THE inaugural coral.co.uk Players Championship begins on Friday, with 32 players battling for £200,000 as darts returns to the famous Circus Tavern.
The new, ITV-televised event involves the leading 32 players from all Players Championship tournaments held during 2008.
Offering £50,000 to Sunday night's champion, play will be over three days at the famous Essex venue, which previously hosted the PDC World Championship for 14 years until 2007.
Friday sees the best-of-11 leg first round split across afternoon and evening sessions, kicking off at 1pm with the clash of Vincent van der Voort and Chris Mason.
Essex's Colin Lloyd and Steve Maish are also in action during the afternoon, when they meet Jamie Caven and Dennis Priestley respectively.
Phil Taylor, the number one seed after winning 11 Players Championships last year, takes on Michael van Gerwen in the evening session.
World number two James Wade meets ex-World Champion Steve Beaton, while number three seed Alan Tabern will face Adrian Lewis.
Raymond van Barneveld, the last World Champion at the Circus Tavern, finished just tenth in last year's Players Championship Order of Merit, and opens his challenge against Andy Jenkins, while three-time World Champion John Part faces Denis Ovens.
The opening night will conclude with the meeting of in-form Mark Walsh - who hit a nine-darter in Gibraltar a fortnight ago - against local hero Wayne Mardle, who reached three World Championship semi-finals in his five previous appearances at the Circus Tavern.
"It will be odd going back there without it being the World Championship, but I've got so many great memories already and hopefully I can create a few more this weekend!" said Mardle
"The Circus Tavern has always been a favourite venue of mine. The atmosphere that is created at the Tavern is unreal and, being a local lad, I've always had good support there."
Taylor won 11 World Championship titles at the Circus Tavern, and added: "It's a lovely venue and has a special atmosphere because the crowd are so close to you.
"I'm looking forward to going back there and it would be great to win another tournament in Purfleet.
"But the event has 32 form players and it will be really tough, especially in the short early rounds. I have to start well against Michael van Gerwen because he can get away from you quickly."
The second round will be played on Saturday afternoon, with the quarter-finals following in the evening session.
The last four will return on Sunday, with the two semi-finals taking place in the afternoon session and the final in the evening.
Tickets for the coral.co.uk Players Championship are still available from the Circus Tavern Box Office on 01708 863838 or 01708 867271.
You can also watch highlights & listen to live commentary online wherever you are with PDCtv - click here to sign up now
Follow the coral.co.uk Players Championship with PDC.tv, with results, stats and pictures from the Circus Tavern.
Also follow a live blog at the Matchroom Bets website
Schedule of Play
Friday January 30
First Round
Afternoon Session
1.00pm - Vincent van der Voort v Chris Mason
1.35pm - Colin Lloyd v Jamie Caven
2.10pm - Ronnie Baxter v Tony Eccles
2.45pm - Terry Jenkins v Wayne Jones
3.20pm - Mervyn King v Felix McBrearty
3.55pm - Colin Osborne v Andy Smith
4.30pm - Dennis Priestley v Steve Maish
Click here for Day One Reports
Evening Session
6.15pm - Kevin Painter v Alex Roy
6.50pm - Alan Tabern v Adrian Lewis
7.25pm - Andy Hamilton v Peter Manley
8.00pm - James Wade v Steve Beaton
8.35pm - Robert Thornton v Mark Dudbridge
9.10pm - Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
9.45pm - Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Jenkins
10.20pm - Denis Ovens v John Part
10.55pm - Mark Walsh v Wayne Mardle
Click here for Day One Reports
Saturday January 30
Second Round
Afternoon Session
12.45pm - Tabern/Lewis v Thornton/Dudbridge (please note new time)
1.35pm - Priestley/Maish v Ovens/Part
2.10pm - Osborne/Smith v van Barneveld/A Jenkins
2.45pm - Wade/Beaton v Painter/Roy
3.20pm - King/McBrearty v Walsh/Mardle
3.55pm - Baxter/Eccles v T Jenkins/Jones
4.30pm - Lloyd/Caven v Hamilton/Manley
5.05pm - Taylor/van Gerwen v van der Voort/Mason
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session
6.15pm - Priestley/Maish/Ovens/Part v Tabern/Lewis/Thornton/Dudbridge
7.25pm - Wade/Beaton/Painter/Roy v Osborne/Smith/van Barneveld/A Jenkins
8.35pm - Baxter/Eccles/T Jenkins/Jones v King/McBrearty/Walsh/Mardle
9.45pm - Taylor/van Gerwen/van der Voort/Mason v Lloyd/Caven/Hamilton/Manley
Sunday February 1
Afternoon Session
1.00pm - Semi-Final
Not Before 3pm - Semi Final
Evening Session
7.15pm - Final
First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket
Phil Taylor (1) v Michael van Gerwen (32)
Vincent van der Voort (16) v Chris Mason (17)
Colin Lloyd (8) v Jamie Caven (25)
Andrew Hamilton (9) v Peter Manley (24)
Ronnie Baxter (5) v Tony Eccles (28)
Terry Jenkins (12) v Wayne Jones (21)
Mervyn King (4) v Felix McBrearty (29)
Mark Walsh (13) v Wayne Mardle (20)
James Wade (2) v Steve Beaton (31)
Kevin Painter (15) v Alex Roy (18)
Colin Osborne (7) v Andy Smith (26)
Raymond van Barneveld (10) v Andy Jenkins (23)
Dennis Priestley (6) v Steve Maish (27)
Denis Ovens (11) v John Part (22)
Alan Tabern (3) v Adrian Lewis (30)
Robert Thornton (14) v Mark Dudbridge (19)
Prize Fund
Winner £50,000
Runner-Up £25,000
Semi-Finalists £12,500
Quarter-Finalists £8,500
Second Round Losers £4,000
First Round Losers £2,000
High Checkout £2,000
Total £200,000
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 17 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 25 legs
Final - Best of 31 legs
Tickets are still on sale from the Circus Tavern Box Office on 01708 863838 or 01708 867271.
Watch coral.co.uk Players Championship highlights or listen to live commentary with PDCtv
Follow the coral.co.uk Players Championship with PDC.tv, with results, stats and pictures from the Circus Tavern.
Also follow a live blog at the Matchroom Bets website