CHAMPION TAYLOR DRAWS GREEK DEBUTANT FOR PARTYPOKER.NET
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER 

PHIL TAYLOR will open the defence of his PartyPoker.net European Championship title against Greek debutant John Michael in Dusseldorf next Thursday. The world number one has won the European Championship title  for the past three years since the tournament was introduced in 2008, defeating Wayne Jones in the final 12 months ago.

His bid to reclaim the title will begin at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf on Thursday July 28, when he plays Greek newcomer John Michael,
who has qualified by virtue of his performances in the European-based Players Championships this year.

He could face either Mervyn King or Co Stompe in the second round, and is also in the same quarter of the draw as Mark Webster, Terry Jenkins, Justin Pipe and Paul Nicholson.

World number two Adrian Lewis will open up against Vincent van der Voort, having defeated the Dutchman during the World Matchplay this week, while number three seed James Wade takes on Sweden’s Magnus Caris.

Raymond van Barneveld, the five-time World Champion from Holland, meets resurgent Andy Hamilton in another tasty tie, with the
Derby-based star having returned to form by reaching the semi-finals of the World Matchplay – a run which returned him to the world’s top 16 and earned him a European Championship place.

Number four seed Gary Anderson plays Derby’s Jamie Caven, Simon Whitlock meets Austria’s Mensur Suljovic, Wes Newton drew Andy Smith and number eight seed Mark Webster takes on Terry Jenkins.

Last year’s runner-up Jones takes on Mark Walsh, while Colin Lloyd drew Alan Tabern, Nicholson faces Pipe and John Part plays colourful Peter
Wright.

Holland’s Jelle Klaasen plays debutant Dave Chisnall, while another newcomer, Belgian Kim Huybrechts, faces Spain’s Antonio Alcinas and
Dutch ace Michael van Gerwen drew Ronnie Baxter.

The PartyPoker.net European Championship will be held at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf from July 28-31 and screened live on ITV4.

The first round is split across Thursday and Friday nights, with the second round being played in two sessions on Saturday, and Sunday sees
the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final contested as the players battle for the £50,000 first prize.

The 32-player field was confirmed following Hamilton’s defeat in the World Matchplay on Saturday night, with the draw later conducted
by PDC Tournament Director Tommy Cox and PDPA Chairman Peter Manley.

The PDC’s top 16 qualify by right, and are joined by eight qualifiers from the Players Championship Order of Merit and eight qualifiers
from the European Order of Merit.

PartyPoker.net European Championship

First Round Draw Bracket

Phil Taylor (1, ENG) v John Michael
(GRE)

Mervyn King (ENG) v Co Stompe (NED)

Mark Webster (8, WAL) v Terry Jenkins
(ENG)

Justin Pipe (ENG) v Paul Nicholson
(AUS)

Simon Whitlock (5, AUS) v Mensur Suljovic
(AUT)

Alan Tabern (ENG) v Colin Lloyd (ENG)

Gary Anderson (4, SCO) v Jamie Caven
(ENG)

John Part (CAN) v Peter Wright (ENG)

Adrian Lewis (2, ENG) v Vincent van der Voort (NED)

Jelle Klaasen (NED) v Dave Chisnall
(ENG)

Wes Newton (7, ENG) v Andy Smith
(ENG)

Kim Huybrechts (BEL) v Antonio Alcinas
(ESP)

Raymond van Barneveld (6, NED) v Andy Hamilton
(ENG)

Wayne Jones (ENG) v Mark Walsh
(ENG)

James Wade (3, ENG) v Magnus Caris
(SWE)

Ronnie Baxter (ENG) v Michael van Gerwen (NED)

 

Schedule of Play (times local, BST+1)

Thursday July 28

First Round

8.05pm Mervyn King v Co Stompe

8.35pm Alan Tabern v Colin Lloyd

9.05pm John Part v Peter Wright

9.35pm Justin Pipe v Paul Nicholson

10.05pm Simon Whitlock v Mensur Suljovic

10.35pm Phil Taylor v John Michael

11.05pm Mark Webster v Terry Jenkins

11.35pm Gary Anderson v Jamie Caven

 

Friday July 29

First Round

8.05pm Wayne Jones v Mark Walsh

8.35pm Jelle Klaasen v Dave Chisnall

9.05pm Ronnie Baxter v Michael van Gerwen

9.35pm Kim Huybrechts v Antonio Alcinas

10.05pm James Wade v Magnus Caris

10.35pm Adrian Lewis v Vincent van der Voort

11.05pm Wes Newton v Andy Smith

11.35pm Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Hamilton

 

Saturday July 30

Second Round

2.10pm Whitlock/Suljovic v Tabern/Lloyd

3.10pm Webster/Jenkins v Pipe/Nicholson

4.10pm Taylor/Michael v King/Stompe

5.10pm Anderson/Caven v Part/Wright

 

8.10pm Newton/Smith v Huybrechts/Alcinas

9.10pm Lewis/van der Voort v Klaasen/Chisnall

10.10pm Wade/Caris v Baxter/van Gerwen

11.10pm van Barneveld/Hamilton v Jones/Walsh

 

Sunday July 31

Quarter-Finals

2pm

 

Semi-Finals

8pm

 

Final

Approx 10.30pm

 

Format

First Round – Best of 11 legs

Second Round – Best of 19 legs

Quarter-Finals – Best of 19 legs

Semi-Finals – Best of 21 legs

Final – Best of 21 legs

 

Prize Fund

Winner £50,000

Runner-Up £20,000

Semi-Finalists £10,000

Quarter-Finalists £7,500

Second Round Losers £5,000

First Round Losers £2,500

Total £200,000