European Championship Round-Up | Michael van Gerwen gets the better of Chris Dobey while Gian van Veen averages over 109 in stunning victory

The first four round two matches in the European Championship provided some drama and special darts, with the four-time champion Michael van Gerwen culminating the session with a 10-5 triumph over Chris Dobey.

The Dutchman was not at his best in the first leg but still managed to break after punishing missed doubles from his opponent. However, Hollywood put the game back on throw instantly with a 121 outshot. A third break of throw was delivered by van Gerwen before he went 3-1 ahead with a clinical 96 checkout. A fourth break in the first session saw him extend his lead, prolonging his supreme accuracy on doubles.

He almost got the second session off the perfect start after finding seven treble 20’s but had to be content with a 12-darter for a fourth leg in a row. The former Masters champion would keep van Gerwen on his toes after winning the next three legs, producing high quality darts. Mighty Mike restored a two-leg lead prior to finding tops to once again take command in this tie.

He should have accelerated further away but missed doubles for another 72 checkout saw Dobey scrap his way back into the match. Once again, the Dutchman pulled a rabbit out of the hat with an impressive 93 checkout to close in on victory, before he swept up the last two legs to qualify for an eighth European Championship quarter-final.

Round two commenced with an unbelievable performance from Gian van Veen, who demolished Ryan Searle 10-2. The young Dutchman raced into a 3-0 lead with Searle stuck in the blocks. The Englishman had two chances to break back whilst 2-0 down but failed to find his chosen doubles and was ultimately punished. He clambered into the match with a clinical 72 checkout but was unable to prevent van Veen taking the next three legs, averaging over 108 in the process.

A little fish checkout kept Searle in the mix, but he was out-done by van Veen who reeled in the big fish in outstanding fashion to go 8-2 ahead, with the finishing line in sight. A 12-darter put him within one leg, before he took out 80 in three to complete a stunning display in the Westfalenhalle.

It was not a classic, but Daryl Gurney will not care after winning 10-6 against Ross Smith. 11 darts at double was missed between the pair in the first leg alone, in which Gurney ended up nicking a break of throw. Smudger went on to squander more doubles at the outer ring in the next leg and paired with depleted scoring power allowed the Northen Irishman to stumble into a 3-0 lead. The 2022 champion finally got on the board at the end of the first session, with 27 doubles missed between the pair in those first five legs.

The quality in the second session rose slightly, with the duo starting to find their range on the outer ring. However, the scoring power only came to them on their own throw, with all five legs going the way of the darter throwing first. This benefited Gurney who took out 122 on double 16 to go 7-3 ahead. Gurney would find a brace of ton+ checkouts, with a 124 out-shot on the bull moving him 9-5 ahead. He closed out the tie-on tops two legs later to advance.

In a tale of hit and missed double, Ryan Joyce proved to be the more clinical on the outer ring as he stormed to a 10-7 win over home-favourite Martin Schindler. The German took the first leg before Joyce utilised his clinical finishing skills to claim three legs on the spin. Schindler would then win two legs to level up before five missed darts at double allowed Joyce to once again clinch a break advantage. He would punish The Wall’s wayward doubling to steal another break of throw but was pegged back by Schindler at the end of the session where he finally found his range at tops.

The pair both missed the bull for big checkouts, but it was Schindler who came back first and found double four to close the gap. Joyce would then find double 18 two legs in a row amid Schindler squandering numerous darts at doubles. The three-time Euro Tour winner cut the deficit with back-to-back legs, but was unable to continue this streak of legs after Joyce found his favourite double-16 to go one away, before finding the green bit once more to continue his progress.