Grand Slam of Darts: Day one predictions, odds, betting tips, accas, order of play & TV times

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If Christmas songs are allowed to be played in November then let's just say the official start of the Dartmas period begins in Wolverhampton today.

All 32 players, including eight from the BDO, are in group stage action throughout the afternoon and evening sessions so I'll cut to the chase and get straight into some quick fire match predictions...

Grand Slam of Darts: Saturday November 9

SUGGESTED ACCAS

• White, Noppert, Hughes & R Smith at 8.6/1
• Aspinall, White, M Smith, Noppert, Hughes & R Smith at 24/1
• Click here to build your acca at Sky Bet

AFTERNOON SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1300 GMT)
• Groups E-H opening games: Best of 9 legs

Nathan Aspinall (4/9) v Martin Schindler (7/4)

Group H
Head-to-head: 4-1
2019 Meetings: 1-1
PDC Titles this season: 2-0

I'm backing Nathan Aspinall to qualify from this group of death so an opening victory against the underdog is very much a necessity to do that.

The UK Open and US Masters champion is quickly ascending among the game's elite and while no player is immune from an upset in this short format, I'd be surprised to see him turned over.

Prediction: 5-2

Danny Noppert (4/9) v Ryan Harrington (7/4)

Group F
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: NA
PDC Titles this season: 0-0

Ryan Harrington's only experience of a big televised major is the UK Open, where he's never gone beyond the last 64.

Ranked way down at 95 on the PDC's Order of Merit, the son of the great Rod raised eyebrows when coming through the last-ditch qualifier for this event on Monday, which obviously prompted more criticism of the criteria to earn a Grand Slam spot.

Ironically his first game is against another player who many feel was fortunate to qualify virtue of being runner-up at the World Series of Darts Finals on Sunday - a tournament in which he was invited to play.

Noppert is the stronger player and produced some great darts to beat both Ian White and Dave Chisnall before his defeat to MVG so I can envisage a comfortable win.

Prediction: 5-2

Brendan Dolan (11/10) v Gabriel Clemens (8/11)

Group G
Head-to-head: 0-4
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 2-0

As much Gabriel Clemens is one of the brightest stars of German darts, I really think Brendan Dolan should be favourite here considering the title-winning form he's produced recently.

He's arguably playing the best darts of his career since his heyday of reaching the 2011 World Grand Prix final and after ending a five-year title drought back in August, he now has two.

His averages have consistently around the 100 mark on the floor and if he can take those kind of numbers onto the stage, he'll be a force to be reckoned with.

Prediction: 5-3

Dave Chisnall (4/7) v Jamie Hughes (11/8)

Group E
Head-to-head: 2-1
2019 Meetings: 2-0
PDC Titles this season: 3-1

No qualms about Chizzy being favourite here due a fantastic season in which he's won three titles, including once on the European Tour, and reached the World Grand Prix final.

He was unlucky to come up against MVG, who prolonged his wait for a maiden TV title, but you could say he blew another good chance when losing to Danny Noppert in Sunday's World Series semi-finals.

Jamie Hughes is a dangerous player and over this short format, with the Wolverhampton crowd firmly behind him, he could catch Chizzy cold.

Prediction: 4-5

Daryl Gurney (1/3) v Richard Veenstra (BDO) (23/10)

Group G
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 2-3

In my outright preview I did reluctantly predict Veenstra to finish bottom of this group but he's still quite an eye-catching price to pull off a mini shock.

The Dutchman has enjoyed a decent season and while he was disappointing at the recent World Masters he did reach the World Trophy final, losing to Jim Williams.

Gurney is obviously one of the best in the business and should win but he is prone to the inconsistent performance.

Prediction: 5-4

Peter Wright (1/5) v Wayne Warren (BDO) (7/2)

Group F
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 4-1

I've backed Peter Wright to lift the trophy in my outright preview so I won't labour the point here.

Wayne Warren is clearly a handy player but will probably find Snakebite too hot to handle if he maintains his momentum from the past few months.

Prediction: 5-2

Rob Cross (1/25) v Lisa Ashton (BDO) (10/1)

Group E
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 2-4

Lisa Ashton may have lost her grip on the world title back in January but she's bounced back strongly in the last couple of months by winning four titles including the Women's World Masters and Women's BDO Trophy.

The Lancashire Rose is in an incredibly tough group but she'll thrive on the challenge just like she did at the Ally Pally last December, albeit in defeat.

They'll be plenty of punters backing 5-0 scorelines in Rob Cross' favour but I fancy her to nick a leg or two.

Prediction: 5-2

Michael Smith (4/5) v Glen Durrant (1/1)

Group H
Head-to-head: 2-1
2019 Meetings: 2-1
Titles this season: 0-2

The hardest game to call rounds off the afternoon session but considering I've predicted Michael Smith to qualify and Glen Durrant to miss out - albeit without much confidence - it makes sense to side with Bully Boy.

He's won two of their three meetings this season, including at the World Matchplay semi-finals, and that could give him the slightest of edges.

Prediction: 5-4

EVENING SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
• Groups A-D opening games: Best of 9 legs

Darren Webster (10/11) v William O'Connor (10/11)

Group D
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 0-1

Darren Webster came through Monday's qualifier to book his place at the Grand Slam for the fourth time while William O'Connor is making his debut due to his exploits in helping Ireland reach the World Cup of Darts final.

The bookies can't split the duo and neither have much to shout about in terms of recent form although O'Connor did win his maiden PDC title much earlier in the year.

It's a coin toss match. I say heads for Webster, tails for O'Connor.

I've flipped. It's heads.

Prediction: 5-4

Gerwyn Price (1/20) v Mikuru Suzuki (9/1)

Group C
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 4-3

You can expect a totally different on-stage demeanour from Gerwyn Price when he takes on Mikuru Suzuki compared to the one we saw on this very stage 12 months ago.

Irrespective of playing a woman, the defending champion admits he's contemplating a change of style for the stage tournaments and put a lid on his emotions more.

Hopefully it works for him but it's a shame the boos of the fans have pushed him into this course of action because his enthusiasm undoubtedly adds to the spectacle that darts is about.

Prediction: 5-1

Ian White (2/5) v Steve Lennon (15/8)

Group B
Head-to-head: 3-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 2-0

Having tentatively forecast an Ian White-Steve Lennon top-two finish in Group B, I wouldn't want this to be a one-sided affair.

That said, Ian White's stage fright never seems to kick in during the early rounds of competition - for whatever reason - so expect one of those power displays that makes you wonder why he's never got beyond the quarter-finals of a major.

Prediction: 5-2

Gary Anderson (1/3) v Dave Parletti (BDO) (23/10)

Group D
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Individual Titles this season: 0-2 (

I think it's worth going with the upset here because if Gary Anderson's struggles last week, in which he averaged 70 at the World Series and looked in discomfort, continue in Wolverhampton then he'll lose this one and be odds-against for the next two.

He may be fine now and back to a level where this group is a piece of cake but I fear that won't be the case.

Prediction: 3-5

James Wade (4/9) v Wesley Harms (BDO) (7/4)

Group B
Head-to-head: 2-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 5-7

This time last year James Wade battered Wesley Harms 5-0 in the group stage as he progressed with a 100% record ahead of the Dutchman from the BDO.

While Wade then crashed out to Michael Unterbuchner, Harms would lose 10-2 to Anderson in a match that hit the headlines for 'fart-gate'.

The Machine has since enjoyed a superb 2019 winning five Pro Tour events while Harms has managed an impressive haul of seven on his circuit.

Wade, however, has suffered back-to-back first-round defeats in the defence of both his European and World Series crowns so he's not as confident as he could be.

Prediction: 4-5

Michael van Gerwen (1/8) v Jim Williams (5/1)

Group A
Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 13-3

I've already made the case for Jim Williams to qualify from this group at odds-against prices so I'm hoping he at least manages to keep the scoreline respectable in his first meeting against Michael van Gerwen.

It could be a daunting experience but at least the format is so short, it'll hardly leave him with many scares for the rest of the tournament.

Prediction: 5-2

Adrian Lewis (4/5) v Ross Smith (1/1)

Group A
Head-to-head: 3-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 1-0

It was great to see the Jackpot pay out with his first title in almost two years earlier this season but that was back in March.

Since then he's only shown sporadic glimpses that he may one day get back to his best while Ross Smith hit the headlines a fortnight ago when defeating MVG at the European Championship.

One cracker doesn't make a Christmas but he did average over 100 twice during the recent qualifying event to book his place here so his confidence is still bubbling away nicely.

Prediction: 4-5

Dimitri Van den Bergh (1/2) v Robert Thornton (13/8)

Group C
Head-to-head: 2-2
2019 Meetings: 1-0
Titles this season: 0-0

Dimitri van den Bergh's star shone here brightly 12 months ago when firing in the last nine-darter we've seen on the televised stage.

Remarkably there's been a record 46 perfect legs managed on the Tour this season - breaking the previous record of 29 - but none have been televised.

What's this got to do with the final match of the night? Absolutely nothing.

I've boldly called that Mikuru Suzuki will get through this group at 8/1 so I guess for that to happen it would help if Thornton pulls off a very minor upset.

Prediction: 3-5

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