The top seed has gone in Joe Cullen and the defending champion is also heading home early in the form of Rob Cross with Martijn Kleermaker producing a brilliant display to set up a mouthwatering tie with Devon Petersen in the second round.
It was a 6-3 win for Kleermaker with the Dutch Giant surviving a mini comeback of sorts after going 5-1 up and seemingly towards the finishing line.
The tie could have been so much different with Cross hitting a 180 and 130 checkout to take the opening leg but Kleermaker hit back immediately with a 74 checkout to make it 1-1.
He broke throw early doors with a 97 checkout to go 2-1 up before a 107 checkout to hold consolidated this. Cross was punished for three missed darts at double with Kleermaker hitting a 100 checkout to make it 4-1.
He went one away with double 10 to make it 5-1 but Cross hit back to back legs to attempt to turn it around but it proved little more than a consolation as the former came through.
For home hope Max Hopp though, he has headed out of proceedings with Jonny Clayton through to a tie with Jose de Sousa tomorrow in another top tie set up for the second round.
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Clayton had to survive two match darts though from Hopp to see off 'The Maximiser' in a decider with a 98.8 average and 50% on the doubles.
Hopp looked to have the impetus late on after coming from 3-2 down to smash in a 170 checkout to go 5-3 up. But the pressure tolled in the late stages with Clayton claiming the throw after Hopp missed a match dart at the bull.
From there, Clayton went on to win it on double eight with Hopp missing another match dart off a 102 checkout on double 20 and the former returned for double eight and victory.
European Championship 2020 schedule
First round
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Thursday October 29
Jamie Hughes (94.22) 6-5 (92.66) Dave Chisnall
Krzysztof Ratajski (99.76) 5-6 (95.19) Steve West
Mervyn King (86.66) 2-6 (91.83) Ian White
Jose de Sousa (96.56) 6-3 (87.65) Jeffrey de Zwaan
James Wade (92.42) 6-5 (93.02) Steve Lennon
Devon Petersen (95.29) 6-1 (87.69) Andy Hamilton
Michael Smith (89.29) 6-5 (91.34) Ross Smith
Danny Noppert (92.93) 0-6 (98.47) Dirk van Duijvenbode
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CROSS IS OUT!
Reigning champion Rob Cross is OUT of the 2020 Unibet European Championship after a 6-3 defeat to debutant Martijn Kleermaker!
📺Up next 👉Jonny Clayton v Max Hopp