Kevin Painter looks value to brush aside Mensur Suljovic at the Ally Pally

Day Five
Sky Sports Arena, 7pm Monday
Mensur Suljovic and Daryl Gurney enter the William Hill World Championship fray on Monday evening and they will be hoping to avoid becoming the latest seeded players to fall in round one.

Kai Fan Leung v Paul Lim
Head-to-head: No meetings

Paul Lim made his BDO World Championship debut in 1982 and he's back for a crack at the 2018 William Hill World Championship.

Lim has been playing mainly soft-tip darts in recent years but he has the experience to make the switch back to steel arrows without many problems.

Leung had a go at Q-school at the start of the year but didn't cut much ice, and that was the case when he was beaten 6-1 by Jermaine Wattimena in the UK Open in March. Mark Webster awaits the winner and the Welshman is unlikely to have many worries against either opponent.

Mensur Suljovic v Kevin Painter
Head-to-head: tied 2-2

Seeds Jelle Klaasen, Benito van de Pas, Stephen Bunting, Joe Cullen and Mervyn King have already exited the Alexandra Palace stage and Kevin Painter looks great value to add Mensur Suljovic's name to that list.

Painter, the 2004 runner-up and twice a semi-finalist, needs no introduction and while the memory of those deep runs is fading there are reasons to think the Artist can cause Suljovic plenty of problems.

Painter comes alive at the World Championship and was an impressive 3-1 winner in the first round against Jamie Caven last year. Phil Taylor knocked out the Billericay thrower in the second round, but there was no shame in that. It was a virtual repeat two years ago, as Painter took out Kim Viljanen in good style before once again having his hopes crushed by the Power in round two.

Suljovic is a quality thrower but he is no 16-time world champion and quotes of 5-1 look to seriously underestimate Painter's chances as does the 8-11 on offer that he can win at least one set.

The Artist put in an excellent performance when beating Vincent van der Voort, Mervyn King, Gerwen Price and Wattimena to make the final of the Pro Tour event in Barnsley and that is an encouraging sign for a player who is highly likely to raise his game for the PDC showpiece.

Recommendation
K Painter
1pt 5-1 Betfair
K Painter +2.5 sets
5pts 8-11 Sky Bet

Daryl Gurney v Ronny Huybrechts
Head-to-head: tied 1-1

Grand Prix winner Daryl Gurney is expected to put up a good show at the Alexandra Palace – he was seventh-favourite before a dart was thrown – and although he is a major winner the Derry man still has to prove he has the temperament for the biggest test in darts.

Taylor's comments about Gurney's attitude before the Grand Slam quarter-finals were over the top, but the way Superchin folded in that last-eight clash raises questions.

Ronny Huybrechts isn't at Gurney's level and looks badly outclassed but that is reflected in the prices and this looks one to watch for later in the tournament.

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