German shocked the number one in the dress rehearsal of the Darts World Cup

Four legs had already been played and Martin Schindler was still averaging 111.33 points. The German darts professional got off to a flying start at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead and led 4-0 against Vincent van der Voort.

The Dutchman barely had a chance to get on the scoreboard. Schindler checked 14, 12, 15 and 13 darts, including a 144 finish in the second leg. Ultimately, the decisive lead to decide the subsequently balanced duel for themselves. Van der Voort broke back at 2-5 as Schindler was waiting with 24 points to go, and cut back to 4-5, but then missed his last chance on the bullseye to give the German six missed match darts punish.

Schindler closed on double eight and a points average of 102.55 per shot. A very strong performance that he will also need against Chris Dobey on Saturday to double his £5000 prize money again. The match was scheduled on the side stage and can therefore only be followed in the stream with a PDC subscription. Starts at around 3:15 p.m. The matches on the main stage can be seen live on DAZN.

Even the biggest sensation at the start was not enough to make it onto the main stage on the second day of the major tournament. Ricardo Pietreczko might even be quite right. The German had just slipped into the final tournament as number 64 in the Players Championship rankings, but defied the seeding list and surprisingly prevailed against number one. The German beat Australian Damon Heta 6-5. He missed his first match dart on double 16 when the score was 5:4, but “Pikachu” remained in the decider, ranked 103 in the world, had strong nerves and finished in 17 darts and an average of 92.15 for the scoop . The next opponent on Saturday at 1.45 p.m. is Callan Rydz, who just as narrowly defeated Madars Razma.

Gabriel Clemens could have made the German record perfect at the end of the first day, but was ultimately defeated by Gary Anderson. The German number one missed his chances at crucial moments to turn his form around again ahead of the World Cup starting on December 15th. When the score was 4:4, Clemens missed two darts to make it 5:4 and conceded the break instead. In the subsequent leg, "Gaga" missed three attempts to get into the decider.

With the end, the Saarlander was in good company. In addition to the top seeded Heta, world number one Gerwyn Price (5:6 against Ryan Joyce), the newly crowned Grand Slam champion Michael Smith (5:6 against Ritchie Edhouse), Nathan Aspinall (4:6 against Martijn Kleermaker) and Shooting star Josh Rock (3:6 against Cameron Menzies) their matches.

This makes it clear for the World Cup that Martin Schindler, who was seeded there for the first time, would probably meet Michael Smith if he reached the third round. An unpleasant task for both of them.

1 round:

Damon Heta (AUS/1) – Ricardo Pietreczko (D) 5:6

Callan Rydz (ENG/33) – Madars Razma (LAT) 6:5

Andrew Gilding (ENG/16) – Ricky Evans (ENG) 6:2

Adrian Lewis (ENG/17) – Keane Barry (IRL) 4:6

Gerwyn Price (WAL/8) – Ryan Joyce (ENG) 5:6

Brendan Dolan (NIR/25) – Jermaine Wattimena (NED) 3:6

Gian van Veen (ENG) – Ross Smith (ENG) 2:6

Jonny Clayton (WAL/24) – John O‘Shea (ENG) 6:0

Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED/4) – Mickey Mansell (NIR) 6:5

Daryl Gurney (NIR/29) – Keegan Brown (ENG) 6:3

Ryan Searle (ENG/13) – Mervyn King (ENG) 6:4

Stephen Bunting (ENG/20) – Jamie Hughes (ENG) 4:6

Rob Cross (ENG/5) – Kevin Doets (NL) 6:3

Gabriel Clemens (D/28) – Gary Anderson (SCO) 4:6

Martin Schindler (D/12) – Vincent van der Voort (NED) 6:4

Chris Dobey (ENG/21) – Geert Nentjes (NED) 6:1

Luke Humphries (ENG/2) – Nathan Rafferty (NIR) 6:3

Jim Williams (WAL/31) – Mike De Decker (NED) 4:6

Krzysztof Ratajski (POL/15) – William O'Connor (IRL) 6:4

Jose De Sousa (POR/18) – Danny Jansen (NED) 6:2

Dave Chisnall (ENG/7) – Niels Zonneveld (NED) 6:3

Scott Williams (ENG/26) – Alan Soutar (SCO) 6:4

Joe Cullen (ENG/10) – Rowby-John Rodriguez (AUT) 6:2

Kim Huybrechts (BEL/23) – Raymond van Barneveld (NED) 6:4

Nathan Aspinall (ENG/3) – Martijn Kleermaker (ENG) 4:6

Matt Campbell (CAN/30) – Steve Beaton (ENG) 6:3

Danny Noppert (NED/14) – Simon Whitlock (AUS) 6:1

James Wade (ENG/19) – Mensur Suljovic (AUT) 6:2

Michael Smith (ENG/6) – Ritchie Edhouse (ENG) 5:6

Dimitri Van den Bergh (BEL/27) – Martin Lukeman (ENG) 6:5

Josh Rock (NIR/11) – Cameron Menzies (SCO) 3:6

Michael van Gerwen (ENG/22) – Ryan Meikle (ENG) 6:3

2nd round:

Ricardo Pietreczko (D) – Callan Rydz (ENG/33)

Andrew Gilding (ENG/16) – Keane Barry (IRL)

Ryan Joyce (ENG) – Jermaine Wattimena (NED)

Ross Smith (ENG) – Jonny Clayton (WAL/24)

Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED/4) – Daryl Gurney (NIR/29)

Ryan Searle (ENG/13) – Jamie Hughes (ENG)

Rob Cross (ENG/5) – Gary Anderson (SCO)

Martin Schindler (D/12) – Chris Dobey (ENG/21)

Luke Humphries (ENG/2) – Mike De Decker (NED)

Krzysztof Ratajski (POL/15) – Jose De Sousa (POR/18)

Dave Chisnall (ENG/7) – Scott Williams (ENG/26)

Joe Cullen (ENG/10) – Kim Huybrechts (BEL/23)

Martijn Kleermaker (NED) – Matt Campbell (CAN/30)

Danny Noppert (NED/14) – James Wade (ENG/19)

Ritchie Edhouse (ENG) – Dimitri Van den Bergh (BEL/27)

Cameron Menzies (SCO) – Michael van Gerwen (NED/22)