The Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts continues on Monday night so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.
Groups A-D conclude tonight as the likes of Jonny Clayton, Rob Cross, Krzysztof Ratajski and James Wade bid to join Gerwyn Price and Ryan Joyce in the second round.
Darts betting tips: Grand Slam of Darts day three
2pts Ryan Joyce to beat Chris Dobey at 11/10 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
2pts James Wade to beat Rob Cross at 11/8 (Unibet)
1pt Jonny Clayton to beat Mervyn King and hit most 180s at 5/4 (Paddy Power)
1pt Martin Schindler (+2.5 legs) v Gerwyn Price at 11/10 (Betway)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
Monday November 14: Groups A-D
- Evening Session (1900 GMT)
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports
- Format: Best of nine legs sets
SL Acca: Click here to back Joyce, Wade and Bunting at 11/2 with Sky Bet
Chris Dobey (5/6) v Ryan Joyce (11/10) (D)
- Head to Head (TV): 2-1 (0-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 2-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 97.51 – 92.75
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.32 – 0.19
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 36.67% - N/A
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 12.06% - 13.33%
It's quite strange to see the odds-on favourite for this match is already eliminated and his opponent has qualified with a game to spare!
Unfortunately Chris Dobey was one of my outside bets for the title based on the brilliant form he'd been displaying of late - and his results throughout the whole season - but sadly it's not clicked for him and now there's nothing but pride to play for.
The Northumberland duo are close pals away from the oche so it will at least have a friendly rivalry feel about it, while Ryan Joyce does have the motivation of a £3,500 group winners' bonus to play for. Despite what the seasonal stats say, I'd rather side with a player with more confidence and quality shown in this tournament so far (Joyce averaged 108 on Saturday) and an added prize incentive even if you could argue it adds a little more pressure.
Prediction: 3-5
Gerwyn Price (1/5) v Martin Schindler (9/2) (A)
- Head to Head (TV): 5-2 (0-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 3-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 99.37 – 95.73
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.29 – 0.28
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 43.08% - 34.38%
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 11.51% - 11.96%
Gerwyn Price has made a mockery of a group I thought would be quite tricky and he can already look forward to the second round and a probable group winners' bonus unless he suffers a pretty heavy defeat.
Not to sound like a disappointed school teacher, but Martin Schindler as really disappointed me during this tournament and no matter how well he's played away from the TV cameras this season, I'd say this is more worrying evidence that he seems to struggle delivering his best on the big stage.
That said, you can still get him at even money with a 2.5 leg start on the handicap which is pretty generous when Price will almost certainly be in auto pilot mode.
Prediction: 5-3
Boris Krcmar (5/4) v Jim Williams (8/11) (C)
- Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 91.86 – 89.51
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.20 – 0.17
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 40.91% - N/A
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 11.32% - 6.83%
Boris Krcmar is all but eliminated barring a freak set of results although I guess one of those - a 5-0 win over Jim Williams - wouldn't exactly send shockwaves through the world of darts.
Williams isn't known particularly for his mental strength in pressure situations - as we've seen at Q School - but he has plenty of potential to become a serious PDC player when on the circuit next year.
Krcmar is inconsistent to say the least but in a short format situation, with zero pressure on his shoulders now, he might prove a frustratingly tricky customer for Williams.
Prediction: 5-3
James Wade (11/8) v Rob Cross (4/6) (C)
- Head to Head (TV): 8-9 (2-5)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 1-1 (1-1)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 1-2 (1-1)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 95.86 – 96.41
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.20 – 0.23
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 46.60% - 38.48%
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 13.23% - 11.00%
For a player of James Wade's reputation and quality, odds of 11/8 to win a short format match like this has to raise interest even if the price is fair given Rob Cross is a worthy favourite on pre-tournament form.
The Machine will know how big a win he'll need to go through if Williams has defeated Boris Krcmar and even if the reverse result happened, he will at least have a cheque of £3,500 group winners' bonus to play for. Not that he needs it, mind.
He does like proving critics and doubters wrong and a steady victory over Krcmar, in which he averaged 95.31, suggests he'll be warmed up nicely for this encounter with Voltage, who averaged 97 when beating Williams 5-3.
Prediction: 5-3
Bradley Brooks (5/6) v Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (15/13) (B)
- Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 88.39 – 92.47
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.20 – 0.21
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 38.46% - N/A
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 12.04% - 6.11%
Bradley Brooks could lose this and still progress thanks to his surprisingly big victory over Mervyn King on opening night while any victory will ensure he books his place in the second round on his tournament debut.
The 21-year-old world youth champion was marginally beaten 5-3 with a 95 average by Jonny Clayton, who averaged 103, while fellow rising star Rusty-Jake Rodriguez lost a last-leg decider to King and now needs a wide margin win to give himself a chance.
It really is a tricky one to call, especially because of their lack of experience in these kinds of situations but I'd probably have to give the tentative edge to Brooks.
Prediction: 5-4
Jonny Clayton (2/5) v Mervyn King (21/10) (B)
- Head to Head (TV): 3-4 (1-1)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 2-2 (1-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 6-0 (4-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 98.69 – 95.03
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.27 – 0.23
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 43.31% - 47.64%
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 13.14% - 14.06%
Jonny Clayton would need to suffer a heavy defeat to Mervyn King to put his place in the next round at risk but he's playing so well right now, I'd expect him to deliver a knockout blow to his opponent.
So far he's won both his matches against the young prodigies 5-3 with averages comfortably over 100 and is clearly in no mood to be complacent during a group he was always expected to control.
King only averaged 80 against Bradley Brooks before bouncing back in style with an average of 100 in a narrow win over Rusty-Jake Rodriguez so he'll need to come out all guns blazing to trouble the Ferret, who has also plundered in eight maximums compared to his opponents three.
Prediction: 5-3
Krzysztof Ratajski (3/10) v Nathan Rafferty (14/5) (A)
- Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 97.07 – 82.50
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.25 – 0.13
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 36.74% - N/A
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 10.34% - 7.69%
Krzysztof Ratajski is one of my outright tips to win this trophy so it was worrying to see him brutally destroyed 5-0 by Gerwyn Price to put his place in the second round in jeopardy.
Now he must beat Nathan Rafferty which isn't as easy as it seems considering the Northern Irish youngster gave the Iceman a real run for his money in a 5-4 defeat on opening night.
The Polish Eagle should be strong enough if he turns up and plays pretty soundly and hopefully the reality check yesterday will ensure he shows no complacency whatsoever.
Prediction: 5-2
Stephen Bunting (1/2) v Rowby-John Rodriguez (7/4) (D)
- Head to Head (TV): 5-2 (1-0)
- 2021 Head to Head (TV): 2-1 (0-0)
- 2021 Titles (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2021): 93.83 – 92.51
- 180’s per leg (2021): 0.27 – 0.23
- Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 41.6% - N/A
- 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 15.68% - 14.39%
Stephen Bunting averaged 106 in a defeat to Ryan Joyce on Saturday and then averaged just 92 in defeating a below-par Chris Dobey 24 hours later, highlighting how you can see such contrasting stats in short-format darts.
Rowby-John Rodriguez produced a similar performance in his victory over Dobey but then found himself thrashed 5-1 by Ryan Joyce with a mark of 101!
Bunting is obviously the more experienced player in these pressure situations on the big stage and will be fully confident he can not only scrape through this group but also go as far as he did in the recent World Grand Prix.
Prediction: 5-3
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CLICK HERE FOR GRAND SLAM OF DARTS GROUP STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE
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