"He popped his head in and went, ‘When was the last time you played like that?": Gary Anderson describes mind games tactic from Adam Hunt in Ally Pally opener

Gary Anderson dismissed any suggestion of being drawn into mind games after a fiery opening-round clash with Adam Hunt at the 2026 World Darts Championship, insisting he is only interested in playing darts as he booked his place in round two at Alexandra Palace.

The two-time world champion was pushed hard in a dramatic contest that swung back and forth, with Hunt producing a high-quality performance and showing plenty of emotion on the big stage. But Anderson, drawing on his vast experience, slowed the game down at key moments, averaged 108 in the crucial fourth set, and eventually ground out victory.

Speaking afterwards including to DartsNews, Anderson addressed comments made by Hunt during the match, which some perceived as an attempt at psychological games. “At the first break, he popped his head in and went, ‘When was the last time you played like that?’” Anderson said. “I went, ‘I play like that all the time, son.’ As simple as that. Cheeky little… They talk about mind games, but I’ve probably forgotten more about darts than what he’ll ever know. I’ve played darts a long time. I still bang in 110-plus averages, so I can still play the game how it should be played.”

Asked whether the comment was a deliberate tactic to throw him off his rhythm, Anderson was typically blunt. “I don’t know. That’s up to you to decide,” he said. “I know what I think, but I can’t say, because I get into trouble every time I say it.”

For Anderson, the approach remains simple, regardless of the occasion or the opponent. “I just want to play darts. It’s no rocket science,” he explained. “You throw your darts and you get out of the boy’s way to let him throw. That’s it. It’s the easiest game in the world to play. End of.

“When you see players walking up to the dartboard and taking ten minutes to take their darts out, is that darts? That’s why I don’t watch it. Come on, get on with it.”

The match itself was anything but straightforward. Anderson made a flying start, before admitting his game fell apart as Hunt fought back. “I started off great in the first set and then I just went absolutely to mush,” he said. “I got back to 2–2 and I started to take my time and actually look at what I was throwing at, and it kind of worked. So yeah, I got over the line.”

That ability to reset under pressure proved decisive, particularly in the fourth set, where Anderson found another gear. “Not a lot was going through my head,” he said. “If you think, you lose. That’s a darts player’s secret. In any kind of sport, if you start thinking into it, it’s not good for you, so you try not to think.”

Emotion was never far from the surface, with Anderson showing visible frustration and celebration as the contest ebbed and flowed. "There were a couple of legs that I threw away,” he admitted. “There’s nothing worse than somebody pinching a leg off you and giving it licks. You think, ‘Right, okay, that’s not going to go well.’

“But I dug in during the last set, took my time, slowed my pace down a bit and it worked.”

Despite the stress, Anderson insisted he still relishes the stage at Alexandra Palace, where he has now won 16 of his 17 opening-round matches and lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy twice. “This is what it’s all about,” he said. “Every year now it’s 120 players again. Before, the boys had to fight for their space. I just want to keep going so I can get a shot on the new stage next year, if it’s ready on time. It’s a lot of work.”

Asked whether he still dreams of adding a third world title, Anderson laughed off the idea. “I don’t dream. I’m too old for that,” he joked. “If I dream, I might not wake up. We’ll keep going. "There are so many better players now compared to ten years ago. You used to have maybe 20 or 24 players who could win it. Now you’ve got 128 players who can win. You see it every night.”

He pointed to other matches as evidence of how fine the margins have become. “I watched Boris (Krcmar) tonight – he was all over that game and he threw it away,” Anderson said. “He’ll be absolutely kicking himself. He had it in the bag and he knew it." But that’s darts. It can go well and it can go bad. At the end of the day, you need a bit of luck.”

For all the tension, Anderson admitted he still finds enjoyment in the battle – even if it comes at a cost. “Oh, of course, aye,” he said. “Risking a heart attack! I loved every minute of it. I was mad at myself. The first set, the darts were going well – they’d been going well at the exhibitions in Scotland – and then the second and third sets they were all over the bloody place.

“But I stuck in, got back to 2–2, took my time and went where I was supposed to.”

Preparation for round two, however, is far from glamorous. “I’m going back to work tomorrow,” Anderson revealed. “Rachel’s going in about six in the morning. I’ll be in about half seven, eight o’clock, till six o’clock. I love it.”

That workmanlike mindset extends to his equipment too, following a recent change in setup. “I’ve not got any other darts with me, so that’s what I brought and that’s what I’ve got,” he said. “I’m happy with the setup. When they go wrong, that’s not the darts’ fault – that’s my fault. I’m not throwing them right. It’s as simple as that.”

And while last year’s freak injury disrupted his World Championship build-up, Anderson confirmed the chainsaw will stay firmly out of the way until January. “The body’s still done,” he admitted. “But I’ve got a lot of chainsaw work to do after this tournament. We’ll wait until the end of it.”

Looking ahead, Anderson could face either Connor Scutt or long-time rival Simon Whitlock in round two. “I’ve known Simon for donkeys,” he said. “Connor, I’m a big fan. I get on well with Connor. Cracking little boy. He’s a worker and he puts the time in on the dartboard.”

As for whether a performance like this sends a message to the rest of the field, Anderson remained characteristically honest

“I’ve always said I’d rather play well,” he concluded. “If I lost, I wouldn’t care. I don’t like scraping through. I’d rather play well and get beat, then I know I’ve played well and the boy’s played better than me.

“There are more games than ever in this tournament and less time between them. Is the million pounds worth it? No – because then the tax man comes and sticks it where the sun don’t shine.”