THE schedule of play for the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship has now been confirmed.
The tournament will open when Wayne Mardle takes on Germany's Jyhan Artut on Friday December 18, with reigning champion Phil Taylor beginning the defence of his title on the same evening when he meets Colin Monk.
Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley takes on Kevin McDine, while Robert Thornton meets the winner of the preliminary round clash between Per Laursen and Christian Perez.
Two sessions will be played on Saturday December 19, including 2008 runner-up Kirk Shepherd in the afternoon and games involving Mervyn King, Jelle Klaasen, Adrian Lewis and Peter Manley in the evening.
Sunday's afternoon session will include 2005 finalist Mark Dudbridge, as well as Mark Walsh's clash with former Lakeside winner Mark Webster, while Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson and Kevin Painter play in the evening session.
Three-time World Champion John Part plays on Monday December 21 against Toon Greebe, while Terry Jenkins and Ronnie Baxter also kick off their challenge, while Tuesday's session features Colin Osborne against Simon Whitlock as well as Steve Beaton's date with Carlos Rodriguez.
The preliminary and first rounds conclude on Wednesday December 23, with world number three James Wade meeting Steve Brown, Michael van Gerwen meeting Peter Wright and Colin Lloyd facing either Magnus Caris or Francisco Ruiz.
The eight preliminary round games will be played as one per session, with the winner then competing in the first round on the same evening, with these games involving the international qualifiers being the best of seven legs.
The second round will begin on Sunday December 27 following a three-day Christmas break, and the third round also takes place before a one-day break on New Year's Eve.
The quarter-finals onwards will then be played from January 1-3, including the third-fourth place play-off and the final in one night on Sunday January 3.
Tickets for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship are still available from SeeTickets via 0871 220 0260 or www.seetickets.com/darts.
Schedule of Play
First Round (Preliminary Round games denoted by (P))
Friday December 18
7.10pm Wayne Mardle v Jyhan Artut
8.15pm Per Laursen v Christan Perez (P)
8.45pm Dennis Priestley v Kevin McDine
9.50pm Phil Taylor v Colin Monk
10.55pm Robert Thornton v Laursen/Perez
Saturday December 19
12.40pm Jarkko Komula v Roman Konchikov (P)
1.10pm Roland Scholten v Steve Hine
2.15pm Co Stompe v Steve Maish
3.20pm Kirk Shepherd v Scott Burnett
4.25pm Wes Newton v Komula/Konchikov
7.10pm Mervyn King v Matt Clark
8.15pm Aodhagan O'Neill v Les Francis (P)
8.45pm Jelle Klaasen v Barrie Bates
9.50pm Adrian Lewis v O'Neill/Francis
10.55pm Peter Manley v Andy Jenkins
Sunday December 20
12.40pm Ken MacNeil v Norman Madhoo (P)
1.10pm Tony Eccles v Brendan Dolan
2.15pm Mark Dudbridge v Andree Welge
3.20pm Mark Walsh v Mark Webster
4.25pm Alan Tabern v MacNeil/Madhoo
7.10pm Kevin Painter v Mensur Suljovic
8.15pm Phillip Hazel v Osmann Kijamet (P)
8.45pm Jamie Caven v Gary Anderson
9.50pm Raymond van Barneveld v Warren Parry
10.55pm Andy Hamilton v Hazel/Kijamet
Monday December 21
7.10pm Vincent van der Voort v Dylan Duo
8.15pm Haruki Muramatsu v Krzysztof Kciuk (P)
8.45pm John Part v Toon Greebe
9.50pm Terry Jenkins v Paul Nicholson
10.55pm Ronnie Baxter v Muramatsu/Kciuk
Tuesday December 22
7.10pm Andy Smith v Darin Young
8.15pm Tomas Seyler v Shi Yongsheng (P)
8.45pm Steve Beaton v Carlos Rodriguez
9.50pm Colin Osborne v Simon Whitlock
10.55pm Denis Ovens v Seyler/Yongsheng
Wednesday December 23
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Alex Roy
8.15pm Magnus Caris (P) v Francisco Ruiz
8.45pm Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
9.50pm James Wade v Steve Brown
10.55pm Colin Lloyd v Caris/Ruiz
Second Round
Sunday December 27
1.10pm King/Clark v Stompe/Maish
2.25pm Priestley/McDine v Klaasen/Bates
3.45pm Lewis/O'Neill/Francis v Newton/Komula/Konchikov
7.10pm Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo v Dudbridge/Welge
8.25pm Taylor/Monk v Scholten/Hine
9.45pm Thornton/Laursen/Perez v Mardle/Artut
Monday December 28
1.10pm Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz v Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
2.25pm Part/Greebe v Shepherd/Burnett
3.45pm Painter/Suljovic v van der Voort/Duo
7.10pm Walsh/Webster v Manley/A Jenkins
8.25pm van Barneveld/Parry v Eccles/Dolan
9.45pm Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk v Caven/Anderson
Tuesday December 29
1.10pm Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet v Beaton/Rodriguez
2.25pm T Jenkins/Nicholson v Smith/Young
3.45pm Osborne/Whitlock v Jones/Roy
7.10pm Wade/Brown v van Gerwen/Wright
Third Round
8.25pm Taylor/Monk/Scholten/Hine v Thornton/Laursen/Perez/Mardle/Artut
9.45pm Lewis/O'Neill/Francis/Newton/Komula/Konchikov v Priestley/McDine/Klaasen/Bates
Wednesday December 30
1.10pm Part/Greebe/Shepherd/Burnett v Walsh/Webster/Manley/A Jenkins
2.25pm T Jenkins/Nicholson/Smith/Young v Osborne/Whitlock/Jones/Roy
3.45pm King/Clark/Stompe/Maish v Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo/Dudbridge/Welge
7.10pm Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk/Caven/Anderson v Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz/Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
8.25pm Wade/Brown/van Gerwen/Wright v Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet/Beaton/Rodriguez
9.45pm van Barneveld/Parry/Eccles/Dolan v Painter/Suljovic/van der Voort/Duo
Friday January 1
Quarter-Finals
2.10pm King/Clark/Stompe/Maish/Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo/Dudbridge/Welge v Part/Greebe/Shepherd/Burnett/Walsh/Webster/Manley/A Jenkins
4.00pm T Jenkins/Nicholson/Smith/Young/Osborne/Whitlock/Jones/Roy v Wade/Brown/van Gerwen/Wright/Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet/Beaton/Rodriguez
7.40pm van Barneveld/Parry/Eccles/Dolan/Painter/Suljovic/van der Voort/Duo v Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk/Caven/Anderson/Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz/Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
9.30pm Taylor/Monk/Scholten/Hine/Thornton/Laursen/Perez/Mardle/Artut v Lewis/O'Neill/Francis/Newton/Komula/Konchikov/Priestley/McDine/Klaasen/Bates
Saturday January 2
Semi-Finals
7.40pm
9.30pm
Sunday January 3
Third-Fourth Place Play-Off
7.10pm
Final
8.10pm
All timings are approximate and the order of play may be subject to change at the discretion of the PDC and Sky Sports, with any changes advertised at www.pdc.tv.
Please note the new start times for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, amended on December 15.
Format
All sets are the best of five legs.
Any match using the sets format will have a tie-break situation in the deciding set only.
The final set of any such match must be won by two clear legs until the score in that final set reaches five legs each.
Should that situation occur then a sudden death leg will be played in which the players shall throw for the bull to determine who will throw first in the leg.
Prize Fund
In addition, should any player hit a nine-dart finish during the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, he would receive a £25,000 bonus. If more than one nine-dart finish is hit, the £25,000 is shared on a pro-rata basis.
The tournament will open when Wayne Mardle takes on Germany's Jyhan Artut on Friday December 18, with reigning champion Phil Taylor beginning the defence of his title on the same evening when he meets Colin Monk.
Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley takes on Kevin McDine, while Robert Thornton meets the winner of the preliminary round clash between Per Laursen and Christian Perez.
Two sessions will be played on Saturday December 19, including 2008 runner-up Kirk Shepherd in the afternoon and games involving Mervyn King, Jelle Klaasen, Adrian Lewis and Peter Manley in the evening.
Sunday's afternoon session will include 2005 finalist Mark Dudbridge, as well as Mark Walsh's clash with former Lakeside winner Mark Webster, while Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson and Kevin Painter play in the evening session.
Three-time World Champion John Part plays on Monday December 21 against Toon Greebe, while Terry Jenkins and Ronnie Baxter also kick off their challenge, while Tuesday's session features Colin Osborne against Simon Whitlock as well as Steve Beaton's date with Carlos Rodriguez.
The preliminary and first rounds conclude on Wednesday December 23, with world number three James Wade meeting Steve Brown, Michael van Gerwen meeting Peter Wright and Colin Lloyd facing either Magnus Caris or Francisco Ruiz.
The eight preliminary round games will be played as one per session, with the winner then competing in the first round on the same evening, with these games involving the international qualifiers being the best of seven legs.
The second round will begin on Sunday December 27 following a three-day Christmas break, and the third round also takes place before a one-day break on New Year's Eve.
The quarter-finals onwards will then be played from January 1-3, including the third-fourth place play-off and the final in one night on Sunday January 3.
Tickets for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship are still available from SeeTickets via 0871 220 0260 or www.seetickets.com/darts.
Schedule of Play
First Round (Preliminary Round games denoted by (P))
Friday December 18
7.10pm Wayne Mardle v Jyhan Artut
8.15pm Per Laursen v Christan Perez (P)
8.45pm Dennis Priestley v Kevin McDine
9.50pm Phil Taylor v Colin Monk
10.55pm Robert Thornton v Laursen/Perez
Saturday December 19
12.40pm Jarkko Komula v Roman Konchikov (P)
1.10pm Roland Scholten v Steve Hine
2.15pm Co Stompe v Steve Maish
3.20pm Kirk Shepherd v Scott Burnett
4.25pm Wes Newton v Komula/Konchikov
7.10pm Mervyn King v Matt Clark
8.15pm Aodhagan O'Neill v Les Francis (P)
8.45pm Jelle Klaasen v Barrie Bates
9.50pm Adrian Lewis v O'Neill/Francis
10.55pm Peter Manley v Andy Jenkins
Sunday December 20
12.40pm Ken MacNeil v Norman Madhoo (P)
1.10pm Tony Eccles v Brendan Dolan
2.15pm Mark Dudbridge v Andree Welge
3.20pm Mark Walsh v Mark Webster
4.25pm Alan Tabern v MacNeil/Madhoo
7.10pm Kevin Painter v Mensur Suljovic
8.15pm Phillip Hazel v Osmann Kijamet (P)
8.45pm Jamie Caven v Gary Anderson
9.50pm Raymond van Barneveld v Warren Parry
10.55pm Andy Hamilton v Hazel/Kijamet
Monday December 21
7.10pm Vincent van der Voort v Dylan Duo
8.15pm Haruki Muramatsu v Krzysztof Kciuk (P)
8.45pm John Part v Toon Greebe
9.50pm Terry Jenkins v Paul Nicholson
10.55pm Ronnie Baxter v Muramatsu/Kciuk
Tuesday December 22
7.10pm Andy Smith v Darin Young
8.15pm Tomas Seyler v Shi Yongsheng (P)
8.45pm Steve Beaton v Carlos Rodriguez
9.50pm Colin Osborne v Simon Whitlock
10.55pm Denis Ovens v Seyler/Yongsheng
Wednesday December 23
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Alex Roy
8.15pm Magnus Caris (P) v Francisco Ruiz
8.45pm Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
9.50pm James Wade v Steve Brown
10.55pm Colin Lloyd v Caris/Ruiz
Second Round
Sunday December 27
1.10pm King/Clark v Stompe/Maish
2.25pm Priestley/McDine v Klaasen/Bates
3.45pm Lewis/O'Neill/Francis v Newton/Komula/Konchikov
7.10pm Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo v Dudbridge/Welge
8.25pm Taylor/Monk v Scholten/Hine
9.45pm Thornton/Laursen/Perez v Mardle/Artut
Monday December 28
1.10pm Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz v Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
2.25pm Part/Greebe v Shepherd/Burnett
3.45pm Painter/Suljovic v van der Voort/Duo
7.10pm Walsh/Webster v Manley/A Jenkins
8.25pm van Barneveld/Parry v Eccles/Dolan
9.45pm Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk v Caven/Anderson
Tuesday December 29
1.10pm Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet v Beaton/Rodriguez
2.25pm T Jenkins/Nicholson v Smith/Young
3.45pm Osborne/Whitlock v Jones/Roy
7.10pm Wade/Brown v van Gerwen/Wright
Third Round
8.25pm Taylor/Monk/Scholten/Hine v Thornton/Laursen/Perez/Mardle/Artut
9.45pm Lewis/O'Neill/Francis/Newton/Komula/Konchikov v Priestley/McDine/Klaasen/Bates
Wednesday December 30
1.10pm Part/Greebe/Shepherd/Burnett v Walsh/Webster/Manley/A Jenkins
2.25pm T Jenkins/Nicholson/Smith/Young v Osborne/Whitlock/Jones/Roy
3.45pm King/Clark/Stompe/Maish v Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo/Dudbridge/Welge
7.10pm Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk/Caven/Anderson v Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz/Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
8.25pm Wade/Brown/van Gerwen/Wright v Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet/Beaton/Rodriguez
9.45pm van Barneveld/Parry/Eccles/Dolan v Painter/Suljovic/van der Voort/Duo
Friday January 1
Quarter-Finals
2.10pm King/Clark/Stompe/Maish/Tabern/MacNeil/Madhoo/Dudbridge/Welge v Part/Greebe/Shepherd/Burnett/Walsh/Webster/Manley/A Jenkins
4.00pm T Jenkins/Nicholson/Smith/Young/Osborne/Whitlock/Jones/Roy v Wade/Brown/van Gerwen/Wright/Hamilton/Hazel/Kijamet/Beaton/Rodriguez
7.40pm van Barneveld/Parry/Eccles/Dolan/Painter/Suljovic/van der Voort/Duo v Baxter/Muramatsu/Kciuk/Caven/Anderson/Lloyd/Caris/Ruiz/Ovens/Seyler/Yongsheng
9.30pm Taylor/Monk/Scholten/Hine/Thornton/Laursen/Perez/Mardle/Artut v Lewis/O'Neill/Francis/Newton/Komula/Konchikov/Priestley/McDine/Klaasen/Bates
Saturday January 2
Semi-Finals
7.40pm
9.30pm
Sunday January 3
Third-Fourth Place Play-Off
7.10pm
Final
8.10pm
All timings are approximate and the order of play may be subject to change at the discretion of the PDC and Sky Sports, with any changes advertised at www.pdc.tv.
Please note the new start times for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, amended on December 15.
Format
| Preliminary Round | Best of seven legs |
| First Round | Best of five sets |
| Second Round | Best of seven sets |
| Third Round | Best of seven sets |
| Quarter-Finals | Best of nine sets |
| Semi-Finals | Best of 11 sets |
| 3/4th Place Play-Off | Best of 19 legs (no tie-break) |
| Final | Best of 13 sets |
All sets are the best of five legs.
Any match using the sets format will have a tie-break situation in the deciding set only.
The final set of any such match must be won by two clear legs until the score in that final set reaches five legs each.
Should that situation occur then a sudden death leg will be played in which the players shall throw for the bull to determine who will throw first in the leg.
Prize Fund
| Preliminary Round Losers | £3,500 |
| First Round Losers | £6,000 |
| Second Round Losers | £10,000 |
| Third Round Losers | £15,000 |
| Quarter-Final Losers | £25,000 |
| Fourth Place | £40,000 |
| Third Place | £60,000 |
| Runner-Up | £100,000 |
| Winner | £200,000 |
| Total | £1,000,000 |
In addition, should any player hit a nine-dart finish during the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, he would receive a £25,000 bonus. If more than one nine-dart finish is hit, the £25,000 is shared on a pro-rata basis.