THE schedule of play for the Unibet World Grand Prix has been confirmed ahead of the famous double-start tournament at Dublin's Citywest Hotel from October 2-8.
The World Grand Prix, unique for the double-start format which sees players having to both begin and end each leg on a double, will see 32 stars competing live on Sky Sports across seven days in Dublin.
Reigning champion Robert Thornton will be amongst the stars in action on the opening night on Sunday October 2 as he opens his title defence against Stephen Bunting.
World Champion Gary Anderson takes on Jamie Caven, two-time World Grand Prix winner James Wade faces Terry Jenkins and world number three Adrian Lewis meets Jelle Klaasen in further big games on Sunday.
Australia's Kyle Anderson faces Spain's Cristo Reyes in the opening fixture, with Ian White then playing Kim Huybrechts and Gerwyn Price up against Benito van de Pas before the first evening concludes as former finalists Mervyn King and Raymond van Barneveld clash.
World number one Michael van Gerwen begins his bid to win a third World Grand Prix title against Steve Beaton on Monday evening, while 11-time winner Phil Taylor - fresh from his Unibet Champions League of Darts win - plays Steve West.
Northern Irish pair Brendan Dolan and Daryl Gurney meet Peter Wright and Mensur Suljovic respectively, while resurgent Irishman Mick McGowan plays James Wilson.
Monday's action opens as 2013 finalist Dave Chisnall plays Robbie Green, while number eight seed Michael Smith meets Alan Norris and Joe Cullen faces Simon Whitlock.
Tuesday night's second round feature Sunday's winners from the bottom half of the draw, with Monday's winners from the top half of the draw returning to the stage on Wednesday.
The quarter-finals will be held on Thursday, with the semi-finals on Friday before the tournament concludes on Saturday with the final.
Saturday's final will be preceded by the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final between Balbriggan's Mick McGowan, the reigning champion, and Cork-based Radek Szaganski, who previously reached the 2014 final.
The £400,000 tournament will be held from October 2-8 at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.ie or call the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 (0)1 401 0505.
Click here to see the Draw Bracket
2016 Unibet World Grand Prix
Sunday October 2 (7pm)
First Round x8
Kyle Anderson v Cristo Reyes
Ian White v Kim Huybrechts
James Wade (6) v Terry Jenkins
Gerwyn Price v Benito van de Pas
Adrian Lewis (3) v Jelle Klaasen
Robert Thornton (7) v Stephen Bunting
Gary Anderson (2) v Jamie Caven
Mervyn King v Raymond van Barneveld
Monday October 3 (7pm)
First Round x8
Dave Chisnall v Robbie Green
Mick McGowan v James Wilson
Mensur Suljovic v Daryl Gurney
Michael Smith (8) v Alan Norris
Joe Cullen v Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor (4) v Steve West
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Steve Beaton
Peter Wright (5) v Brendan Dolan
Tuesday October 4 (7pm)
Second Round x4
Wade/Jenkins v Price/van de Pas
Thornton/Bunting v White/Huybrechts
G Anderson/Caven v K Anderson/Reyes
Lewis/Klaasen v King/van Barneveld
Wednesday October 5 (7pm)
Second Round x4
Smith/Norris v Cullen/Whitlock
Wright/Dolan v Chisnall/Green
Taylor/West v Suljovic/Gurney
van Gerwen/Beaton v McGowan/Wilson
Thursday October 6 (7pm)
Quarter-Finals
Friday October 7 (7pm)
Semi-Finals
Saturday October 8 (8.30pm)
Final
Preceded by Irish Matchplay Final (approx 7.45pm, best of 11 legs)
Mick McGowan v Radek Szaganski
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. There will be no tie-break in any Set.
* All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before he can begin scoring in each leg.
* The order of play for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be confirmed on www.pdc.tv.
Unibet Odds
Tournament Winner
11/10 Michael van Gerwen
4/1 Phil Taylor
6/1 Gary Anderson
20/1 James Wade
22/1 Adrian Lewis
25/1 Dave Chisnall, Peter Wright
28/1 Mensur Suljovic
40/1 Raymond van Barneveld
50/1 Kim Huybrechts, Michael Smith
66/1 Jelle Klaasen
80/1 Stephen Bunting, Robert Thornton, Ian White, Simon Whitlock
100/1 Joe Cullen, Daryl Gurney, James Wilson, Benito van de Pas
150/1 Kyle Anderson, Mervyn King, Alan Norris
200/1 Jamie Caven, Brendan Dolan, Robbie Green, Terry Jenkins, Gerwyn Price
300/1 Steve Beaton
400/1 Cristo Reyes, Steve West
750/1 Mick McGowan
First Round Match Odds
Sunday
13/25 Kyle Anderson v 6/4 Cristo Reyes
Evs Ian White v 4/5 Kim Huybrechts
3/10 James Wade v 5/2 Terry Jenkins
6/5 Gerwyn Price v 4/6 Benito van de Pas
13/25 Adrian Lewis v 6/4 Jelle Klaasen
9/10 Robert Thornton v 9/10 Stephen Bunting
1/5 Gary Anderson v 18/5 Jamie Caven
7/5 Mervyn King v 5/9 Raymond van Barneveld
Monday
2/5 Dave Chisnall v 2/1 Robbie Green
8/5 Mick McGowan v 1/2 James Wilson
1/2 Mensur Suljovic v 8/5 Daryl Gurney
3/5 Michael Smith v 13/10 Alan Norris
9/10 Joe Cullen v 9/10 Simon Whitlock
2/19 Phil Taylor v 11/2 Steve West
1/9 Michael van Gerwen v 11/2 Steve Beaton
3/10 Peter Wright v 51/20 Brendan Dolan
Odds courtesy www.unibet.co.uk and correct at time of writing. Subject to fluctuation.