Grand Slam of Darts: Wayne Mardle previews the action and picks his group winners

In one of the most exciting darts tournaments of the year, the best of both organisations meet in Wolverhampton for the SINGHA Grand Slam of Darts. With the action starting on Saturday, we asked our expert Wayne Mardle who he thinks will get through their groups...

This tournament is slightly different to the rest because it's split into groups for a round-robin competition. Most others, apart from the Premier League, are just knockouts.

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So, with the Grand Slam, you've got the opportunity to find your feet and get used to the stage. If you don't win your first game then it's not a disaster and for those players that are not as experienced as others this tournament is a great learning curve. 

The main difference is that we've got the BDO players in this one. This is the only time of the year they compete alongside the PDC and they've got some cracking players.

You only have to look back at 2010 when Scott Waites beat James Wade. A BDO player can win it and they're not just there to make the numbers up.

A few of them might do some damage this year and they always add that little bit of spice as the BDO and PDC go head-to-head...

GROUP A - Michael van Gerwen (1), Kim Huybrechts, Jan Dekker, Darren Webster

MVG wins this one because he is the best player in it by a mile. Mind you, if Kim Huybrechts was to go through to the final you wouldn’t be surprised - though if he was to go out in the group phase and not win a game again, you wouldn't be surprised. He just doesn't seem to get it done! Jan Dekker is okay but I think he'll struggle in this group. You have to look at Darren Webster as well; he'll beat Huybrechts and they'll all do a job on Dekker.

Winner: Michael van Gerwen Runner up: Darren Webster

GROUP B - Alan Norris (8), Scott Waites, Terry Jenkins, Ronny Huybrechts

I don't fancy Ronny Huybrechts at all. He caused a massive upset last year by winning his group which included Adrian Lewis. This year should be easier but he's not playing as well as so I'm writing Ronny off - I've written off Kim as well, so sorry about that fellas! Since Scott Waites won the world title in 2013 he's just not been the same player. I don't know whether it's all been a bit too much, or whether his form has dipped because he's already peaked. That means this group has got to be a Jenkins win with Norris second. The reason I've picked Jenkins is because the man is a proven finalist. He's not a winner but he's a 'get the job nearly done' man.

Winner: Terry Jenkins Runner up: Alan Norris

GROUP C - Adrian Lewis (5), Dave Chisnall, Keegan Brown, Rowby-John Rodriguez

I fancy Adrian Lewis to win this group and that is on the premise that he plays like he can. We all know Adrian can get a bit lazy. He's got more natural talent than any other player on the planet so he can rely on that a bit and maybe he relies on it a bit too much. But he wins this one purely because Keegan Brown, who's the World Youth Champion, has kind of levelled off and not pushed on. Rowby-John Rodriguez is just out of his teenage years and this would a be a massive learning curve for the young Austrian. That leaves Dave Chisnall. Last year Chisnall played three and lost three so you can never be sure of him. I'm tentatively going for...

Winner: Adrian Lewis Runner up: Dave Chisnall

GROUP D - Raymond van Barneveld (4), Robert Thornton, Vincent van der Voort, Robbie Green

This group is a punting disaster if you're going to have a gamble. Barney is favourite and probably should be but he's so unreliable. You're just never sure which Barney is going to turn up. Last year he didn't qualify from the group and will it be the same this year? I wouldn't be surprised. For me, the winner here is Robert Thornton. The Scotsman seems to like this tournament and though he got beaten in a bit of rout by Phil Taylor in last year's final, he knows he can do it. I'm going to go for Van der Voort to get second because Vincent has been playing some real decent darts but just hasn’t got the results. Not Barney, though. I’m worried that with his new glasses and a bit of a bad back he’ll show the attitude we saw at the the Grand Prix where he literally gave up and turned it in. Robbie Green, meanwhile, is an unknown quantity so I’m not sure how he'll perform on the huge stage.

Winner: Robert Thornton Runner up: Vincent van der Voort

GROUP E - Phil Taylor (2), Andy Hamilton, Christian Kist, Richie George

Let's just say Taylor wins this and I think he does. Richie George played terribly last year and I understand he's hardly thrown any darts this year so I'm going to write him off completely. Hamilton used to be one of the most consistent players on the tour but not anymore. Kist actually plays more like Hamilton than Hamilton does! And I'm going to for Kist because it will be matchup between those two and whoever wins their game takes second spot, in my opinion.

Winner: Phil Taylor Runner up: Christian Kist

GROUP F - Peter Wright (7), Simon Whitlock, Michael Smith, Brendan Dolan

I've got no idea about this one! Honestly, what a nightmare! When I don't have a clue I normally go for the outsider but I think Dolan can beat Smith, Whitlock and Wright and yet I think he can also lose to all three. I'm putting Michael Smith second because he will probably beat Whitlock, who is playing some of his worst darts since he joined the PDC. I'm writing off Whitlock and the others can all beat each other.

Winner: Brendan Dolan Runner up: Michael Smith

GROUP G - James Wade (6), Mervyn King, Tony O'Shea, Jamie Caven

These predictions don't get any easier! James Wade just won the PDC Masters and in the final Mervyn King had nine darts to beat him! King has to be suffering a bit of a Masters heartache and he probably doesn't want to see a dart board right now. I'm going to rule out Tony O'Shea because, a bit like Scott Waites, he's not playing anywhere near his best darts at the moment. This is the big stage, on TV and against some of the best players in the world, and that's not the best place to find your form. I'm picking outsider Caven to win the group because he'll have the adrenaline.

Winner: Jamie Caven Runner up: James Wade

GROUP H - Stephen Bunting (3), Gary Anderson, Dean Winstanley, Wesley Harms

Gary Anderson looks like a champion every time he steps up to the board but he fails nearly every single time. He's won the Premier League and back in the 2007 he won two majors in the BDO. He wins this group but he'll probably falter down the line. I've got Bunting second because Winstanley is another one who falters the closer he gets to the finishing line. I've had a look at Harms' form this year and it's been pretty mediocre. In this group, mediocre won’t wash.

Winner: Gary Anderson Runner up: Stephen Bunting

Tip to win...

I fancy Robert Thornton to do quite well. He's got the game and he really wants it, while he also likes the format and the event. You also have to pick Michael van Gerwen so I believe it will be one of these two that wins it. I can't see anyone in the bottom half apart from Phil Taylor reaching the final. I'll stick my neck out and say Thornton for the win.