Darts: Winning the match with an incredible checkout: Martin Schindler defeats Raymond van Barneveld and is in the semi-finals of the Swiss Darts Trophy 2024

With this plan in mind, the German number one started like a fire department in his duel with Raymond van Barneveld: Schindler opened the match with 180 points before he broke van Barneveld for the first time in 15 darts and took the lead 1-0. To confirm his break, Schindler threw another 180 in the second leg and finally checked 16 points to make it 2-0.

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Already in the third leg, van Barneveld had to make sure to stay in touch. But the veteran calmly marched to his first leg win in 15 darts. In the fourth round, Barney launched his first attack on his opponent’s throwing leg. Schindler missed a dart on double 16 to check 104 and then conceded a 56 checkout to make it 2-2.

A small slip in scoring by van Barneveld opened the door for Schindler to get another break in the fifth leg. With 68 points remaining, Schindler had a chance at tops… and took advantage of it! 3-2 for the Germans with a break in their pocket.

But van Barneveld could not be shaken off. In Schindler’s throw-off leg, van Barneveld threw a strong 180 and eventually took 36 points off the board to level at 3-3 in 15 darts. Now Martin Schindler was asked again – and he delivered: With 74 points, for the third time in this game it was only a single dart that he got on double 20 – and again he took advantage of this chance to make it 4-3 pull.

By this point it was clear: Schindler would no longer make a mistake on double 20, at least in this match. Schindler checked 52 points for a 15-darter and a 5-3 lead. In the ninth leg of the game, van Barneveld dominated his own throw and secured the lead at 5-4 with a 76 checkout.

As against Stephen Bunting in the previous match, Schindler had the chance to decide the game when the score was 5-4 in his own throw: he shook off van Barneveld at the beginning of the match with a triple hit and then marched into the finish with a ton -Area. But van Barneveld was within striking distance: with a 140 shot he set himself 105 remaining, Schindler was quickly forced to check 160 points. But as already mentioned: The Wall certainly didn’t make another mistake on Tops in this game. Schindler also gave away the first two darts on the triple 20 and finally converted his throw on the double 20. With an incredible checkout, Schindler secured his place in the semi-finals!

By Nic Gayer