THE partypoker.com World Grand Prix kicks off on Sunday evening, as reigning champion Michael van Gerwen begins his bid to complete a hat-trick of triumphs at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
Dutch star van Gerwen followed up his 2012 win in the tournament - famous for the double-start format which means legs have to both begin and end with a double - by claiming the title 12 months ago by defeating James Wade in the final.
Van Gerwen has since consolidated his status as world number one by winning the European Championship, UK Open and July's World Matchplay and opens his challenge in Dublin against World Youth Champion Keegan Brown on Sunday.
"I've won this tournament twice and I'm feeling really confident, and I want to win it for a third time," said van Gerwen.
"It's going to be difficult because there are a lot of good players there but my finishing and my doubles are a strong part of my game so I know I can do it. I will be the favourite with Phil Taylor, but we will have to see what happens.
"I like the format but it is very difficult. You have to keep it going straight from the beginning which is not easy, I hope it will be easy for me this time but I know it won't.
"The format is hard, the players are fantastic and I need to be on the top of my game if I'm going to win it."
Sunday's eight first round games will also feature the titanic meeting of former World Champions Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld, who are both former World Grand Prix finalists.
The duo met five weeks ago in the final of the Auckland Darts Masters as the Stoke ace as Lewis took victory, and the world number five is in confident mood ahead of their Dublin showdown.
"I'm feeling very confident and I've put a lot of work in, but it's a tough tournament because of the double-start format," said Lewis. "I'm really looking forward to it but first round games don't get much tougher than Raymond.
"Barney's a great player and to be honest he's good enough to be in the top eight, so I know how tough it's going to be.
"He's come back into form recently and because it's a short format and double-start you know that anything can happen, so it will be great just to get past the first round.
"But I'd love to have a good run this week - I've reached the final before and after winning in Auckland I'm feeling great."
The opening night also sees number four seed Peter Wright taking on 2013 World Grand Prix finalist Dave Chisnall, while number eight seed Michael Smith - the former World Youth Champion - meets Welsh debutant Gerwyn Price.
Another former World Grand Prix finalist is in action on Sunday's opening night, as Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan - the 2011 runner-up - takes on in-form Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen.
Dolan also made history in Dublin four years ago with the event's first double-start nine-dart finish and admits that returning to the Citywest Hotel is always a special moment.
"It's a pleasure to play in Dublin, and this tournament made my career," said Dolan. "I'll never forget that moment of being the first one to do the nine-darter double-in, double-out.
"It's special to me and will go in the history books. It's a pleasure to be mixing it with the best and it's great to be involved."
Dolan added: "It's a tough draw, but any one of the other 31 players would have been tough too so it's what I expected. Jelle's had two wins this year so he's playing really well."
Irish qualifier William O'Connor takes on Wales' Jamie Lewis in the event's opening game, while former Lakeside Champions Mark Webster and Stephen Bunting clash before Belgium's Kim Huybrechts meets Dutch debutant Benito van de Pas.
The first round concludes on Monday evening, with the remaining eight games including 11-time World Grand Prix winner Phil Taylor up against Holland's Vincent van der Voort and World Champion Gary Anderson taking on Scottish rival John Henderson.
Two-time World Grand Prix champion James Wade, last year's runner-up to van Gerwen, takes on Austria's Mensur Suljovic, while two other former Dublin finalists clash as Mervyn King faces Terry Jenkins.
The partypoker.com World Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and worldwide through the PDC's series of international broadcast partners, and through www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.
Tickets for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix are available from the Citywest Hotel ny email via darts15@citywesthotel.com or by calling 01 401 0505 (Outside Ireland 00353 1 401 0505).
partypoker.com World Grand Prix
Schedule of Play
Sunday October 4 (7pm-12am)
First Round
William O'Connor v Jamie Lewis
Mark Webster v Stephen Bunting
Kim Huybrechts v Benito van de Pas
Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v Keegan Brown
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
Jelle Klaasen v Brendan Dolan
Monday October 5 (7pm-12am)
First Round
Andrew Gilding v Simon Whitlock
Justin Pipe v Steve Beaton
Mervyn King v Terry Jenkins
James Wade v Mensur Suljovic
Ian White v Jamie Caven
Phil Taylor v Vincent van der Voort
Gary Anderson v John Henderson
Robert Thornton v Daryl Gurney
Tuesday October 6 (7pm-11pm)
Second Round
Smith/Price v O'Connor/J Lewis
Wright/Chisnall v Klaasen/Dolan
van Gerwen/Brown v Huybrechts/van de Pas
A Lewis/van Barneveld v Webster/Bunting
Wednesday October 7 (7pm-11pm)
Second Round
Thornton/Gurney v Pipe/Beaton
Wade/Suljovic v Gilding/Whitlock
Taylor/van der Voort v King/Jenkins
Anderson/Henderson v White/Caven
Thursday October 8 (7pm-11pm)
Quarter-Finals
Order of Games TBC
Friday October 9 (7pm-10pm)
Semi-Finals
Order of Games TBC
Saturday October 10 (8.30pm-10.30pm)
Final
Preceded by
Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final (7.40pm)
Mick McGowan v Tom Biggane
Best of 11 legs
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.
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