THE schedule of play for the 2015 William Hill World Darts Championship has been confirmed, with reigning champion Michael van Gerwen and former champion John Part in action when the £1.25million event kicks off on Thursday December 18.
The sport's biggest tournament will be held across 20 sessions in 14 days of play at London's Alexandra Palace throughout the Christmas and New Year period, as players from 21 countries do battle for the Sid Waddell Trophy.
The six days of play from December 18-23 ahead of the Christmas break will feature the preliminary and first rounds, with the second round and third round held from December 27-30 before the tournament returns on New Year's Day for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will headline the opening night on December 18 as he begins the defence of his title against Joe Cullen.
Three-time World Champion John Part opens the tournament against reigning PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Keegan Brown, with former Lakeside Champions Jelle Klaasen and Christian Kist clashing before Wes Newton plays the winner of the preliminary round tie between Christian Perez and Cristo Reyes.
The second night of action on Friday December 19 will feature 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor, as he begins his bid to win back the title against Jyhan Artut.
Former finalists Andy Hamilton and Peter Wright are in action against debutants Dave Richardson and Gerwyn Price, while Stuart Kellett plays either Kim Viljanen or Sascha Stein.
The weekend features double sessions on Saturday December 20 and Sunday December 21, with play in both the afternoon and evening at Alexandra Palace.
Saturday's afternoon session will see former UK Open champion Robert Thornton meet Andrew Gilding, Andy Smith's game with Ronny Huybrechts, Justin Pipe up against Laurence Ryder and Ronnie Baxter playing either Scott Mackenzie or Daryl Gurney.
World number four Gary Anderson - the 2011 runner-up - plays either Mark McGrath or Scott Kirchner in Saturday's evening session, with two players who nit nine-darters in last year's event, Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson, up against John weber and Steve Beaton respectively.
2010 finalist Simon Whitlock completes a trio of Australians in action on Saturday night as he takes on Darren Webster.
Sunday's afternoon session will see 2004 World Championship runner-up Kevin Painter in action against either Boris Koltsov or Haruki Muramatsu.
Former Lakeside Champion Mark Webster meets Holland's Ron Meulenkamp, Paul Nicholson faces Benito van de Pas and Dean Winstanley is up against Wayne Jones.
Sunday's evening session will include November's Masters champion James Wade facing Jamie Lewis and Grand Slam of Darts finalist Dave Chisnall's clash with Ryan De Vreede.
Kim Huybrechts faces Mickey Mansell, while Ian White will take on the winner of the preliminary round game between Jani Haavisto and John Michael.
The final two days of pre-Christmas action will be held in evening sessions on Monday December 22 and Tuesday December 23.
Monday's session will include five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld's game with Austrian debutant Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Former World Youth Champion Michael Smith meets Mensur Suljovic and Jamie Caven plays Jason Hogg, while Brendan Dolan will face either Nolan Arendse or Alex Hon.
Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis takes on David Pallett on Tuesday December 23, with reigning Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting making his Alexandra Palace debut against either Jermaine Wattimena or Robert Marijanovic.
Mervyn King will meet German teenager Max Hopp, and Holland's Vincent van der Voort plays John Henderson.
Tickets for the William Hill World Darts Championship are still available but selling fast, with the majority of sessions now sold out.
Tickets can be purchased through the following methods:
viagogo - official ticket exchange through www.viagogo.co.uk.
Thomas Cook Sport - official hotel & ticket break packages through www.thomascooksport.com.
Hospitality Packages through the PDC Head Office by calling 08712 501 180.
2015 William Hill World Darts Championship
Schedule of Play
Preliminary & First Rounds
Thursday December 18
7.10pm John Part (30) v Keegan Brown
8.15pm Christian Perez v Cristo Reyes (P)
9.00pm Jelle Klaasen (29) v Christian Kist
10.00pm Michael van Gerwen (1) v Joe Cullen
11.00pm Wes Newton (13) v Christian Perez/Cristo Reyes
Friday December 19
7.10pm Andy Hamilton (12) v Dave Richardson
8.15pm Kim Viljanen v Sascha Stein (P)
9.00pm Peter Wright (5) v Gerwyn Price
10.00pm Phil Taylor (2) v Jyhan Artut
11.00pm Stuart Kellett (32) v Kim Viljanen/Sascha Stein
Saturday December 20
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Andy Smith (28) v Ronny Huybrechts
2.15pm Scott Mackenzie v Daryl Gurney (P)
3.00pm Justin Pipe (17) v Laurence Ryder
4.00pm Robert Thornton (9) v Andrew Gilding
5.00pm Ronnie Baxter (24) v Scott Mackenzie/Daryl Gurney
Evening Session
7.10pm Steve Beaton (21) v Kyle Anderson
8.15pm Mark McGrath v Scott Kirchner (P)
9.00pm Terry Jenkins (16) v John Weber
10.00pm Simon Whitlock (7) v Darren Webster
11.00pm Gary Anderson (4) v Mark McGrath/Scott Kirchner
Sunday December 21
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Paul Nicholson (25) v Benito van de Pas
2.15pm Boris Koltsov v Haruki Muramatsu (P)
3.00pm Mark Webster (31) v Ron Meulenkamp
4.00pm Dean Winstanley (26) v Wayne Jones
5.00pm Kevin Painter (20) v Boris Koltsov/Haruki Muramatsu
Evening Session
7.10pm Kim Huybrechts (18) v Michael Mansell
8.15pm Jani Haavisto v John Michael (P)
9.00pm Dave Chisnall (8) v Ryan De Vreede
10.00pm James Wade (6) v Jamie Lewis
11.00pm Ian White (15) v Jani Haavisto/John Michael
Monday December 22
7.10pm Jamie Caven (19) v Jason Hogg
8.15pm Nolan Arendse v Alex Hon (P)
9.00pm Michael Smith (22) v Mensur Suljovic
10.00pm Raymond van Barneveld (14) v Rowby-John Rodriguez
11.00pm Brendan Dolan (11) v Nolan Arendse/Alex Hon
Tuesday December 23
7.10pm Vincent van der Voort (23) v John Henderson
8.15pm Jermaine Wattimena v Robert Marijanovic (P)
9.00pm Mervyn King (10) v Max Hopp
10.00pm Adrian Lewis (3) v David Pallett
11.00pm Stephen Bunting (27) v Jermaine Wattimena/Robert Marijanovic
Second Round
Saturday December 27
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Thornton/Gilding v Baxter/Mackenzie/Gurney
2.15pm Jenkins/Weber v Pipe/Ryder
3.45pm Wright/Price v A Smith/R Huybrechts
Evening Session
7.10pm Chisnall/De Vreede v Nicholson/van de Pas
8.40pm van Gerwen/Cullen v Kellett/Viljanen/Stein
10.15pm G Anderson/McGrath/Kirchner v Klaasen/Kist
Sunday December 28
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Hamilton/Richardson v Beaton/K Anderson
2.15pm Newton/Perez/Reyes v Painter/Koltsov/Muramatsu
3.45pm White/Haavisto/Michael v K Huybrechts/Mansell
Evening Session
7.10pm Whitlock/D Webster v Winstanley/Jones
8.40pm Taylor/Artut v M Webster/Meulenkamp
10.15pm A Lewis/Pallett v Part/Brown
Monday December 29
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Dolan/Arendse/Hon v M Smith/Suljovic
2.15pm King/Hopp v van der Voort /Henderson
3.45pm van Barneveld/Rodriguez v Caven/Hogg
Evening Session
7.10pm Wade/J Lewis v Bunting/Wattimena/Marijanovic
Third Round
8.40pm van Gerwen/Cullen/Kellett/Viljanen/Stein v Jenkins/Weber/Pipe/Ryder
10.15pm Chisnall/De Vreede/Nicholson/van de Pas v Thornton/Gilding/Baxter/MacKenzie/Gurney
Tuesday December 30
Afternoon Session
12.40pm Wright/Price/A Smith/R Huybrechts v Hamilton/Richardson/Beaton/K Anderson
2.15pm G Anderson/McGrath/Kirchner/Klaasen/Kist v Newton/Perez/Reyes/Painter/Koltsov/Muramatsu
3.45pm Whitlock/D Webster/Winstanley/Jones v King/Hopp/van der Voort/Henderson
Evening Session
7.10pm A Lewis/Pallett/Part/Brown v van Barneveld/Rodriguez/Caven/Hogg
8.40pm Taylor/Artut/M Webster/Meulenkamp v White/Haavisto/Michael/K Huybrechts/Mansell
10.15pm Wade/J Lewis/Bunting/Wattimena/Marijanovic v Dolan/Arendse/Hon/M Smith/ Suljovic
Quarter-Finals
Thursday January 1
7.10pm
9.00pm
Friday January 2
7.10pm
9.00pm
Saturday January 3
Semi-Finals
7.10pm
9.00pm
Sunday January 4
Final
8.15pm
The schedule of play for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be confirmed on www.pdc.tv once finalised. The schedule of play is subject to change at the discretion of the PDC and Sky Sports. Any changes will be notified as soon as possible at www.pdc.tv. Times of matches listed here are approximate and for guidance only.
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
Final - Best of 13 sets
All sets are the best of five legs. For all matches using the Sets format, there will be a tie-break in the deciding set only, where the final set must be won by two clear legs. Should the score in the final set reach 5-5, a sudden-death leg would be played.
Prize Fund
Winner £250,000
Runner-Up £120,000
Semi-Finalists £60,000
Quarter-Finalists £35,000
Third Round Losers £18,000
Second Round Losers £12,000
First Round Losers £8,000
Preliminary Round Losers £3,500
Total £1,250,000
In addition, a £10,000 bonus is on offer for a nine-dart finish. Should more than one nine-dart finish be hit during the tournament, the bonus would be shared on a pro-rata basis.