"I could have slapped him going for that blind 180": Sickness bug and bizarre tactics as Chris Dobey relieved to pass opening test

Chris Dobey admitted he was simply trying to get through the night after being struck down by a sickness bug just hours before the opening round of the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, as he battled his way to a 3–1 victory at Alexandra Palace.

The Bedlington ace revealed he felt ill both the night before and on the morning of his match, admitting he did not even want to get out of bed as he prepared for one of the biggest games of his year.

“Yeah, it picks its days,” Dobey said. “We could have had it last week, but it was literally the night and the morning of one of the biggest games of my career to date. Every game here is massive. Coming in at round one is different to the last few years – it’s harder for us. I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. You have to force yourself here, but I’ve done the best I could.”

Despite feeling far from his best, Dobey still found a way to progress, punishing his opponent’s missed chances at key moments and doing enough to secure the win.

“It’s obviously great to get the win,” he said post match. “I came into this game knowing what I needed to do. People had him written off and I just took him as another dart player. He deserved to be here – he’s done something right and he put up a great fight. He missed some early doubles and I punished. Credit where it’s due, he put up a good fight.”

Dobey was candid in his assessment of his own performance, acknowledging that while his scoring was strong, his finishing let him down at times – something he attributed in part to how he was feeling physically.

“That’s just me all over,” he admitted. “I didn’t feel great last night or this morning. I just came up here and tried to do my best and play my game. The harder I tried, the worse I got at times. I just didn’t want to be up there for the last two sets. It showed in the end, but I got the job done. Now I can go home, recover for a few days and hopefully bring my best.”

The victory continues Dobey’s strong recent record at Alexandra Palace, a venue he believes brings out the best in him and one he feels every player should relish.

“If you can’t get yourself up for the biggest tournament, you shouldn’t be in it – you shouldn’t be playing darts,” he said. “It’s what everybody dreams of. You want to be world champion, you want to be here playing. My motto, I’ve always said, this is the one and you’ve got to be in it. If you’re not in over Christmas, it ruins Christmas. That’s the way I go into this tournament. It’s the biggest one of all and you want to win that big one.”

Dobey now faces Andrew Gilding for a place in the post-Christmas stages, and he was quick to warn against underestimating the former UK Open champion.

“He’s different to the rest of them,” Dobey said. “He’s a fantastic player. Another one that people have written off – don’t underestimate how good he is. He’s a major winner and I’m going to have to give it my best. Not only has he got his own style, he’s a very good dart player. I’ll respect that and hopefully I can bring my best for that one.”

Asked whether it was a relief to progress without playing his best, Dobey agreed, stressing that winning was all that mattered on a difficult night. “Yeah, it is a relief,” he said. “Obviously you’re getting that win. Everybody had him written off, but I know how good a player he is. He’s won big things over in China and he’s done well enough to get here – he deserves respect. He missed a few early doubles and I could quite easily have been 2–0 down. I took my chances early doors and that got me into the lead. I could have slapped him going for that blind 180 – it annoyed me a little bit and made me want it even more, but it is what it is.”

Dobey also reiterated that he never changes his approach based on the opponent, even against someone with as distinctive a style as Gilding. “You can never play the player – it puts you off your own game,” he said. “You’ve just got to play your game. He’s got a unique style and you’ve got to respect that, but you can never take anybody differently.”

Reflecting on his wider season, Dobey rejected the idea that the World Championship simply ‘bails him out’, pointing instead to performances where results did not always reflect how he felt he had played. “I’ve played some really good stuff on the European Tour and just not been on the winning end, which is hard to take,” he said. “But when you’re playing well you shouldn’t get yourself down – I’ve got the belief that it will turn. I’m not one to dwell on things now. There are better things ahead and this is where I shine.”

That mindset, he explained, has been shaped by painful defeats earlier in his career, which ultimately helped him grow stronger.

“Defeats like that hurt, but you’ve got to get them out of your mind as soon as possible,” Dobey said. “January comes, it’s a fresh season, and if you dwell you’ll drop down the rankings. Losing games like that has made me a stronger and better player.”

Dobey also revealed that his preparation for the tournament had been solid prior to falling ill, including exhibitions and practice sessions with fellow professionals. “Exhibitions are great match practice because you’re playing against the best players,” he said. “Yesterday I practised for a few hours with Alan Soutar, which was good. You’ve just got to keep sharp. It’s disappointing that on the day I didn’t feel great, but I’m still in the competition and there’s more to show.”

Facing lesser-known opponents such as Xiaochen Zong is also something Dobey takes in his stride, insisting his focus always remains on the board rather than the name on the other side of the oche. "You just play your game,” he said. “He deserves credit – he’s here on merit and he’s won things to get himself here. All that matters is I’m in the next round and I’ve got the job done.”

With the Sid Waddell Trophy still firmly in his sights, Dobey made no secret of his ultimate ambition. “If I didn’t believe I could win it, I wouldn’t be sat here,” he said. “I thoroughly believe I can go on to win it, whether it’s this year or next year. I will win it one day. My focus now is on the next man, Andrew Gilding – you can’t look past the next game.”

And despite how unwell he felt, withdrawing was never an option. “You can never pull out of the biggest tournament,” Dobey added. “I could be really ill and I’d still get up on that stage and try my best. You don’t want to let anybody down. I’ve done enough to get through today, and that’s more than enough.”