set up by scores of 140, 140 and 180
4-5 - King lands double eight to halve the deficit
4-6 - Wade hits double ten to take the leg after two misses at double top - with King hitting a 180 which left six in applying the pressure
5-6 - Both players hit a 180 and leave 81 after nine darts, which King takes out on double 13
6-6 - King repeats his 81 finish for a 12-darter in breaking throw, set up this time by three successive 140 scores
7-6 - King wins a third successive leg in 12 darts on double 13, hitting the same scores as in leg 12 to regain the lead
7-7 - Wade takes out a 13-darter on double top, featuring yet another 180, to ensure a deciding leg
8-7 - King hits a 180 and then posts double eight, with Wade waiting on 61, to take victory
Final Averages: King 103.56, Wade 102.27
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor 9-1 Paul Nicholson
1-0 - Taylor posts a 180 and double top for a 13-darter
2-0 - Taylor takes out 68 to break throw in 14 darts
3-0 - Taylor trebles his lead on double top for another 13-dart finish
3-1 - Nicholson hits back-to-back 180s and double top in an 11-darter to get off the mark
4-1 - Nicholson hits another maximum, but Taylor takes out double top for a 14-dart leg
5-1 - Taylor takes out double 16 for a break of throw
6-1 - Taylor lands double top for a 15-darter and a five-leg lead
7-1 - Another double top finish breaks throw for Taylor in 13 darts
8-1 - Taylor hits scores of 140, 180 and 140 before hitting double 16, at the fourth time of asking, for a 14-dart leg
9-1 - Taylor takes out a 12-darter for victory, following scores of 140, 140 and 137 by finishing 84 on double six
Final Averages: Taylor 109.05, Nicholson 92.10
Raymond van Barneveld 8-9 Mervyn King
0-1 - Double 16 gives King the opening leg
1-1 - Van Barneveld hits double four with his final dart to level
1-2 - King posts a 180 before winning the leg on double one
2-2 - Double eight sees van Barneveld level matters
3-2 - The Dutchman breaks throw on double 16 after two missed doubles from King
3-3 - King breaks back immediately, hitting a 180 and a 121 bullseye finish
4-3 - King misses double 18 for a 108 finish and van Barneveld posts double nine with his third dart to break
4-4 - King steps in to take out double 18 after being given a reprieve for two earlier misses when van Barneveld missed double 12 for a 138 checkout
5-4 - Van Barneveld breaks back once again, hitting double 16 after King missed the bull for a 124 finish, double eight and double four
5-5 - King finishes 82 in two darts to level
5-6 - King takes out 106 on double 16 to regain the lead
6-6 - King misses the bull for a 127 finish and van Barneveld lands double nine to hold throw
6-7 - King hits a 180 and then takes out 72 in two darts
7-7 - Double top from van Barneveld gives him the 14th leg
7-8 - Double 12 from King for a 14-darter puts him a leg away from the win
8-8 - Van Barneveld misses the bull for a 164 finish, King misses two darts at double 12 for an 81 checkout and victory, and double eight from the Dutchman sets up a decider
8-9 - Scores of 134 and 140 see King first to a finish on 167, and 127 leaves 40 before van Barneveld hits a 180 to set up 62, but they proved to be his final darts as King hit double ten for the win
Final Averages: van Barneveld 92.55, King 96.24
Final
Phil Taylor 11-4 Mervyn King
1-0 - Taylor lands double eight to take the leg, with his seventh dart at a double
1-1 - King defies a 180 from Taylor to reply with an 11-dart finish, featuring a maximum and an 81 finish
2-1 - A 177 from Taylor leaves him 24, and he lands a tricky double 12 at the third time of asking
3-1 - Taylor breaks throw on double top for a 14-darter
4-1 - Double top from Taylor gives him a fourth leg
4-2 - Double four sees King stop Taylor's run
5-2 - Taylor hits double top for a 13-darter, despite a 180 and 168 from King leaving him on a double
6-2 - Taylor punishes a missed bullseye and two darts at double eight from King, checking out 71 in two darts after opening with a 180
7-2 - Taylor lands double top for a second successive 14-dart finish
7-3 - King hits a 180 to leave 82, which he finishes on double top to pull back a leg
8-3 - Taylor returns from the break and lands double ten to restore his five-leg cushion
9-3 - A missed double 16 from King allows Taylor to check out 80 on double ten
10-3 - Taylor moves a leg away from the title on double 16
10-4 - King lands a 180 and double 16 to stay in the contest
11-4 - Taylor claims his second German Darts Championship title on double ten - after King, needing 125 to stay in the game hit bullseye and a second bullseye, allowing Taylor back to the oche
Final Averages: Taylor 99.81, King 96.75