BDO World Darts Championship

The BDO World Darts Championship is a world championship competition in darts, organised by the British Darts Organisation (BDO). It began in 1978, and was the only world championship tournament until 1994. Since then, following a dispute with the BDO, a breakaway group was formed (now known as the Professional Darts Corporation) which stages its own annual PDC World Championship, generally before the BDO version in late December and early January of each year.

The BDO version was first held at the Heart of the Midlands Nightclub in the English city of Nottingham. The following year it moved to the Jollees Cabaret Club, Stoke, where it stayed until 1985. Since then it has been held at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey.

Highlights

Many of darts' greatest moments have occurred at the BDO World Championship. In 1983, a 22 year-old qualifier from Ipswich, Keith Deller, beat the world's top 3 players including Eric Bristow in a memorable final to produce one of the greatest upsets in the sport's history.

In 1990 American player Paul Lim hit the tournament's only ever perfect 9-dart finish in the second round against Irishman Jack McKenna to win a bonus of £50,000 which was more than the eventual champion received.

The finals of 1992, 1998 and 1999 all went into a deciding set play off, having reached 5 sets all and 2 legs all. In 1992, Phil Taylor defeated Mike Gregory in a sudden death leg, having reached 5 legs apiece. In 1998 Raymond van Barneveld beat Richie......
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