Czech Darts Open: Luke Littler, schedule, TV details

This will be the 13th and final European Tour event of the year and the 17-year-old superstar could be primed for a great opening contest in Prague.

Littler, who spent the early years of his childhood in Runcorn, will take to the PVA EXPO stage on Saturday evening to face the winner of the clash between Nathan Aspinall and a qualifier from his home country.

A place in the third round on Sunday afternoon is imminent, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final following on Sunday evening.

The top 32 players on the European Tour Order of Merit following this weekend will qualify for the outstanding European Championships in Dortmund from October 24-27, with Aspinall currently occupying the final qualifying spot.

Littler is third on the leaderboard and safe through no matter what happens this weekend.

He was eliminated by Rob Cross at the World Grand Prix last week and was beaten in the second round of the Player Championship event in Wigan on Wednesday.

Local players mingled with ‘The Nuke’ on Tuesday evening as he attended the Warrington 501 Darts League summer presentation night at St Benedicts Social Club as his brother Leon was defeated in the semi-final of the MF Logistics UK Ltd 180s competition, eventually won by Paul Clarke .

But now Littler has his sights set on a third European Tour victory in his first year at the elite level, having already won the Belgian Open and the Austrian Open.

However, all well-known stars will try to grab the main prize for themselves.

Reigning champion Peter Wright opens his title challenge on Friday evening when he faces an all-Scottish showdown against Cameron Menzies.

Aspinall’s clash with a host country qualifier will also be among the highlights of Friday’s first round, which will be broadcast on PDCTV, Viaplay and DAZN – with 16 games taking place over two sessions.

Dimitri Van den Bergh also has to fight to secure his place in Dortmund and the UK Open champion will face world number six Jonny Clayton for a place in the second round.

World number two Michael Smith will look to cement his European Championship qualification when he takes on Kevin Doets.

Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney takes on Dutch icon Raymond van Barneveld, while newly crowned Grand Prix World Champion Mike De Decker takes on Brett Claydon on the big stage.

German duo Gabriel Clemens and Florian Hempel play against Brendan Dolan and Alan Soutar respectively, while Callan Rydz – who is also chasing Aspinall in the race for European Championship qualification – faces Martin Lukeman.

The 16 seeds enter battle in the second round on Saturday when top seed Dave Chisnall begins his fight for a third European Tour title in 2024 against Robert Owen or Niels Zonneveld.

World number one Luke Humphries will play Ritchie Edhouse or a representative of the host country for a place in Sunday’s third round, while second seed Ross Smith will face Hempel or Soutar.

Teenage sensation Littler could renew his rivalry with Aspinall in the second round on Saturday, while fifth seed Gerwyn Price will play either Gurney or Van Barneveld in his opening match.

Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen will also be there in the Czech capital when he starts his fight for the record-breaking 38th European Tour title against Krzysztof Ratajski or Madars Razma.

De Decker and Claydon will fight for the right to face sixth seed Danny Noppert, while Stephen Bunting faces either Van den Bergh or Clayton in a blockbuster clash.

Martin Schindler is currently leading the European Tour Order of Merit and is traveling to Prague. The German number one will face Scottish opponents in the form of Wright or Menzies.

Gian van Veen could face James Wade in a repeat of last year’s European Championship semi-final, while Ryan Searle plays Doets or Michael Smith for a place in the round of 16.

After the second round on Saturday, the round of 16 takes place on Sunday afternoon before the tournament ends with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final in a blockbuster evening session.

Live coverage of the Czech Darts Open will be streamed via Viaplay and DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Coverage is also broadcast on PDCTV (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and via bookmakers worldwide.

Draw round of the Czech Darts Open tournament – ​​from the second round

Seeded players are based on ProTour Order of Merit position

(1) Dave Chisnall vs. Robert Owen/Niels Zonneveld

(16) Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Martin Lukeman/Callan Rydz

(8) Stephen Bunting vs. Dimitri Van den Bergh/Jonny Clayton

(9) Ryan Searle vs. Kevin Doets/Michael Smith

(4) Josh Rock vs. Joe Cullen/Host Nation Qualifier 3

(13) Rob Cross vs Luke Woodhouse/Marko Kantele

(5) Gerwyn Price vs. Daryl Gurney/Raymond van Barneveld

(12) Chris Dobey vs. Jermaine Wattimena/Patrik Kovacs

(2) Ross Smith vs. Florian Hempel/Alan Soutar

(15) Michael van Gerwen against Krzysztof Ratajski/Madars Razma

(7) Damon Heta vs. Brendan Dolan/Gabriel Clemens

(10) Luke Littler vs Host Nation Qualifier 4/Nathan Aspinall

(3) Luke Humphries vs. Ritchie Edhouse/Host Nation Qualifier 2

(14) Gian van Veen vs. James Wade/Host Nation Qualifier 1

(6) Danny Noppert vs. Mike De Decker/Brett Claydon

(11) Martin Schindler versus Cameron Menzies/Peter Wright

Schedule of the Czech Darts Open

Friday, October 18th

First round

Afternoon session (1:00 p.m. local time, 12:00 p.m. BST)

Robert Owen vs. Niels Zonneveld

Jermaine Wattimena vs Patrik Kovacs

Ritchie Edhouse vs Host Nation Qualifier 2

Florian Hempel against Alan Soutar

Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Madars Razma

Brendan Dolan vs. Gabriel Clemens

Martin Lukeman vs. Callan Rydz

Joe Cullen vs Host Nation Qualifier 3

Evening session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

Luke Woodhouse vs. Marko Kantele

James Wade vs Host Nation Qualifier 1

Mike De Decker vs Brett Claydon

Host Nation Qualifier 4 vs Nathan Aspinall

Dimitri Van den Bergh vs Jonny Clayton

Daryl Gurney vs. Raymond van Barneveld

Cameron Menzies vs Peter Wright

Kevin Doets vs. Michael Smith

Saturday, October 19th

Second round

Afternoon session (1:00 p.m. local time, 12:00 p.m. BST)

Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Lukeman/Rydz

Damon Heta vs. Dolan/Clemens

Chris Dobey vs. Wattimena/Kovacs

Josh Rock vs. Cullen/Host Nation Qualifier 3

Rob Cross vs. Woodhouse/Kantele

Ross Smith versus Hempel/Soutar

Danny Noppert vs De Decker/Claydon

Ryan Searle vs. Doets/M Smith

Evening session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

Gian van Veen vs Wade/Host Nation Qualifier 1

Dave Chisnall vs Owen/Zonneveld

Gerwyn Price vs. Gurney/Van Barneveld

Stephen Bunting vs. Van den Bergh/Clayton

Michael van Gerwen against Ratajski/Razma

Luke Littler vs Host Nation Qualifier 4/Aspinall

Luke Humphries vs Edhouse/Host Nation Qualifier 2

Martin Schindler versus Menzies/Wright

Sunday, October 20th

Afternoon session (1:00 p.m. local time, 12:00 p.m. BST)

Third round

Evening session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

final