World Grand Prix 2015 - 3
It's Second Round time!
Did you know it is the 3rd leg of the World Soft Tip Championships this weekend? Our colleague and darts designer AJ Urmston-Toft has gone to La Rochelle in France to take part and do a little fact finding whilst he's there. I was due to go too but Sherlock Holmes and The Hampshire Open scuppered those plans!Don't worry if you didn't know, Soft Tip darts rarely gets a mention and if it does it is usually in derogatory terms. Pundits are always keen to hint soft tip players aren't proper dart players as their boards work out the scores for them. Take last night for example, Mardle and his little buddy in the commentary box mocked Scott MacKenzie for attempting a 60, Bull finish on 110.
They weren't open minded enough to shrug off this bold attempt to win the game as soft tip players instinct. The Bull plays a big part in soft tip in more ways than one. Instead they resorted to type and feigned incredulity that a player should try this. Top class commentators don't just open their mouths they open their minds too.
Anyway Team Hong Kong went on to dump Wales out as one of a few of the surprises we predicted would happen in another great night of entertainment. New Zealand held their nerve to beat Canada, Scotland were excellent, especially German fans favourite, Peter, Peter Wright. The two Irish teams were also excellent.
Format
The Second Round, Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals will be played as two best of seven leg 501 Singles matches, with both nations nominating the order in which their players play. In the event of both nations winning one Singles match apiece, a best of seven leg 501 Doubles match will be played to decide the tie.Strategy
For the under-dogs today a lot will depend on a good old fashioned luck. They need to bluff and double bluff to get their strongest player against the weaker player of their opponents to try and force the tie into a pairs shoot out.Hong Kong could pull off another shock, Royden Lam will have no fear of playing either of the Ireland players and with MacKenzie they looked a great team in the pairs. The same goes for Spain v Belgium, if Reyes can play Ronnie then a pairs shoot out should be on the cards.