FORGOTTEN DARTERS - Albertino Essers: 'The Sensation' who suffered with dartitis

In this series of articles, DartsNews takes a look at Forgotten Darters from the past with the latest one seeing the focus on Dutchman, Albertino Essers.

Essers played four times at the BDO World Darts Championship and suffered with dartitis for a time.

He entered the BDO Tour in 2002 and immediately put in some strong displays. He reached the Quarter-Finals at the England and Denmark Open, as well as the Last 16 at the British Open and World Masters saw him head to Lakeside for the first time.

However, the Dutchman didn't have luck on his side and went down in the opening round against finalist, Ritchie Davies.

Later that year, he reached the final at the WDF World Cup with the Dutch squad and he also performed very well in several other tournaments, so he returned to Lakeside in early 2004.

Just like the year before, Essers went out in the first round, this time Australian Steve Duke was 3-1 too strong. But his struggles with dartitis (failing to let go of the dart) were prevalent.

Essers, however, recovered in 2005 and won the largest tournament of his career in the Belgium Open.

After a year of absence, he also qualified again for the BDO World Championship. He proved in the first round that he was free of dartitis by sending home ex-world champion Ted Hankey 3-1.

In the second round, he lost to Paul Hogan after a particularly exciting match 4-2.

In 2007 Essers qualified for the last time at the BDO World Championship. Again he lived up to his name of 'giant killer'. In the first round he saw off Gary Anderson after a major thriller.

Once again, however, the second round proved to be his final destination after a 4-1 defeat to Paul Hanvidge.

Afterwards Essers disappeared from the international circuit, in 2012 he played for the last time at the German Gold Cup where he reached the last 64. The now 51-year-old Dutchman still plays competition in his own country.