World Darts Championship: Monday third round preview, predictions, odds, betting tips, order of play & TV times

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It's the final day before darts shuts down for its Christmas break, with the likes of Gary Anderson, Dave Chisnall, Adrian Lewis and Peter Wright hoping to book a return trip for the business end of the tournament.

Here's a quick run through of all six of today's matches...

World Darts Championship: Monday December 23

AFTERNOON SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1230 GMT)
• Third round games: Best of 7 sets
• Full World Championship draw & schedule

Nico Kurz (6/4) v Luke Humphries (8/15)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0

Since his last match, Luke Humphries could have enjoyed a holiday to Australia and still had time to recover from the jet lag before getting back up on the oche this afternoon.

It may seem a distant memory now but the World Youth champion stunned Jermaine Wattimena with a 13-darter to win the deciding fifth set 6-5 on day two of the competition, 24 hours after seeing off Devon Petersen.

Humphries, who was underdog, averaged 97.7, hit nine 180s and pinned 50% of his doubles last time out but after eight days of rest will he still be in that groove?

He will at least have spent plenty of time swotting up on Nico Kurz, who could well be the new German number one before too long if this kind of form is anything to go by.

The 22-year-old, who hit a 170 checkout to beat Gary Anderson on his televised debut earlier this year, came agonisingly close to a nine-darter against James Wilson on his World Championship debut and followed it up with another nerveless display to heap more Ally Pally misery on Joe Cullen.

Humphries does have the advantage of knowing what it's like to play over the longer format on a stage such as this and that's why I give him the edge.

Prediction: 2-4

Adrian Lewis (8/15) v Darren Webster (6/4)

Head-to-head: 6-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 1-0

Firstly, don't read much - if anything - into their head-to-head record, which looks alarming for Darren Webster.

However, Adrian Lewis's six successive wins covered a long span between 2005 and 2016, while their most recent clash in 2018 went the way of the Demoltion Man.

Nevertheless, I'm still reaching the same conclusion of a Jackpot win due to his form over the season being far more encouraging having won a Pro Tour title as well as plenty of appearances in the quarter and semi-finals of Pro Tour events.

Lewis also reached the last eight of the Grand Slam of Darts, where he produced an inspired victory over James Wade before running out of steam against MVG.

In the last round, Webster's life was made easy by Yuki Yamada in a 3-0 victory for the loss of just one leg while Lewis was really made to work hard by Cristo Reyes in an epic.

You could really see his passion shining through as he targets the top of the sport again and I'm expecting him to impress.

Prediction: 4-1

Luke Woodhouse (13/8) v Dimitri Van den Bergh (1/2)

Head-to-head: 1-2
2019 Meetings: 0-1
PDC Titles this season: 0-0

I was privileged enough to be at Alexandra Palace on Saturday night to witness Fallon Sherrock's latest act of heroism - but such was the post-match media hysteria, I didn't see a dart from Dimitri Van den Bergh.

No disrespect to the former World Youth champion and his opponent Josh Payne, but at the time it seemed nothing more than a footnote.

That said, Van den Bergh played so well he recorded the highest average of the tournament so far of 103.81, which spanned just 13 legs of darts during his thumping 3-0 win.

The key was consistent three-figure scoring, despite only managing three 180s, and clinical finishing of almost 53%, not to mention a pair of 100+ checkouts.

Luke Woodhouse hasn't played since last Sunday, when he defeated one of the tournament favourites Michael Smith 3-1 with a more than creditable average of 97.81.

These are the times where the scheduling seems rather inconsistent - although it's hard to say which player it favours. Would you want more days off to rest, or have games closer together in order to maintain a rhythm?

As Van den Bergh is such a confidence player, I think it will favour him to be back in action so soon whereas for Woodhouse it's almost like turning up cold to a new tournament.

Prediction: 2-4

EVENING SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
• Third round games: Best of 7 sets
• Full World Championship draw & schedule

Dave Chisnall (1/2) v Jeffrey De Zwaan (13/8)

Head-to-head: 2-5
2019 Meetings: 1-1
PDC Titles this season: 3-1

When I included Dave Chisnall in my pre-tournament staking plan, he'd not yet injured himself in a lift.

Nevertheless, he showed no sign of back pain during a pretty solid 3-1 victory over Vincent van der Voort in which he averaged 93.1, threw four 180s and pinned nine of his 14 attempts at doubles.

Chizzy's quest to land his first televised title with the biggest of the lot is now about to get a whole lot tougher as he prepares to face Jeffrey de Zwaan.

The Black Cobra was given a fright by the man who sent Raymond van Barneveld into retirement - Darin Young - but came from 2-1 down to advance to round three.

I've got to stick with the St Helens man but it won't be easy.

Prediction: 4-2

Gary Anderson (1/3) v Ryan Searle (23/10)

Head-to-head: 4-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0

Ryan Searle would be a lot bigger price were he up against the 'real' Gary Anderson, who has hardly showed up this season on a consistent basis.

The Flying Scotsman, who has been shocked by fellow veterans Steve Beaton and Mervyn King in major events this year, did at least reach the Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals but he laboured in beating Robert Thornton before being swotted aside by Gerwyn Price.

His 3-0 demotion of Brendan Dolan for the loss of just one leg in the last round was more down to his opponent's horrendous finishing of eight missed double attempts out of nine.

Anderson hit seven 180s but his doubling was poor, spurning 18 of his 27 attempts at the outer ring.

Searle, by contrast, may not have enjoyed a sparkling 2019 but he seems to come alive on this famous stage like he did last year.

The former window clearer averaged 101.54 in a quality affair with Steve West, who recorded a mark of 95.12, while he also hit almost 50% of his doubles.

I do sense a shock here although it might go the distance.

Prediction: 3-4

Peter Wright (1/7) v Seigo Asada (9/2)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 4-0

Peter Wright produced one of the remarkable match-saving checkouts on a dramatic Friday night at the Ally Pally that anyone still present at around midnight, myself included, will never forget.

On the brink of a shock defeat at the first hurdle for the second year in a row - this time in an Elf outfit compared to his Santa styling of 12 months ago - he still needed 302 when Noel Malicdem required 121.

However a visit of three treble 18s brought his score down to 140 and when his plucky Filipino opponent missed a match dart at the bullseye, he came back to complete his stunning 12-darter that will no doubt be talked about for years to come.

There was still time for more scares - albeit relatively minor in comparison - to be survived but ultimately it always felt as if he was destined to come through after such a magnificent recovery. And he did so in a sudden death leg.

In the interview that followed, Wright hinted there could have been an element of destiny about it should he go on and lift the trophy.

I often get carried away with skipping through sporting fairytales too quickly before they've happened - as most of us romantics often do - and being part of that atmosphere has made me ponder whether some more pages in his story have been scripted.

That said, back on planet earth Seigo Asada does look great value at 9/2 even though I personally don't think he'll win.

The Japanese star produced a ridiculous comeback from two sets down to beat Keegan Brown, who had won the opening seven legs of the match before missing two darts to take the eighth!

As the Englishman fell to pieces, Asada eventually forged into a 3-2 lead in the deciding set before completing victory with a stunning 11-darter.

Taking absolutely nothing away from him - well, maybe a little - he did 'only' average in the low 90s and even his many fans will probably accept that he's here because of Brown's collapse. Surely Wright won't do the same in a similar scenario against an underdog?

Prediction: 4-1

SUGGESTED ACCA

• Humphries, Lewis & Van den Bergh, Chisnall & Searle at 16/1
• Click here to build your acca at Sky Bet

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