View source for 2008 European Championship (darts)

{{Infobox individual darts tournament
|tournament_name = 2008 PartyPoker.net European Championship
|image = 
|dates = 30 October–2 November 2008
|venue = Südbahnhof 
|location = [[Frankfurt]]
|country = {{GER}}
|organisation = [[Professional Darts Corporation|PDC]]
|format = Legs<br />Final – best of 21
|prize_fund = £200,000
|winners_share = £50,000
|nine_dart = 
|high_checkout = '''161''' {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wayne Jones (darts player)|Wayne Jones]]<br>''(first round)''
|winner = {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]'''
|prev= 
|next= [[2009 European Championship (darts)|2009]]
}}
The '''2008 [[partypoker|PartyPoker.net]] European Championship''' was the inaugural edition of the [[Professional Darts Corporation]] tournament, which thereafter was promoted as the annual [[European Championship (darts)|European Championship]], matching top European players qualifying to play against the highest ranked players from the [[PDC Order of Merit]].

Played from 30 October–2 November 2008 at the Südbahnhof in [[Frankfurt]], [[Germany]], the inaugural tournament featured a field of 32 players and £200,000 in prize money, with a £50,000 winner's purse going to [[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]].<ref name="eurodetails2008">[http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/LatestDetail/0,,10180~1363760,00.html PDC website report - European Championship Details Confirmed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815213942/http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/LatestDetail/0%2C%2C10180~1363760%2C00.html |date=2008-08-15 }} from the [[Professional Darts Corporation]] obtained 12-08-2008</ref>

==Format==
First round — best of nine legs (by two legs)<br />
Second round — best of seventeen legs (ditto)<br />
Quarter-finals — best of seventeen legs (ditto)<br />
Semi-finals — best of twenty-one legs (ditto)<br />
Final — best of twenty-one legs (ditto)

Each game had to be won by two clear legs, except that a game went to a [[Sudden death (sport)|sudden death]] leg if a further six legs did not separate the players; for example, a first round match played out to 7-7 is then decided with one sudden death leg.

==Prize money==
A total of £200,000 was on offer to the players, divided based on the following performances:

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2 | Position <small>(no. of players)</small>
! Prize money<br /><small>(Total: £200,000)</small>
|-
|'''Winner'''
| align=center | <small>(1)</small>
| align=center | £50,000
|-
|'''Runner-Up'''
| align=center | <small>(1)</small>
| align=center | £25,000
|-
|'''Semi-finalists'''
| align=center | <small>(2)</small>
| align=center | £12,500
|-
|'''Quarter-finalists'''
| align=center | <small>(4)</small>
| align=center | £8,500
|-
|'''Last 16&nbsp; <small>(second round)</small>'''
| align=center | <small>(8)</small>
| align=center | £4,000
|-
|'''Last 32&nbsp; <small>(first round)</small>'''
| align=center | <small>(16)</small>
| align=center | £2,000
|-
|'''Highest checkout'''
| align=center | <small>(1)</small>
| align=center | £2,000
|}

==Qualification==
The top 16 players from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204061541/http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/OrderofMerit/0%2C%2C10180%2C00.html PDC Order of Merit] after the [[2008 World Grand Prix Darts|2008 Sky Poker World Grand Prix]] automatically qualified for the event. Then the top 8 non-qualified players from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20081102050235/http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/OrderofMerit/0%2C%2C10180~1221390%2C00.html 2008 Players Championship Order of Merit] after the October German Darts Trophy in [[Dinslaken]], [[Germany]] joined them to make a field of 24. 

The main European contingent then came from the following: the leading 4 non-qualified players from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20081206090838/http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/OrderofMerit/0%2C%2C10180~1289942%2C00.html 2008 Continental Europe Order of Merit] following the October German Darts Trophy in Dinslaken, the top two non-qualified players from the German Darts Corporation rankings on October 25, and the last two places from a qualifier event held in Dinslaken on October 26 - an event which was open to any player with a full [[Professional Dart Players Association|PDPA]] membership.

{|
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|
:'''PDC Top 16'''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]] (champion)'''
:# {{flagicon|NED}} [[Raymond van Barneveld]] ''(quarter-finals)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[James Wade]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|CAN}} [[John Part]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Terry Jenkins]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Colin Lloyd]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Hamilton (darts player)|Andy Hamilton]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wayne Mardle]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Adrian Lewis]] ''(runner-up)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alan Tabern]] ''(quarter-finals)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Dennis Priestley]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|NED}} [[Roland Scholten]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mervyn King (darts player)|Mervyn King]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Colin Osborne]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ronnie Baxter]] ''(quarter-finals)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Peter Manley]] ''(semi-finals)''
|
:'''Players Championship qualifiers'''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Denis Ovens]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Robert Thornton (darts player)|Robert Thornton]] ''(semi-finals)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Walsh (darts player)|Mark Walsh]] ''(quarter-finals)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chris Mason (darts player)|Chris Mason]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Kevin Painter]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|NED}} [[Vincent van der Voort]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alex Roy (darts player)|Alex Roy]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wayne Jones (darts player)|Wayne Jones]] ''(first round)''
:'''European qualifiers'''
:# {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Carlos Rodríguez (darts player)|Carlos Rodríguez]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|AUT}} [[Mensur Suljović]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|NED}} [[Jelle Klaasen]] ''(second round)''
:# {{flagicon|NED}} Jan van der Rassel ''(first round)''
|
:'''German Darts Corporation qualifiers'''
:# {{flagicon|GER}} [[Andree Welge]] ''(first round)''
:# {{flagicon|AUT}} [[Hannes Schnier]] ''(first round)''
:'''Dinslaken event qualifiers'''
:* {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Jacko Barry]] ''(first round)''
:* {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Jenkins]] ''(first round)''
|}

==Draw and results==
{{32TeamBracket
| RD1='''First round''' ''(best of 9 legs)''<br />30-31 October
| RD2='''Second round''' ''(best of 17 legs)''<br />1 November
| RD3='''Quarter-finals''' ''(best of 17 legs)''<br />2 November
| RD4='''Semi-finals''' ''(best of 21 legs)''<br />2 November
| RD5='''Final''' ''(best of 21 legs)''<br />2 November
| team-width=200

| RD1-seed01=1
| RD1-team01={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">105.98</span></small>
| RD1-score01='''5'''
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02={{flagicon|IRE}} [[Jacko Barry]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">79.44</span></small>
| RD1-score02=1

| RD1-seed03=&nbsp;
| RD1-team03={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Mervyn King (darts player)|Mervyn King]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">101.19</span></small>
| RD1-score03='''6'''
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wayne Jones (darts player)|Wayne Jones]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">95.13</span></small>
| RD1-score04=4

| RD1-seed05=8
| RD1-team05={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Wayne Mardle]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">89.46</span></small>
| RD1-score05='''5'''
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06={{flagicon|DEU}} [[Andree Welge]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">71.26</span></small>
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07=&nbsp;
| RD1-team07={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Colin Osborne]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">95.46</span></small>
| RD1-score07=4
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Mark Walsh (darts player)|Mark Walsh]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">104.01</span></small>
| RD1-score08='''6'''

| RD1-seed09=5
| RD1-team09={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Terry Jenkins]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">95.74</span></small>
| RD1-score09=5
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10={{flagicon|ESP}} '''[[Carlos Rodríguez (darts player)|Carlos Rodriguez]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">93.92</span></small>
| RD1-score10='''7'''

| RD1-seed11=&nbsp;
| RD1-team11={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Ronnie Baxter]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">85.74</span></small>
| RD1-score11='''6'''
| RD1-seed12=
| RD1-team12={{flagicon|NED}} [[Vincent van der Voort]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">93.39</span></small>
| RD1-score12=4

| RD1-seed13=4
| RD1-team13={{flagicon|CAN}} [[John Part]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">90.07</span></small>
| RD1-score13=3
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14={{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Robert Thornton (darts player)|Robert Thornton]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">94.43</span></small>
| RD1-score14='''5'''

| RD1-seed15=&nbsp;
| RD1-team15={{flagicon|NED}} [[Roland Scholten]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">51.57</span></small>
| RD1-score15=1
| RD1-seed16=
| RD1-team16={{flagicon|AUT}} '''[[Mensur Suljović]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">81.11</span></small>
| RD1-score16='''5'''

| RD1-seed17=2
| RD1-team17={{nowrap|1={{flagicon|NED}} '''[[Raymond van Barneveld]]'''  <small><span style="color:dimgray;">88.38</span></small>}}
| RD1-score17='''5'''
| RD1-seed18=
| RD1-team18={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Jenkins]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">78.98</span></small>
| RD1-score18=2

| RD1-seed19=&nbsp;
| RD1-team19={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Dennis Priestley]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">93.43</span></small>
| RD1-score19='''5'''
| RD1-seed20=
| RD1-team20={{flagicon|NED}} Jan van der Rassel <small><span style="color:dimgray;">79.13</span></small>
| RD1-score20=3

| RD1-seed21=7
| RD1-team21={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Hamilton (darts player)|Andy Hamilton]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">94.81</span></small>
| RD1-score21=1
| RD1-seed22=
| RD1-team22={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Denis Ovens]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">95.97</span></small>
| RD1-score22='''5'''

| RD1-seed23=&nbsp;
| RD1-team23={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Adrian Lewis]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">93.27</span></small>
| RD1-score23='''5'''
| RD1-seed24=
| RD1-team24={{flagicon|AUT}} [[Hannes Schnier]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">77.86</span></small>
| RD1-score24=2

| RD1-seed25=6
| RD1-team25={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Colin Lloyd]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">84.79</span></small>
| RD1-score25=2
| RD1-seed26=
| RD1-team26={{flagicon|NED}} '''[[Jelle Klaasen]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">96.75</span></small>
| RD1-score26='''5'''

| RD1-seed27=&nbsp;
| RD1-team27={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Alan Tabern]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">94.29</span></small>
| RD1-score27='''5'''
| RD1-seed28=
| RD1-team28={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chris Mason (darts player)|Chris Mason]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">90.28</span></small>
| RD1-score28=1

| RD1-seed29=3
| RD1-team29={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[James Wade]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">94.18</span></small>
| RD1-score29='''5'''
| RD1-seed30=
| RD1-team30={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alex Roy (darts player)|Alex Roy]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">85.84</span></small>
| RD1-score30=1

| RD1-seed31=&nbsp;
| RD1-team31={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Peter Manley]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">88.29</span></small>
| RD1-score31='''5'''
| RD1-seed32=
| RD1-team32={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Kevin Painter]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">92.08</span></small>
| RD1-score32=2

| RD2-seed01=1
| RD2-team01={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">113.92</span></small>
| RD2-score01='''9'''
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mervyn King (darts player)|Mervyn King]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">101.31</span></small>
| RD2-score02=3

| RD2-seed03=8
| RD2-team03={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wayne Mardle]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">92.74</span></small>
| RD2-score03=6
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Mark Walsh (darts player)|Mark Walsh]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">96.76</span></small>
| RD2-score04='''9'''

| RD2-seed05=&nbsp;
| RD2-team05={{flagicon|ESP}} [[Carlos Rodríguez (darts player)|Carlos Rodriguez]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">86.03</span></small>
| RD2-score05=5
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Ronnie Baxter]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">87.46</span></small>
| RD2-score06='''9'''

| RD2-seed07=&nbsp;
| RD2-team07={{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Robert Thornton (darts player)|Robert Thornton]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">91.77</span></small>
| RD2-score07='''9'''
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08={{flagicon|AUT}} [[Mensur Suljović]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">89.47</span></small>
| RD2-score08=7

| RD2-seed09=2
| RD2-team09={{nowrap|1={{flagicon|NED}} '''[[Raymond van Barneveld]]'''  <small><span style="color:dimgray;">107.02</span></small>}}
| RD2-score09='''9'''
| RD2-seed10=
| RD2-team10={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Dennis Priestley]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">102.35</span></small>
| RD2-score10=4

| RD2-seed11=&nbsp;
| RD2-team11={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Denis Ovens]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">87.98</span></small>
| RD2-score11=5
| RD2-seed12=
| RD2-team12={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Adrian Lewis]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">89.53</span></small>
| RD2-score12='''9'''

| RD2-seed13=&nbsp;
| RD2-team13={{flagicon|NED}} [[Jelle Klaasen]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">97.87</span></small>
| RD2-score13=6
| RD2-seed14=
| RD2-team14={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Alan Tabern]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">93.56</span></small>
| RD2-score14='''9'''

| RD2-seed15=3
| RD2-team15={{flagicon|ENG}} [[James Wade]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">88.53</span></small>
| RD2-score15=9
| RD2-seed16=
| RD2-team16={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Peter Manley]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">89.23</span></small>
| RD2-score16='''11'''

| RD3-seed01=1
| RD3-team01={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">103.27</span></small>
| RD3-score01='''9'''
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Walsh (darts player)|Mark Walsh]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">95.51</span></small>
| RD3-score02=5

| RD3-seed03=&nbsp;
| RD3-team03={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ronnie Baxter]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">89.61</span></small>
| RD3-score03=5
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04={{flagicon|SCO}} '''[[Robert Thornton (darts player)|Robert Thornton]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">92.26</span></small>
| RD3-score04='''9'''

| RD3-seed05=2
| RD3-team05={{nowrap|1={{flagicon|NED}} [[Raymond van Barneveld]]  <small><span style="color:dimgray;">102.49</span></small>}}
| RD3-score05=2
| RD3-seed06=
| RD3-team06={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Adrian Lewis]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">108.62</span></small>
| RD3-score06='''9'''

| RD3-seed07=&nbsp;
| RD3-team07={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alan Tabern]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">85.51</span></small>
| RD3-score07=4
| RD3-seed08=
| RD3-team08={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Peter Manley]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">85.77</span></small>
| RD3-score08='''9'''

| RD4-seed01=1
| RD4-team01={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">113.33</span></small>
| RD4-score01='''11'''
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02={{flagicon|SCO}} [[Robert Thornton (darts player)|Robert Thornton]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">102.12</span></small>
| RD4-score02=7

| RD4-seed03=&nbsp;
| RD4-team03={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Adrian Lewis]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">92.06</span></small>
| RD4-score03='''11'''
| RD4-seed04=
| RD4-team04={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Peter Manley]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">90.45</span></small>
| RD4-score04=7

| RD5-seed01=1
| RD5-team01={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Phil Taylor (darts player)|Phil Taylor]]''' <small><span style="color:dimgray;">104.35</span></small>
| RD5-score01='''11'''
| RD5-seed02=
| RD5-team02={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Adrian Lewis]] <small><span style="color:dimgray;">96.56</span></small>
| RD5-score02=5
}}

<small><span style="color:dimgray;">Scores after player's names are three-dart averages (total points scored divided by darts thrown and multiplied by 3)</span></small>

All games had to be won by 2 clear legs, if after six more legs the players still couldn't be separated, a sudden death leg would take place to decide the winner. i.e. if Round One matches went 7-7, there would have been a decider.

==Television coverage and sponsorship==

The PDC announced on 12 August 2008 that [[ITV4]] would broadcast the entire event live.<ref name="eurodetails2008" /> This was the second PDC darts tournament that ITV4 has broadcast, after the inaugural [[2007 Grand Slam of Darts|Grand Slam of Darts]] - after its rating success ITV chose to broadcast this event as well as the [[2008 Grand Slam of Darts]].

The tournament was sponsored by [[PartyPoker.net]], which has also sponsored other darts championships: the [[US Open (darts)|US Open]], the [[Las Vegas Desert Classic]] and the [[German Darts Championship]].

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/LatestDetail/0,,10180~1445320,00.html Collated results of the 2008 European Championship]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{European Championship Darts}}
{{2008 in PDC darts}}

[[Category:European Championship (darts)]]
[[Category:2008 in darts|European Championship Darts]]