"I created a problem myself and then I couldn’t fix it anymore": Dirk van Duijvenbode stumbles onto mental block in regaining form
PDCTuesday, 14 July 2026 at 17:00
Dirk van Duijvenbode made his mark last weekend with a quarterfinal run at the European Darts Open in Leverkusen. After his second-round win over Chris Dobey, Van Duijvenbode surprisingly pointed to compatriot Maik Kuivenhoven as the man who put him back on track.
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The current world number 29 had a tough spell on the European Tour. In four of his previous five Euro Tour appearances, he went out in the opening round. Against Dobey, however, Van Duijvenbode produced one of his best performances of the season and played with visibly more conviction.
Afterwards, “The Aubergenius” revealed that a conversation with Kuivenhoven played a key role in that turnaround. “I’m very happy and I have to thank my friend Maik Kuivenhoven,” Van Duijvenbode said. “Normally, I’m the one giving him advice.”
According to the Dutchman, the roles were reversed this time. “But these days Maik is playing really well, and at a certain point he thought: let me give Dirk some advice.”
Advice from Kuivenhoven
Kuivenhoven noticed that during matches Van Duijvenbode was focusing too much on his throw and decided to address it with him directly.
“He said to me: ‘You’re only concerned with getting your darts in the board, but if you just walk to the oche again like you used to, you’ll start winning matches again.’”
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Those words stuck. “I thought: maybe you’re right. I started thinking about it a lot and tried to apply it.” The result spoke for itself. Van Duijvenbode once again played with the aggression that had been his trademark for years. “I was aggressive again, and I don’t care if my dart is loose or falls out of the board.”
Mental issue
According to Van Duijvenbode, the problem ultimately wasn’t just his technique, but mainly in his head. “We’re just going to go for it. I already felt that it wasn’t only about the board or the points.”
He realized he was thinking himself into trouble. “It was also just in my own head. I created a problem myself and then I couldn’t fix it anymore.”
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That’s precisely why Kuivenhoven’s advice came at the perfect moment. “Maik said: just throw again like you did in 2023. And today it really felt like I did that again.”
As a thank-you, Van Duijvenbode already has a reward in mind. “Thanks, Maik. I’ll treat you to a steak again.”
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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