Schedule Friday night at Czech Darts Open 2024 with Peter Wright, Michael Smith, James Wade & Grand Prix champ De Decker

On Friday evening, the opening round of the 2024 Czech Darts Open continues to rumble along in Prague. Some notable names from the world of darts are set to be in action as well. 

During the evening session the last eight matches from the first round of the Czech Darts Open will be played out. Headlining are the likes of former world champions Peter Wright and Michael Smith, plus arguably the greatest player never to lift the world title, James Wade and the newly crowned World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker.

We begin the evening with a meeting between Luke Woodhouse and Marko Kantele. For Woodhouse, it will be his twelfth Euro Tour of the season. Thanks to reaching the quarterfinals at the Dutch Darts Championship and Flanders Darts Trophy, he has already secured participation in the upcoming European Championship. His opponent Kantele has only played twelve Euro Tours in his entire career. Four times the Finn reached the second round, but Kantele never managed to reach the final day of a Euro Tour.

The stakes are also pretty low for James Wade, mainly due to his quarterfinal finish at the previous Euro Tour tournament in Basel. The Machine takes on Daniel Markovsky, who is making his debut at a Euro Tour tournament. Mike de Decker's first stage match since his sensational World Grand Prix title is against Brett Claydon. 'The Real Deal' is not quite sure of qualifying for the European Championship yet, but can do so with a win over Claydon.

The next two matches are also of great importance with an eye on the qualifying race for the European Championship. Nathan Aspinall currently occupies the last qualifying spot and can solidify his position with a win over Czech qualifier Michal Smejda. Dimitri van den Bergh is currently outside the field of participants for the European Championship. 'The Dreammaker' needs to reach at least the third round in Prague to still have a chance of placing. The draw has not been favourable to Van den Bergh, as he first meets Jonny Clayton and if he wins he will play Stephen Bunting.

Raymond van Barneveld need not worry about participating in the European Championship, as the 57-year-old Hague native has already secured his participation. In the Czech capital, the five-time world champion will face Daryl Gurney. Another key player in the qualifying race for the European Championship is Cameron Menzies, ranked No. 35. 'Cammy,' however, will go up against two-time world champion Peter Wright. With a win over 'Snakebite,' Menzies will at least pass number 31 Dirk van Duijvenbode. The Dutchman is missing in Prague and thus must hope that the results fall his way.

In the last match of the evening it is Kevin Doets' turn to face former world champion Michael Smith. Doets also still has a small chance to participate in the European Championship, but will have to reach at least the semifinals. Smith, for his part, is ready for a good result on the Euro Tour circuit. 'Bullyboy' reached the last four at the European Darts Open in June, but that was the only time Smith got past the last sixteen on a Euro Tour in 2024.

The Czech Darts Open will be broadcast on PDC TV. As usual with Euro Tour tournaments, this event consists of three tournament days. The afternoon sessions start daily at 12 p.m., while the evening sessions start at 6 p.m.

The first round will take place on Friday. The 16 Order of Merit qualifiers and the winners from the various qualifying tournaments then make their appearance. The top-16 seeded players enter the tournament on Saturday in the second round. Sunday will see the conclusion of the tournament, starting with the third round in the afternoon session. Sunday evening will be followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

At this Euro Tour tournament, a total of £175,000 in prize money will be divided among the 48 participants. They will receive at least 1250 pounds in starting money. The top-16 seeded players who enter the Czech Darts Open from the second round will receive 2,500 pounds anyway.

They do - like the 16 Order of Merit qualifiers starting in the first round - have to win their first match in order for the prize money to count toward the world rankings and the other rankings. The winner of the Czech Darts Open will ultimately go home with the top prize of 30,000 pounds.

First round: Best of 11 legs

Second round: Best of 11 legs

Third round: Best of 11 legs

Quarterfinals: Best of 11 legs

Semifinals: Best of 13 legs

Final: Best of 15 legs

Luke Woodhouse v Marko Kantele

James Wade v Daniel Markovsky

Mike De Decker v Brett Claydon

Michal Smejda v Nathan Aspinall

Dimitri Van den Bergh v Jonny Clayton

Daryl Gurney v Raymond van Barneveld

Cameron Menzies v Peter Wright

Kevin Doets v Michael Smith