World Darts Championship: Friday predictions, odds, betting tips, accas, order of play & TV times

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May the Dartmas festivities finally begin!

Michael van Gerwen begins his quest to successfully retain the World Championship trophy for the first time in his career tonight while Devon Petersen's dance moves will hopefully just be the icing on the cake to the entertainment on opening night.

Throughout the tournament I'll be writing daily previews for every match while I'll also be entering my scoreline predictions for each one in the free-to-play Fantasy Darts game, so get involved yourself and challenge me!

World Darts Championship: Friday December 13

SUGGESTED ACCAS

• Burness, Huybrechts & Petersen at 8.6/1
• Click here to build your acca at Sky Bet

EVENING SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
• First/second round games: Best of 5 sets
• Full World Championship draw & schedule

Jelle Klaasen (4/11) v Kevin Burness (11/5)

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

Jelle Klaasen has fallen at his first hurdle in each of the last two years and he's sadly endured another disappointing season.

He's still a shadow of the player who reached the semi-finals of both the 2016 World Championship and UK Open while he hasn't won a title since 2015 and has only made it to one quarter-final in 2019.

In his favour, it's still one more quarter-final than Kevin Burness, who he thrashed 6-0 in their only meeting this year back in September.

Burness may well be 54 but that doesn't stop him having one of the most intimidating walk-ons in darts history and that could well intimidate Klaasen.

Bad jokes aside, the Iron Man is preparing for his second appearance at Alexandra Palace having upset the odds to beat Paul Nicholson on this stage last year and I think he can do so again.

He sealed one of the last three spots at the recent qualifying event on the day the draw was made thanks to victories over Niels Zonneveld, Reece Robinson, Mario Robbe, Robert Thornton and Bradley Brooks in which he averaged over 95 in all of them.

Considering the winner plays Michael van Gerwen later, both of their tournaments will end tonight.

Prediction: 2-3

Kim Huybrechts (4/11) v Geert Nentjes (11/5)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
Titles this season: 0-0

Kim Huybrechts' finest achievement so far this year is winning a leg of Speed Darts in 32.91 seconds to go top of the leaderboard. It's sensational viewing, especially considering he had 235 left after 22 seconds.

Despite not ripping up trees on the circuit in 2019, except for one Players Championship quarter-final, I think he'll have too much experience for young Geert Nentjes, who was like a rabbit caught in headlights on debut last year.

The 21-year-old from Holland averaged just 78.03 in a 3-0 defeat to Nathan Aspinall, who only posted a mark of 88 himself.

That said, Nentjes has showed his potential numerous times on the Development Tour, winning a title and reaching two other finals, while on the Pro Tour he's held his own every so often.

Prediction: 3-1

Luke Humphries (4/6) v Devon Petersen (6/5)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Senior Titles this season: 0-0

Luke Humphries and Devon Petersen were two of the success stories of last year's World Championship so it's a shame that one of them will bow out on opening night.

Dancing Devon headed to the Alexandra Palace ranked outside the world's top 70 and in grave danger of losing his tour card but came through three thrilling matches against Wayne Jones, Ian White and Steve West before bowing out to Nathan Aspinall in an epic showdown.

It meant the South African Warrior kept his card as he moved inside the top 64 and although he vowed to build on his performances, sadly he's back in the same vulnerable position again at a ranking of 60.

Petersen, who booked his spot via the African Qualifying event, has only reached a single quarter-final on the Pro Tour this season but I saw first hand how the atmosphere here can really lift him.

The same can be said of the new World Youth champion, who was brilliant during his victories over Adam Hunt, Stephen Bunting, Dimitri van den Bergh and Rob Cross before eventually running into Michael Smith.

Like last year he's competed on both the Pro Tour and Development Tour, achieving more successive on the latter, but he hasn't kicked on as much as we all thought he might have. That said, he's only 24.

It's going to be close but I give the edge to Petersen.

Prediction: 2-3

Michael van Gerwen (1/12) v Klaasen/Burness (13/2)

Head-to-head: NA
2019 Meetings: NA
Titles this season: 14-0

The last time MVG lost his first game at a World Championship was back in 2011 when he hadn't won any of his 50 PDC televised titles.

I can't see how either potential opponent will be able to bring him down on Friday night and I'm happy going with a whitewash for whoever it is.

Prediction: 3-0

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