“No matter how good you are, there’s only one place available" - Van Schie, De Zwaan, Van Trijp and more set for tense PDC World Darts Championship Qualifier in Den Bosch

The PDC World Darts Championship Qualifier has long been known as one of the most unpredictable days in the darts calendar, but the edition taking place on Saturday 15 November might just be the toughest yet.

At De Maaspoort in Den Bosch, around a hundred Dutch and Belgian players will battle for a single, golden ticket to Alexandra Palace. Only one of them will earn a place at the Worlds. It’s been dubbed a lottery for years, and according to former professional Vincent van der Voort, this year is no different.

Speaking on the latest episode of the podcast Darts Draait Door, Van der Voort lays out both his expectations and his concerns. He stresses once again that, for many players, this qualifier is the last lifeline.

“It’s a brutally tough tournament,” he says. “For so many players it’s the last chance, and for some it’s the only chance to reach the World Championship. That makes the day incredibly important. You can literally save your season there, or break it. I’m very curious to see who comes out on top.”

When pushed to name a frontrunner, Van der Voort immediately thinks of Jeffrey de Zwaan. The former PDC star, who slipped off the radar for a while, made his way back to the World Championship last year in almost identical fashion: via this qualifier, and right at the death. Van der Voort believes De Zwaan could easily spring another surprise. His recent showings in the Modus Super Series, the well-known online TV competition, have certainly turned heads.

“He’s been throwing really well there,” Van der Voort says. “He’s been averaging in the nineties pretty much every match, and often well above a hundred. That shows you he’s back. But on a qualification day like this, absolutely everything has to fall into place.”

Presenter Damian Vlottes also puts forward a few names he feels have a genuine chance. Among them are Danny van Trijp, who has already shown glimpses of his talent as a professional, and Jimmy van Schie, the WDF standout who reached last year’s final before falling at the final hurdle. Van der Voort thinks both are perfectly reasonable shouts.

“Van Schie could win this tournament, just like that,” he says. “He’s in a winning mood at the moment, and on a day like this that really does make a difference.”

Predicting this event, though, remains almost impossible. Van der Voort stresses that there are “at least ten players” capable of grabbing that single ticket on paper. With such a huge field and a straight knockout format, nobody can afford a poor match. The luck of the draw also plays its part.

“You can be in fantastic form, but if you get a couple of dangerous names right away in the early rounds, it’s going to be tough,” Van der Voort explains. “Everything has to go your way: form, focus, and yes, even a bit of luck.”

He’s eligible to play himself, but he’s chosen not to. “Those days are really gruelling,” he says. “Only one person goes through, out of probably more than a hundred players. You have to hit your peak in match after match. It’s a massive ask.”

Among the many players lining up on Saturday are two who are desperate for a positive end to a difficult year: Maik Kuivenhoven and Marvin “The Cube” van Velzen. Both picked up their PDC Tour Cards in January, but the months since have been filled with little other than setbacks.

For them, qualifying for Ally Pally would give the season a much-needed shine. But Van der Voort sees a mental battle here too.

“Someone like Van Schie, who’s been winning everything lately, feels completely different to someone who’s been taking hits for months,” he says. “That mental contrast can weigh heavily on a day like this.”

One thing Van der Voort is absolutely certain about: the tournament will be decided by whoever produces their best darts at the one moment that matters. Form, talent and experience all play a role, but none of them offer any guarantees.

“No matter how good you are, there’s only one place available,” he says. “And on a day like this, anyone can win.”

Saturday will deliver the verdict. One player will join the elite on the sport’s biggest stage. The rest will have to wait for another chance next year.