2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Preview

James Punt landed two winners from three bets in yesterday evening’s session, the GOAT and Ratajski delivering the goods. He’s looking for more winners on Saturday, check out James’ 2026 Poland Darts Open R2 preview below.

Friday Night Reflections

It was a better second session last night and we picked up 0.7 points to leave the tournament tally at -0.92 for now.

The second round sees the seeded players entering the fray, minus MVG and Gerwyn Price, who were both very late withdrawals. They were replaced by Michael Smith and Callan Rydz who both come in at the 2nd round stage, which is very nice for them, as they pick up a minimum of £3500.

Martin Schindler vs. Boris Krcmar

Big Boris was our sole winner of the afternoon session yesterday and he beat Ryan Joyce, and a good version of him, 6-3. Both players averaged over 101 and Joyce was hitting big checkouts just to stay in the game, but Krcmar’s relentless scoring was too much.

Schindler is a three-time Euro Tour winner but his recent form sees five defeats from his last ten matches and he is playing with extreme inconsistency. Anything from a 67.57 average to a 99.14. He didn’t play in the Players Championship events this week and has only played four matches in 2026.

Schindler is 3-0 v Boris, but their last match was in 2023, and they have never met on stage before. I’m keeping faith in the big Croat.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point Boris Krcmar to win @ 2.25 with Ladbrokes

Chris Dobey vs. Connor Scutt

Scutt won a bit of a scrap with Damon Heta last night. It was a 6-4 win but having been 4-0 up, he ended up in a tight match. It was a 98.22 average but his doubling was a bit suspect and only once in his last ten matches has his checkout rate been over 36%, so he could be vulnerable in a close match. Scutt has lost five of his last ten matches.

Dobey picked up another Players Championship title on Monday but that is floor form and this is the stage. Dobey is a floor specialist. He has won eight of his last ten and is playing well, if lacking the consistency that he needs at the top level. Dobey was poor on the Euro Tour in 2025, losing eight of his thirteen opening matches.

Scutt is hardly a Euro Tour specialist himself. He has only played ten matches and lost eight. He lost his only second round appearance 1-6 to Luke Humphries last year.

Their H2H record is 2-1 to Dobey and he is the 1.57 favourite, with Scutt 2.63. You can make a very good argument for both players, to lose. No bet.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet

Nathan Aspinall vs. Daryl Pilgrim

Pilgrim won a battle of the bottlers yesterday. He was the 6-4 winner over Dave Chisnall but he fell over the line in a match marked by dire doubling. They missed 40 between them. Pilgrim has won six of his last ten matches and is showing no sort of consistency. He has only ever played two Euro Tour second round matches and lost both.

Aspinall has won six of his last ten matches and was runner up in PC1 last week. He wasn’t exactly on fire in Wigan this week, however. Aspinall won three Euro Tour titles last year and will be looking to add to that in 2026.

Aspinall is the 1.30 favourite and he is hard to oppose at an unattractive price. No bet.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet

Danny Noppert vs. Jermaine Wattimena

Wattimena was a very unconvincing 6-4 winner over local qualifier Mirosław Grudziecki yesterday. The Pole only averaged 75.46 but Wattimena had double trouble. The Dutchman is not in good form, despite winning seven of his last ten matches. In those ten he has averaged sub 90 six times, including in four of his last six.

Danny Noppert can be a bit of a slow starter at this time of year but he has won seven of his last ten matches and is playing with his usual high level of consistency. He has also stuck to his script by having lost three quarter finals already in 2026.

Their H2H record is 5-5. They have met five times on the Euro Tour with Noppert winning four. Noppert is the 1.70 favourite and worth a bet at the odds.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point Danny Noppert to win @ 1.70 with Boylesports

Gary Anderson vs. Wessel Nijman

This is a fascinating match. Anderson has played just eight matches since reaching the semi-final of the World Championship. It is back to his least favourite tournaments now, the European tour. His modus operandi is to try and win one as soon as possible and not have to play in any more until the finals.

Anderson has won five of his eight matches in 2026 and hit four ton plus averages. I assume he will be motivated to go deep this weekend.

Nijman has won eight of his last ten matches and his win rate in 2026 is 85% He won PC2 last week and was runner up in PC4 this week. He was very poor in his 6-3 win over Thomas Lovely last night, averaging 88.56, despite being 43% on his doubles. Lovely missed twenty-two doubles and could have won 6-0 had he been firing on the outer ring.

Nijman is 3-0 against Anderson and beat him 6-4 at this stage of the European Darts Open last year.

Anderson is the 1.80 favourite, Nijman 2.10. You can argue a good case for either player, but still not be convinced. All three of their previous matches have been close and I will go for another close match and back the overs.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.04 with Livescorebet

James Wade vs. Cameron Menzies

Menzies torn up the formbook yesterday. Having lost five of has six matches in 2026, He turned up and hit nine 180s and a 95.21 average to beat Edhouse 6-4. The Bank of Edhouse was robbed!

Despite all his 180 hitting, a very unimpressive Edhouse still won four legs and Menzies’ doubling was poor at just a 25% checkout rate. I suspect Wade would be more able to take advantage of that, and I do not expect another nine 180s from Menzies.

Menzies has won six of their last eight matches and it is 6-6 overall, so Wade has not been great against Menzies in the last two years and it was a 6-5 win for Menzies in ET3 last year.

Wade has won seven of his last ten matches, was a semi-finalist in PC3 on Monday and won PC1 last week. He isn’t playing as well as that sounds, but Wade wins a lot of matches in underwhelming fashion.

Six of their last eight best of eleven leg matches have been over nine legs and another would be no surprise.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.14 with Livescorebet

Ross Smith vs. Daryl Gurney

Gurney beat a local qualifier 6-1 last night. It wasn’t much of a contest and Superchin strolled to an easy win, despite looking as drunk as a lord. It was an 83.43 average, but as I said, it wasn’t a proper match. Gurney has won seven of his last ten matches, but half saw sub 90 averages, so his form is iffy.

Ross Smith has been off the boil since his mum died last nearly five months ago. He has played ten matches in 2026 and won five. He did hit two ton plus averages in PC4 on Tuesday but went out tamely to Mike De Decker 2-6 in the fourth round, averaging just 89.90. Smith did hit twelve 180s in his 35 five legs played and that is more like what he does when playing well, so he might be on the way back.

Their H2H record is 8-5 to Gurney, but he is the 2.50 outsider, with Smith 1.67. Gurney was 3-0 v Smith in 2025 and he makes some appeal at 2.50, but his form is a worry. No bet.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: No Bet

Ryan Searle vs. Cristo Reyes

Searle didn’t play in the two Players Championship events this week. That was very disappointing for those of us who like to recharge the betting bank by backing him to win one of those titles early in the season. Why change a winning formula, Ryan?

He has played nine matches since reaching the semi-final of the World Championship and won six. He reached the semi-final of PC2 last week and was playing OK, if a little inconsistent.

Reyes beat a very poor Niko Springer 6-3 last night but the Spartan was in good form. Six maximums and 60% on the doubles for a 93.04 average. He has been quite impressive since making his comeback after six years away from the game.

Searle is the 1.67 favourite, Reyes 2.50. The Spaniard makes some appeal but I will go for an overs on the 180 market.

2026 Poland Darts Open R2 Tip: 1 point over 5.50 180s @ 2.45 with Livescorebet

Back with the evening preview later this afternoon.

-JamesPunt