TAYLOR SET TO OPEN 2014 PARTYPOKER.COM WORLD GRAND PRIX
REIGNING CHAMPION Phil Taylor and two-time winner James Wade will both be in action on the opening night of the 2014 partypoker.com World Grand Prix on Monday October 6.
The return of the world's leading darts players for the famous tournament, which sees players needing to both begin and end every leg with a double, sees 32 stars of the sport converge on Dublin's Citywest Hotel for seven days of action, live on Sky Sports.
Last year's partypoker.com World Grand Prix had seen Stoke legend Taylor continue his dominance of the double-start format by claiming an 11th title as he swept aside Dave Chisnall in the final in straight sets with a 6-0 whitewash.
Taylor's bid to complete a dozen titles in the event will begin on the £400,000 event's opening night on Monday October 6, as he faces former World Champion Steve Beaton in their first round clash.
James Wade, the 2007 and 2010 World Grand Prix champion at the Citywest Hotel, is also in action on the opening night, when he faces three-time quarter-finalist Andy Smith.
World number three Adrian Lewis, a former Dublin runner-up and the reigning UK Open champion, plays Londonderry's Daryl Gurney, who is one of three Northern Irish qualifiers in action on Monday night.
Belcoo's Brendan Dolan, the 2011 runner-up who also hit a nine-darter on the Dublin stage three years ago, will take on world number six Gary Anderson, while Coalisland-based left-hander Michael Mansell takes on Stoke's Ian White.
The opening night also features the meeting between former World Championship finalists Kevin Painter and Andy Hamilton, 2012 UK Open winner Robert Thornton's meeting with Justin Pipe and the clash between debutants Darren Webster and Andrew Gilding.
Tuesday's second night of action features the remaining eight games from the first round, headed by 2012 World Grand Prix winner and reigning World Champion Michael van Gerwen, who plays Dutch compatriot Vincent van der Voort.
Reigning Premier League Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld faces Chisnall as two former finalists go head-to-head, while world number four Peter Wright will meet Jamie Caven and number five seed Simon Whitlock takes on Wales' Richie Burnett.
Former finalists Mervyn King and Terry Jenkins takes on Wes Newton and Kim Huybrechts respectively, with Tuesday's action also featuring in-form Michael Smith - the European Darts Trophy winner last weekend - against Dean Winstanley and veteran Ronnie Baxter up against debutant Stephen Bunting.
The second round kicks off on Wednesday October 8 as the winners of Monday's games return to the stage, which could include Taylor, Wade, Lewis, Anderson and the Northern Irish trio of Dolan, Mansell and Gurney.
The remaining eight games from the second round will be played on Thursday October 9, with the likes of van Gerwen, Whitlock, Wright, Chisnall and van Barneveld hoping to be in action.
The last eight will then take to the stage on Friday October 10 for the quarter-finals, with Saturday October 11 featuring the semi-finals and Sunday October 12 featuring the final.
In a change for 2014 following discussions with host broadcaster Sky Sports, the format of the semi-finals will now be the best of seven sets, and the final will be the best of nine sets.
Tickets for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix are available now through the SeeTickets box office on 0818 776378 (Ireland) or 0844 871 8807 (UK), or direct from the Citywest Hotel by calling 00353 (0)1 401 0505, or online at www.seetickets.com/darts.
partypoker.com World Grand Prix
Monday October 6 (7pm-12am)
First Round
Darren Webster v Andrew Gilding
Robert Thornton v Justin Pipe
Michael Mansell v Ian White
Kevin Painter v Andy Hamilton
James Wade v Andy Smith
Phil Taylor v Steve Beaton
Gary Anderson v Brendan Dolan
Adrian Lewis v Daryl Gurney
Tuesday October 7 (7pm-12am)
First Round
Terry Jenkins v Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright v Jamie Caven
Mervyn King v Wes Newton
Dean Winstanley v Michael Smith
Stephen Bunting v Ronnie Baxter
Michael van Gerwen v Vincent van der Voort
Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld
Simon Whitlock v Richie Burnett
Wednesday October 8 (7pm-11pm)
Second Round
Lewis/Gurney v Painter/Hamilton
Wade/A Smith v Thornton/Pipe
Taylor/Beaton v Webster/Gilding
Anderson/Dolan v Mansell/White
Thursday October 9 (7pm-11pm)
Second Round
Wright/Caven v Bunting/Baxter
Whitlock/Burnett v Jenkins/Huybrechts
van Gerwen/van der Voort v Winstanley/M Smith
Chisnall/van Barneveld v King/Newton
Friday October 10 (7pm-11pm)
Quarter-Finals
Order of Play TBC
Saturday October 11 (7pm-10pm)
Semi-Finals
Order of Play TBC
Sunday October 12 (7pm-9pm)
Final
Preceded by Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay Final
Radek Szaganski v Daryl Gurney
First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Vincent van der Voort
Dean Winstanley v Michael Smith
Dave Chisnall (8) v Raymond van Barneveld
Mervyn King v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock (5) v Richie Burnett
Terry Jenkins v Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright (4) v Jamie Caven
Stephen Bunting v Ronnie Baxter
Phil Taylor (2) v Steve Beaton
Darren Webster v Andrew Gilding
James Wade (7) v Andy Smith
Robert Thornton v Justin Pipe
Gary Anderson (6) v Brendan Dolan
Michael Mansell v Ian White
Adrian Lewis (3) v Daryl Gurney
Kevin Painter v Andy Hamilton
Format
First Round - Best of Three Sets
Second Round - Best of Five Sets
Quarter-Finals - Best of Five Sets
Semi-Finals - Best of Seven Sets
Final - Best of Nine Sets
All Sets are the best of five legs. All legs must begin and end with a double.
Prize Fund
Winner - £100,000
Runner-Up - £45,000
Semi-Finalists - £23,500
Quarter-Finalists - £15,000
Second Round Losers - £8,500
First Round Losers - £5,000
Total - £400,000