JAMES WADE will begin his challenge to win a second Speedy Hire UK Open title next month against qualifier Davey Dodds on Thursday June 2.
The opening night of 'The FA Cup of Darts' in the Premier Suite at Bolton's Reebok Stadium will see 140 players in action in the Preliminary, First and Second Rounds.
The top 32 professional players from the Speedy Hire UK Open Order of Merit will come in at the Third Round stage on Friday June 3 - with the remaining professionals, 32 Speedy Hire Qualifiers and 32 Rileys Qualifiers having to compete in the early rounds on Thursday.
With play across eight stages simultaneously at the Reebok Stadium, the Sky Sports-televised event will see two former champions - 2008 winner James Wade and 2004 victor Roland Scholten - in action on the opening night.
Wade - who failed to win enough prize money from the four Qualifiers he competed in to finish in the top 32 - has drawn Rileys Middlesbrough Qualifier Davey Dodds for his First Round game, while Scholten has drawn Essex-based Speedy Hire Qualifier Kevin Edwards.
Dodds, a gardener from Stanley in Co Durham, has never competed previously in a televised event, but Wade will not be taking his opponent lightly in Bolton.
"I don't know anything about Davey to be honest but he's obviously a top quality player to have qualified so I'll have to prepare right," said Wade.
"I've paid for my bad start to the year in the Premier League by missing the Play-Offs and also in the UK Open now by coming in at the First Round, but there's no point whinging about it, I just have to get on with it.
"I believe I'm better now that I have ever been and I'll approach the UK Open as if I was in the top 32 on Friday. If I can beat Davey, I'll relax a little and look ahead to the tournament."
Colin Lloyd, the world number 13 who is the highest ranked player behind Wade who will compete on Thursday, will take on Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen in one high-profile opening clash.
Wayne Mardle faces Speedy Hire Qualifier Darrin Pugh and Peter Manley has drawn Rileys Qualifier John Bowles, a former rugby league player from Widnes who also competed in the 2010 UK Open.
Two former UK Open quarter-finalists from Yorkshire, Chris Thompson and Mark Lawrence, have been drawn in tough Preliminary Round fixtures, facing Nigel Heydon and Dave Ladley respectively.
The Second Round, to be played later on Thursday night, will see Lloyd or Klaasen come up against PDC Unicorn Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk or Steve Hine, a former UK Open quarter-finalist who only qualified for this year's event by reaching the last 32 in the final Qualifier.
South Africa's Devon Petersen or Speedy Hire Qualifier Stuart White would take on Manley or Bowles, while Mardle or Pugh would face 2005 runner-up Barrie Bates or youngster Reece Robinson.
The top 32 players, including reigning -UK Open champion Phil Taylor, two-time Bolton winner Raymond van Barneveld and last year's runner-up Gary Anderson - who won five of the eight Qualifiers between themselves - will enter the tournament in the Third Round on Friday night.
All games in the Preliminary, First and Second Rounds are the best of seven legs.
Tickets for the Speedy Hire UK Open are still available by calling 08448 712 932 or by visiting the Reebok Stadium Box Office.
Speedy Hire UK Open
Schedule of Play - Thursday June 2
Main Stage
First Round
Scott Rand v Steve Beaton
Mark Stephenson v Ben Burton
Darrin Pugh v Wayne Mardle
Brian Woods v Mark Hylton
Colin Lloyd v Jelle Klaasen
Peter Manley v John Bowles
Davey Dodds v James Wade
Devon Petersen v Stuart White
Second Round
Palfreyman/Henderson v Covill/Daniels
Mansell/Foster v Michels/Alcinas
O'Connor/Aubrey v Stewart/van Gerwen
Hudson/Evans v Caris/McDine
Board Two
First Round
Reece Robinson v Barrie Bates
Lee Palfreyman v John Henderson
Mensur Suljovic v Brandon Walsh
John MaGowan v Shaun Griffiths
Justin Pipe v Gary Welding
Kirk Shepherd v Paul Cartwright
Steve Grubb v Andy Beardmore
Roland Scholten v Kevin Edwards
Second Round
Whitworth/Simm v Woods/Hylton
Temple/Stompe v Jones/Jones
Turner/Little v Monk/Murray
Dolan/Gilding v Clark/Hagen
Board Three
Preliminary Round
John Donaldson v Dave Prins
Louis Blundell v Duncan Hastings
First Round
Alex Roy v John O'Shea
Robbie Green v Steve Clews
Colin Monk v Ryan Murray
James Richardson v Stuart Monaghan
John Kennedy v Steve Werrett
Peter Hudson v Steve Evans
Martin/Pearce v Matt Jackson
Andy Boulton v Jimmy Mann
Second Round
Hawken/O'Connor v Hill/O'Neill
Mucklow/M Padgett v McGowan/ Smith
Dodds/Wade v Jukes/Donaldson/Prins
Gleeson/Gordon v Jackson/Jones
Board Four
Preliminary Round
Peter White v Michael Rosenauer
Curtis Hammond v Bruce Harrison
First Round
Jamie Ellam v Ian Moss
Mick McGowan v Andy Smith
Steve Hine v Arron Monk
Ian Covill v Stuart Daniels
Rocco Maes v Colin Appleton
Steve Maish v Martin Perring
Jon Jukes v Donaldson/Prins
Blundell/Hastings v Atwood/Rose
Second Round
Kennedy/Werrett v Rand/Beaton
Green/Clews v Priestley/Lawrence/Ladley
Roy/O'Shea v Pipe/Welding
Robinson/Bates v Pugh/Mardle
Board Five
Preliminary Round
Mick Todd v Paul Harvey
Chris Thompson v Nigel Heydon
First Round
Michael Mansell v Gordon Foster
John Jackson v Mark Jones
Hammond/Harrison v Tony Eccles
Jason Crawley v Dan Butler
Craig Mucklow v Matt Padgett
Paul Whitworth v Richard North
White/Rosenauer v Jon Bott
Conan Whitehead v Charlie Cooper
Second Round
Richardson/Monaghan v Lovely/Barnard/Robinson
Keating/Douglas v Murnan/Sherwood
Stephenson/Burton v Maish/Perring
Scholten/Edwards v Smith/Fullwell/Broughton
Board Six
Preliminary Round
Mark Lawrence v Dave Ladley
Phil Daniels v Nicky Bache
First Round
Mareno Michels v Antonio Alcinas
Tony Ayres v Jyhan Artut
Stephen Hardy v Richie Howson
Danny Jones v Chris Jones
Joe Murnan v Damien Sherwood
John Keating v Steve Douglas
Todd/Harvey v Charlie Burns
Matthew Edgar v Thompson/Heydon
Second Round
Jordan/Hollis v Ellam/Moss
Whitworth/North v Crawley/Butler
White/Rosenauer/Bott v Boulton/Mann
Whitehead/Cooper v Blundell/Hastings/Atwood/Rose
Board Seven
Preliminary Round
Nick Fullwell v Tony Broughton
Eddie Lovely v Michael Barnard
First Round
Dean Stewart v Michael van Gerwen
Martyn Turner v Tommy Little
Matt Clark v Jamie Hagen
Darren Hawken v William O'Connor
Dennis Priestley v Lawrence/Ladley
Daniels/Bache v Peter Wright
Magnus Caris v Kevin McDine
Ian Gleeson v Kirk Gordon
Second Round
Ayres/Artut v Hardy/Howson
Maes/Appleton v Shepherd/Cartwright
Petersen/White v Manley/Bowles
Martin/Pearce/Jackson v Edgar/Thompson/Heydon
Board Eight
Preliminary Round
Wayne Atwood v Lee Rose
Eddy Martin v Andy Pearce
First Round
Geoff Whitworth v Kevin Simm
Terry Temple v Co Stompe
Lovely/Barnard v Jamie Robinson
Matthew Jordan v Graham Hollis
Shane O'Connor v Chris Aubrey
Sam Hill v Aodhagan O'Neill
Dennis Smith v Fullwell/Broughton
Brendan Dolan v Andrew Gilding
Second Round
Lloyd/Klaasen v Hine/Monk
Grubb/Beardmore v Daniels/Bache/Wright
MaGowan/Griffiths v Hammond/Harrison/Eccles
Suljovic/Walsh v Todd/Harvey/Burns
From the conclusion of the Second Round onwards an open draw will be made for the Third Round onwards.
Friday June 3
7pm-11pm
Tickets £30 - unreserved seating
Third Round - features players ranked 1-32 in UK Open Order of Merit plus 32 Second Round winners (eight boards)
Best of 17 legs
Saturday June 4
1pm-5pm
Tickets £20
Fourth Round - Last 32 (four boards)
Best of 17 legs
7pm-11pm
Tickets £30
Fifth Round - Last 16 (two boards)
Best of 17 legs
Sunday June 5
1pm-5pm
Tickets £25
Quarter-Finals (main stage)
Best of 19 legs
7pm-11pm
Tickets £30
Semi-Finals & Final (main stage)
Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs
Tickets for the Speedy Hire UK Open are still available by calling 08448 712 932 or by visiting the Reebok Stadium Box Office.