Luke Humphries will begin his defence of the Gambrinus Czech Darts Open against Ross Smith or Jani Laurila, with the draw and schedule for this weekend’s event now confirmed.
The eighth PDC European Tour event of 2023 will take place in Prague from May 12-14, as reigning champion Humphries bids to retain his title in the Czech capital.
Humphries – a winner of four European Tour titles in 2022 – defeated Rob Cross in last year’s decider, and he could face European Champion Smith in his opener at the PVA Expo on Saturday night.
The top seed has made back-to-back European Tour finals in Leeuwarden and Wieze respectively, having also featured in February’s inaugural Baltic Sea Darts Open final.
Dave Chisnall and Michael van Gerwen denied Humphries in the respective finals, and the pair will also headline this weekend’s action, as 48 players battle it out for the £30,000 top prize in Prague.
Friday’s first round - which will be broadcast through PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN - will feature 16 matches across two sessions, as Czech number one Adam Gawlas takes centre stage on home soil.
UK Open semi-finalist Gawlas reached the last eight at this event 12 months ago, and he will begin his campaign against Latvia’s Madars Razma on Friday evening.
Gawlas’ World Cup partner Karel Sedlacek faces Dutch qualifier Jeffrey Sparidaans, after Filip Sebesta takes on emerging Irishman Dylan Slevin for a place in Saturday’s second round.
Last year’s semi-finalist Vincent van der Voort will play 2019 champion Jamie Hughes in a tasty tie, while Portuguese star Jose de Sousa meets former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks.
Three-time European Tour event winner Ian White and Belgium’s Mike De Decker also collide, with Stephen Bunting pitted against quick-fire Dutchman Martijn Kleermaker.
Steve Beaton will face Lithuania’s number one Darius Labanauskas in another high-profile first round clash, while Associate Member Qualifier Jelle Klaasen plays Northern Irish veteran Brendan Dolan.
Elsewhere, Kim Huybrechts will be aiming to bounce back from his disappointing showing in Belgium when he takes on Callan Rydz – a late replacement for Gary Anderson this weekend.
The 16 seeded players enter the fray in Saturday’s second round, as Humphries kicks off his title defence against Smith or Finnish debutant Laurila.
Van Gerwen celebrated a record-extending 36th European Tour success in Belgium last weekend, and the Dutchman will begin his title tilt against White or De Decker on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Chisnall - eyeing a third European Tour title of 2023 – will meet Dutch youngster Geert Nentjes or Host Nation Qualifier David Pisek for a place in Sunday’s last 16.
Austrian Darts Open champion Jonny Clayton faces Kleermaker or Bunting in his opener, while last year’s runner-up Cross awaits the winner of Gawlas or Razma in round two.
Two-time World Champion Peter Wright has been drawn against Klaasen or Dolan, as Hughes and Van der Voort collide for the right to take on UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.
Another intriguing second round showdown will see Danny Noppert play De Sousa or Brooks, before Dimitri Van den Bergh enters the fray against Switzerland’s Stefan Bellmont or Austrian ace Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Following Saturday’s second round, the last 16 will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a bumper evening session.
Live coverage of all 2023 European Tour events will be streamed through Viaplay in the UK, the Netherlands, Poland and all Nordic & Baltic countries, and through DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Coverage will also be shown on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and through bookmakers' worldwide.
NB: From the original field, Michael Smith and Gary Anderson have withdrawn for personal reasons and have been replaced from the Reserve List by Rowby-John Rodriguez and Callan Rydz.
2023 Gambrinus Czech Darts Open
Tournament Draw Bracket - Second Round Onwards
(6) Rob Cross v Adam Gawlas/Madars Razma
(11) Joe Cullen v Karel Sedlacek/Jeffrey Sparidaans
(3) Michael van Gerwen v Ian White/Mike De Decker
(14) Josh Rock v Richard Veenstra/Dalibor Smolik
(7) Nathan Aspinall v Martin Lukeman/Patrik Kovacs
(10) Ryan Searle v Steve Beaton/Darius Labanauskas
(2) Dave Chisnall v Geert Nentjes/David Pisek
(15) Andrew Gilding v Jamie Hughes/Vincent van der Voort
(5) Dirk van Duijvenbode v Mario Vandenbogaerde/Matt Campbell
(12) Jonny Clayton v Martijn Kleermaker/Stephen Bunting
(4) Damon Heta v Dylan Slevin/Filip Sebesta
(13) Martin Schindler v Kim Huybrechts/Callan Rydz
(8) Danny Noppert v Jose De Sousa/Bradley Brooks
(9) Peter Wright v Jelle Klaasen/Brendan Dolan
(1) Luke Humphries v Ross Smith/Jani Laurila
(16) Dimitri Van den Bergh v Stefan Bellmont/Rowby-John Rodriguez
Schedule of Play
Friday May 12
First Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Martin Lukeman v Patrik Kovacs
Stefan Bellmont v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Geert Nentjes v David Pisek
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Matt Campbell
Dylan Slevin v Filip Sebesta
Richard Veenstra v Dalibor Smolik
Jelle Klaasen v Brendan Dolan
Ian White v Mike De Decker
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Jose De Sousa v Bradley Brooks
Jamie Hughes v Vincent van der Voort
Ross Smith v Jani Laurila
Steve Beaton v Darius Labanauskas
Adam Gawlas v Madars Razma
Kim Huybrechts v Callan Rydz
Karel Sedlacek v Jeffrey Sparidaans
Martijn Kleermaker v Stephen Bunting
Saturday May 13
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Andrew Gilding v Hughes/Van der Voort
Josh Rock v Veenstra/Smolik
Damon Heta v Slevin/Sebesta
Ryan Searle v Beaton/Labanauskas
Dave Chisnall v Nentjes/Pisek
Martin Schindler v Huybrechts/Rydz
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Vandenbogaerde/Campbell
Nathan Aspinall v Lukeman/Kovacs
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Danny Noppert v De Sousa/Brooks
Rob Cross v Gawlas/Razma
Peter Wright v Klaasen/Dolan
Michael van Gerwen v White/De Decker
Joe Cullen v Sedlacek/Sparidaans
Luke Humphries v R Smith/Laurila
Jonny Clayton v Kleermaker/Bunting
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Bellmont/Rodriguez
Sunday May 14
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order