PHIL TAYLOR defeated Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 in the final of Saturday's PartyPoker.net Players Championship in Germany.
Taylor picked up his third PDC Pro Tour title of the month with a fine display at the Ramada Hotel in Bad Soden.
His fine form continued in his charge to the title, seeing off Steve Cusick and Germans Frank Mast and Marcus Schulte to reach the last 16.
He then produced a 170 finish to see off Ronnie Baxter, overcame Roland Scholten in straight sets in the quarter-finals and came from a set down against Andy Hamilton in the semis.
Facing old foe van Barneveld in the final, Taylor produced an 11-darter in winning the first set 2-0.
World number one van Barneveld came from a leg down to win the second set, but never recovered after another 11-darter from Taylor saw him take the deciding leg of set three.
He led in the fourth, but double ten put Taylor to the brink of victory and a 96 finish, on double 18, sealed the triumph.
Earlier Rounds
Colin Lloyd hit a nine-darter against Colin Monk in their Board Final, winning him the £12,400 rolling prize for a nine-dart leg.
The feat, Lloyd's second in a PDC ranked event following his achievement in the 2006 Irish Masters, was not enough to save Lloyd from defeat to Monk, as he went down 3-2.
The day also saw a near-miss at a nine-darter from Tony Eccles, who was off-target on double 12 to match Lloyd's achievement.
Andy Hamilton came from two sets down to defeat James Wade 3-2 in the quarter-finals, while Roland Scholten, Wayne Jones and Wayne Mardle also went down in the last eight.
Phil Taylor defeated Ronnie Baxter with a 170 finish at the last 16 stage, with Holland's Jelle Klaasen and Vincent van der Voort and Spain's Carlos Rodriguez among the victims at the same stage.
The PDC sends its best wishes to Swen Raush, who was injured in a car crash on his way to Bad Soden on Friday night.
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld came from behind to edge Alan Tabern in a dramatic first semi-final.
Tabern took the game's opening set with finishes of 106 and 121, and was a leg up in the next before van Barneveld levelled and then took out a two-dart 64 for the second set.
Tabern won the third set's opener on double nine, and then moved 2-1 up in the game with an 84 finish on double six, with van Barneveld sat on a double.
Van Barneveld took the first leg of set four on double top, after Tabern failed to set up a finish, and the St Helens man paid the price for a narrowly missed double eight for a 136 finish as the Dutchman returned to land double four to send the game into a decider.
Van Barneveld led thanks to a double top finish, but Tabern landed a maximum in the next to level, with van Barneveld waiting on tops for victory.
Tabern had a golden chance to win the deciding leg, needing 140 and seeing his first dart land in treble 20, only for his second to bounce out of the same bed. He was given another chance, but three missed darts at double ten and five gave van Barneveld one last chance, and he nailed double eight to move into the final.
Van Barneveld will face great rival Phil Taylor in the final, after the 13-time World Champion's 3-1 win over Andy Hamilton.
Hamilton defied a ten-darter from Taylor to win the first set in a decider, only for Taylor to take the second without reply, including an 11-darter.
Taylor won the third set in the same manner, including another 11-darter, before powering to victory by winning the next two legs.
The German Darts Classic Weekend continues on Sunday with a second PartyPoker.net Players Championship.
PartyPoker.net Players Championship (Saturday)
Preliminary Round
Martin Burchell 3-0 Jorg Fassbender
Ian Eames 3-2 Stephan Wusch
Jurgen Lechtken 3-0 Markus Scheck
Dave Ladley 3-0 Karsten Kornath
Kevin McDine 3-0 Mario Hermann
Olaf Tupuschis Bye (Sven Buchner)
Kieran Leal 3-2 Colin Rice
Colin Monk 3-1 Lee White
Kevin Harris 3-0 Detlev Haut
Dave Honey 3-0 Detlev Bietz
Carlos Rodriguez 3-0 Steve Grubb
Danny Pinhorne Bye (Swen Rausch)
Alexander Albert 3-2 Daniel Schmidt
Alan Caves 3-0 Frieder Pohlers
Mensur Suljovic 3-0 Franz Paulus
Matt Clark 3-0 Barnhard Kraus
Alex Kohler 3-2 Jason Barry
Michael Wolf 3-1 Mario Masurka
Andre Welge 3-0 Axel Krauss
Pavel Jirkal 3-0 Berthold Wittmann
Steve Cusick 3-1 Jon Archer
Frank Mast 3-0 Marcel Hausotter
Tobias Hontsch 3-1 Roland Schmidt
Alan Dokic 3-1 Christophe Laveau
Darren Latham 3-0 Norbert Grimm
Andre Michel Bye (Gary Welding)
Holger Kauf 3-1 Daniel Taube
Owen Caffrey 3-1 Olaf Fiss
Mike Herold Bye (Gunther Ulrich)
Thomas Eisgruber 3-2 Rico Vonck
Jamie Caven 3-0 Manfred Hausler
Shane Passey 3-1 Ali Avci
Nick Fulwell 3-0 Sonja Neuendorf
John Lokken 3-0 Gerhard Kremer
Michael Rosenauer 3-0 Matheus Ziolkowski
Heiko Gallinat Bye (Daniel Smerecinski)
Tony Littleton 3-0 Alex Kufer
Ben Burton 3-0 Alexander Haack
Dietmar Burger 3-0 Stefan Mindum
First Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Martin Burchell
Ian Eames 3-0 John Aylonn
Steve Maish 3-0 Alexander Glatthorn
Tony Eccles 3-1 Jurgen Lechtken
Colin Osborne 3-0 Tomas Seyler
Dave Ladley 3-1 Leroy Kwadijk
Chris Mason 3-0 Martin van Bijlefeld
Kevin McDine 3-0 Andreas Muller
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Tino Moser
Erwin Extercatte 3-1 Olaf Tupuschis
Mick McGowan 3-1 Sean Palfrey
Olaf Schmethusen 3-1 Kieran Leal
Colin Lloyd Bye (Alan Green)
Colin Monk 3-2 Michael van Gerwen
Alex Roy 3-0 Kevin Harris
Dave Honey 3-0 Jurgen Gallinat
Carlos Rodriguez 3-2 Adrian Lewis
Danny Pinhorne 3-0 Michael Putz
Adrian Gray 3-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Alexander Albert 3-1 Ricky Williams
Alan Tabern 3-1 Jan van der Rassel
Alan Caves 3-2 Steve Evans
Andy Smith 3-1 Thomas Gerock
Mensur Suljovic 3-1 Tom Wilson
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Christian Kruger
Dennis Smith 3-0 Matt Clark
Wayne Jones 3-0 Hannes Schnier
Alexander Kohler 3-2 Stephan Schneider
Kevin Painter Bye (Mike Klein)
Sladan Nedic 3-2 Michael Wolf
Mervyn King 3-0 Andre Welge
Pavel Jirkal 3-0 Raimund Mierswa
Phil Taylor 3-1 Steve Cusick
Frank Mast - Walkover (Bernd Roith)
Alan Warriner-Little 3-1 Markus Hinfurtner
Marcus Schulte 3-1 Tobias Hontsch
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Andi Waldenmaier
Alexander Hamacher 3-2 Alan Dokic
Steve Smith 3-0 Mark Dudbridge
Darren Latham 3-0 Yves Cottenge
Roland Scholten Bye (Richard Plowman)
Maik Langendorf 3-0 Andre Michel
Steve Beaton 3-0 Carlo Welte
Holger Kauf 3-0 Heinz Neuendorf
Peter Manley 3-2 Hans Pfaff
Owen Caffrey 3-1 Thomas Obstfelder
Wes Newton 3-0 Mike Herold
Thomas Eisgruber 3-2 Chris Kotal
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Jamie Caven
Johann Honner 3-1 Shane Passey
Anton Pein 3-1 Mark Walsh
Nick Fulwell 3-0 Holger Rettig
Barrie Bates 3-0 Marco Salmen
Miloslav Navratil 3-0 John Lokken
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Jonathan Overton
Karsten Koch 3-0 Michael Rosenauer
Jamie Wade 3-0 John MaGowan
Huseyin Zengin 3-2 Heiko Gallinat
Dave Askew 3-0 Haci Halim Senses
Tony Littleton 3-0 Frank Bauske
Jelle Klaasen 3-2 Denis Ovens
Marko Puls 3-1 Ben Burton
Kirk Shepherd 3-1 Jurgen Demler
Dietmar Burger 3-2 Alexander Berger
Second Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Ian Eames
Steve Maish 3-2 Tony Eccles
Colin Osborne 3-0 Dave Ladley
Kevin McDine 3-0 Chris Mason
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Erwin Extercatte
Mick McGowan 3-1 Olaf Schmethusen
Colin Monk 3-2 Colin Lloyd
Dave Honey 3-1 Alex Roy
Carlos Rodriguez 3-1 Danny Pinhorne
Adrian Gray 3-0 Alexander Albert
Alan Tabern 3-0 Alan Caves
Andy Smith 3-2 Mensur Suljovic
Terry Jenkins 3-1 Dennis Smith
Wayne Jones 3-1 Alex Kohler
Kevin Painter 3-0 Sladan Nedic
Mervyn King 3-0 Pavel Jirkal
Phil Taylor 3-0 Frank Mast
Marcus Schulte 3-2 Alan Warriner-Little
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Alexander Hamacher
Darren Latham 3-2 Steve Smith
Roland Scholten 3-1 Maik Langendorf
Steve Beaton 3-1 Holger Kauf
Owen Caffrey 3-2 Peter Manley
Wes Newton 3-1 Thomas Eisgruber
Andy Hamilton 3-0 Johann Honner
Anton Pein 3-0 Nick Fulwell
Barrie Bates 3-0 Miloslav Navratil
Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Karsten Koch
James Wade 3-0 Huseyin Zengin
Dave Askew 3-0 Tony Littleton
Jelle Klaasen 3-2 Marko Puls
Kirk Shepherd 3-0 Dietmar Burger
Losers £75
Third Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Steve Maish
Colin Osborne 3-0 Kevin McDine
Wayne Mardle 3-1 Mick McGowan
Colin Monk 3-2 Dave Honey
Carlos Rodriguez 3-2 Adrian Gray
Alan Tabern 3-0 Andy Smith
Wayne Jones 3-2 Terry Jenkins
Kevin Painter 3-1 Mervyn King
Phil Taylor 3-0 Marcus Schulte
Ronnie Baxter 3-1 Darren Latham
Roland Scholten 3-2 Steve Beaton
Wes Newton 3-1 Owen Caffrey
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Anton Pein
Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Barrie Bates
James Wade 3-0 Dave Askew
Jelle Klaasen 3-0 Kirk Shepherd
Losers £150
Fourth Round
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Colin Osborne
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Colin Monk
Alan Tabern 3-2 Carlos Rodriguez
Wayne Jones 3-1 Kevin Painter
Phil Taylor 3-1 Ronnie Baxter
Roland Scholten 3-1 Wes Newton
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Vincent van der Voort
James Wade 3-0 Jelle Klaasen
Losers £300
Quarter-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Wayne Mardle
Alan Tabern 3-1 Wayne Jones
Phil Taylor 3-0 Roland Scholten
Andy Hamilton 3-2 James Wade
Losers £600
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 3-2 Alan Tabern (0-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1)
Phil Taylor 3-1 Andy Hamilton (1-2, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0)
Losers £1,250
Final
Phil Taylor 3-1 Raymond van Barneveld (2-0, 1-2, 2-1, 2-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500