THE schedule of play for the partypoker.net European Championship has been confirmed, ahead of the four-day event at the RWE Sporthalle in Muelheim, Germany from July 4-7.
The £200,000 tournament will begin on Thursday July 4, with the opening eight matches from the first round, which include reigning champion Simon Whitlock up against Kim Huybrechts and Phil Taylor facing Vincent van der Voort.
The tournament will kick off as debutant Stuart Kellett takes on Ronny Huybrechts, while world number four James Wade plays Mark Webster* and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld is also in action as he faces German hopeful Tomas Seyler.
The first round will conclude on Friday July 5, with world number two Michael van Gerwen beginning his challenge against Belgium's Kurt Van De Rijck, while number three seed Adrian Lewis plays Austrian Mensur Suljovic.
2012 European Championship runner-up Wes Newton takes on Holland's Jelle Klaasen, Andy Hamilton meets Terry Jenkins and German teenager Max Hopp plays Paul Nicholson in other high-profile games on Friday.
The second round is split across two sessions on Saturday July 6, with the quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon before the tournament concludes with the semi-finals and final on Sunday evening.
Tickets for the partypoker.net European Championship are available through www.pdc-europe.net.
* Mark Webster replaces Gary Anderson, who withdrew through illness on July 3.
partypoker.net European Championship
Schedule of Play
Thursday July 4
8pm-12pm Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
First Round x8
Stuart Kellett v Ronny Huybrechts
Jamie Caven v Dave Chisnall
Colin Lloyd v Peter Wright
Robert Thornton v Brendan Dolan
Simon Whitlock v Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor v Vincent van der Voort
Raymond van Barneveld v Tomas Seyler
James Wade v Mark Webster
Friday July 5
8pm-12pm Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
First Round x8
Jani Haavisto v Justin Pipe
Max Hopp v Paul Nicholson
Andy Hamilton v Terry Jenkins
Ronnie Baxter v Mervyn King
Wes Newton v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Kurt Van De Rijck
Adrian Lewis v Mensur Suljovic
Kevin Painter v John Part
Saturday July 6
Afternoon Session
2pm-6pm Local Time (1pm-5pm UK Time)
Second Round x4
Newton/Klaasen v Haavisto/Pipe
Hamilton/Jenkins v Hopp/Nicholson
Whitlock/K Huybrechts v Lloyd/Wright
Wade/Webster v Caven/Chisnall
Evening Session
8pm-12am Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
Second Round x4
Lewis/Suljovic v Painter/Part
van Barneveld/Seyler v Thornton/Dolan
Taylor/van der Voort v Kellett/R Huybrechts
van Gerwen/Van De Rijck v Baxter/King
Sunday July 7
Afternoon Session
2pm-6pm Local Time (1pm-5pm UK Time)
Quarter-Finals
As Per Draw Bracket
Evening Session
9pm-12am Local Time (8pm-11pm UK Time)
Semi-Finals
Final
** Please note that Semi-Finals will now commence at 9pm local time. At 8pm local time a charity game will be played on-stage.
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 19 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 21 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs
There is no tie-break.
Draw Bracket
Phil Taylor (1) v Vincent van der Voort
Stuart Kellett v Ronny Huybrechts
Raymond van Barneveld (8) v Tomas Seyler
Robert Thornton v Brendan Dolan
Simon Whitlock (5) v Kim Huybrechts
Colin Lloyd v Peter Wright
James Wade (4) v Mark Webster
Jamie Caven v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen (2) v Kurt Van De Rijck
Ronnie Baxter v Mervyn King
Wes Newton (7) v Jelle Klaasen
Jani Haavisto v Justin Pipe
Andy Hamilton (6) v Terry Jenkins
Max Hopp v Paul Nicholson
Adrian Lewis (3) v Mensur Suljovic
Kevin Painter v John Part