2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Evening Tips – JP
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Preview
James Punt has already posted his outright preview, you can read that here. James’ 2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday evening preview and tips are below.
Dave Chisnall vs. Thibault Tricole
A couple of years ago and this would have been a stick on win for Chizzy, but nowadays, more of a coin toss. Both players have hit five sub 90 averages in their last ten matches. Tricole has won seven of his, Chizzy six. But one of Chisnall’s wins was a 6-4 win over Tricole.
Their H2H record is 2-1 to Chisnall, all on the floor. Tricole has only played seven Euro Tour events and won two first round matches, but they were his last two. He even reached the third round in his last one. Tricole is a journeyman pro, but he has improved with time and is a competent player.
Chisnall is a hugely experienced player who has won seven Euro Tour titles, but he is on the slide due to injury. In 2026, he has played in both Euro Tours, losing in the first round in Poland but coming back from 1-5 to beat Jeffrey de Zwaan in last week’s first round. He is playing poorly.
Chisnall is the 1.73 favourite, Tricole 2.18. Picking the winner? It is a coin toss, but I can see a bit of a grind and something like the 6-4 they had earlier this year.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.00 with Livescorebet
Krzysztof Ratajski vs. Christo Reyes
Ratajski is playing solid darts, seven 95+ averages in his last ten, but he lost five. He has won both his first round matches this year on the Euro Tour, beating Mansell and McGuirk, and this will be his first non-Irish opponent.
Reyes has played some eye-catching stuff since his return from exile, but he hasn’t actually done much. He reached the third round in Poland, but lost to Nijman in last week’s first round. Like Ratajski, Reyes has lost five of his last ten matches but he lacks the consistency of The Polish Eagle.
Ratajski is the 1.64 favourite, Reyes 2.60. I expect Ratajski to grind out a win, but Reyes does have gears and at the odds, this is a no bet.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: No Bet
Joe Cullen vs. Andy Baetens
Andy Baetens will have a sold out Belgian crowd behind him, but will that be enough against The GOAT? Cullen has won both his opening matches on the Euro Tour in 2026, beating Krzysztof Kciuk in Poland, and Wojciech Brulinski in Germany last week. Both Titans of the game.
Sadly, that was that for Cullen as he lost both his second-round matches, one to Michael Smith and the other to Gerwyn Price. It takes World Champions to knock Cullen out.
Andy Baetens had a two year spell on the Pro Tour. He came in on a wave of hype, but did nothing and lost his card at the end of last year. He now plays Challenge Tour and Modus darts.
Baetens had to win five matches yesterday to get a place as a local qualifier. He had a ton plus average and 98 along the way. It is hard to judge his form when he is playing some pretty low-grade opponents.
Cullen is the 1.50 favourite, which will please him, Baetens 2.75. I am happy to give this a miss.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: No Bet
Wessel Nijman vs. Sebastian Bialecki
We are on Nijman outright and he is the 1.29 favourite to win this. Bialecki has won five of his last nine matches at senior level, but six saw sub 90 averages. Nijman will lap that sort of thing up, but he can be a slow starter. They have played four times at Development tour level, with Nijman winning three. It is not a betting match for me.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: No Bet
Raymond van Barneveld vs. Boris Krčmar
I’m still seething that RVB beat Karel Sedlacek at the UK Open, and I am looking forward to seeing Boris crushing him into a fine dust.
Barney has lost eight of his last ten matches, has hit just one 90+ average, and that was a 90.63. He is playing rubbish. He has played 12 Euro Tour events in the last 12 months and won eight first round matches. RVB beat Ratajski in one, the rest were all real minnows.
Boris has a very good first round record on the Euro Tour. Since 2021, he has played in twelve events and won ten first round matches and beaten some proper players in the process. His last four first round victims were Josh Rock, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Gian Van Veen and Ryan Joyce.
Their H2H record is 1-1but Barney’s win came back in 2011, when he was still a top player.
Krčmar is the 1.57 favourite, Barney 2.63. I am happy to take Boris on the handicap. Maybe just the one point this time.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: 1 point Boris Kcrmar to win -1.5 legs @ 1.91 generally available
Daryl Gurney vs. Ian White
2018 vibes, but both players have regressed since then, White especially so. He has won five of his last ten matches and mostly averages around the 85 – 91 range these days. He won three Euro Tour titles back in the day, but White is now a journeyman pro.
Daryl Gurney is still a top 25 player but seems happy to win a game or two and go home. He has won six of his last ten matches and on the Euro Tour, he has won both his first round matches and lost both second rounds. This is another nice draw for him. Beat White, lose to Heta and bank £3500. Job done.
Gurney is 8-12 vs. White but is the 1.44 favourite. White has won their last two matches, in 2025 and 2023, but Gurney is the better player and the odds look about right. No bet.
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: No Bet
Niko Springer vs. Kim Huybrechts
Springer is our big (201.00) outright outsider, and we could have got an easier draw. Huybrechts has home advantage, but the crowds here tend to be fair to the ‘away’ players.
Springer reached the quarter finals last week and is a better player on the Euro Tour than on the floor. Huybrechts had to win six matches to win a place via the local qualifier yesterday. He has won seven of his last ten pro tour matches and he can still play.
These two have never met before, but Springer is the better player these days, stats wise, but there is not a lot in it. Springer is the 1.80 favourite, Huybrechts 2.20. Springer had no less than four consecutive matches that required a decider last weekend, maybe he gets another here?
2026 Belgian Darts Open Friday Tip: 0.5 point Niko Springer to win 6-5 @ 7.00 with Unibet, Livescorebet, Skybet
Dirk van Duijvenbode vs. Lukas Wenig
Dirk reached the quarter finals last weekend and he is playing good darts, on the whole, with seven 97+ averages.
Wenig is an improving player but not in the same league as Dirk. The German has won six of his last ten but his scoring is weak, with only one average above 94. He hits a lot of low 90s and Dirk has the scoring advantage.
They have never met before and Dirk is the 1.50 favourite, Wenig 2.75. Last week’s run should have given Dirk’s confidence a boost and, as the better player, he should win with a bit in hand.
