We are entering that time of the PDC calendar when big tournaments come thick and fast and eyes begin to turn towards the World Championship.
Three months remain before it all gets underway at Ally Pally again, but the attention is focusing on the big events when you think only six floor Players Championship events remain.
Two more European Tour events will take place before the European Championship, while the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals are other big events remaining in the build to the World Championship.
Luke Littler has put together a couple of years where his dominance is very much in line with the likes of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen previously and every big event he enters, Littler will be a strong favourite to pick up the title.
He has yet to Qualify for the Players Championship Finals, but you would not rule out the World Number 1 from doing that even though he will finish the season with just four floor events attended. That may lead to some criticism from outsiders, but Luke Littler will care little about that if he does go on to sweep the 2026 big titles and then wins a third World Championship in a row to open 2027.
The World Series Finals brings together plenty of big names, but the challenge for all beyond the First Round is beating Luke Littler in a longer format match.
This has not happened very often at all since Littler lost the World Championship Final to Luke Humphries in January 2024 and something needs to change if only to give those chasing the World Number 1 the belief that they can beat this player. Most have lacked that confidence and Littler has also shown he can surge through the gears at key times to take matches away from opponents and so the youngster remains the player to beat any time he enters any tournament.
Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 legs v Viktor Tingstrom: After reaching the World Matchplay Semi Final in July and looking like he was getting back to levels shown previously, Dirk van Duijvenbode has not really built on the momentum he had picked up.
He beat two former World Champions in his run to the last four, but was outclassed by Luke Littler like so many others have been.
Dirk van Duijvenbode reached the Quarter Final of the European Tour 11 event at the end of August, but has suffered opening defeats in the next two tournaments. However, this looks a very winnable First Round match in Amsterdam where the home fans are going to be behind him.
Viktor Tingstrom is very capable when at his best, as he showed in a win over Stephen Bunting at the Nordic Darts Masters, but he has suffered two comfortable defeats to Dirk van Duijvenbode on the floor this year.
With the scoring power that van Duijvenbode possesses, he should have enough to power past this opponent in the opening match at the World Series of Darts Finals.
Kevin Doets-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Two very strong scorers meet in a First Round match that the layers are struggling to favour one over the other.
It is a tough match to call and both Kevin Doets and Ross Smith should be confident, while the former is going to have the home support behind him.
Playing in Europe has been very positive for Ross Smith all season though and that will give him belief and confidence and both players are big time maximum hitters once they find their rhythm.
Matches like this can be swung by a big finish or two and that may be the case when Kevin Doets and Ross Smith meet for a third time in 2026 having split the previous two matches.
Josh Rock v Stephen Bunting: Both of these players were involved in the Premier League in 2026, but Josh Rock and Stephen Bunting may have work to do to compete again in 2027.
That would change if the format is expanded as rumoured, but if only eight players are selected, neither has done enough to believe they will earn a call up.
All of that changes in the next three months with some big runs at Ranking events and in spots like this one at the World Series of Darts Finals.
It should be said that neither can point to a lot of positive form of late, but Rocky is perhaps an underrated underdog considering he has won three of the four matches against Stephen Bunting this season.
The two Premier League matches were split with a win each in this format, but Josh Rock earned wins at the UK Open and World Matchplay and that may give him enough belief to power into the Second Round.
Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Jermaine Wattimena: It is no surprise that there is a big Dutch contingent taking part in this tournament and the atmosphere by the time Luke Humphries and Jermaine Wattimena reach the stage should be approaching fever pitch.
The fans would love to see an upset, but Luke Humphries has enjoyed the tempo set by Wattimena and it has allowed him to play some of his best darts.
He was beaten by this opponent at the Dutch Masters in January last year, which is something that Luke Humphries is unlikely to have forgotten. It should also motivate him to be more prepared to deal with the hostile atmosphere and the World Number 2 looked in good form when reaching the European Tour 13 Final last week.
Jermaine Wattimena is very capable on his day and should contribute to the maximum total, but the form has been a little more mixed over the last couple of weeks and that gives Luke Humphries the edge to win the match.
Michael van Gerwen - 1.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: There is no doubt that Michael van Gerwen is still striving to close the gap to the top two players in the world, but on his day he can still be very, very good.
The consistency has been lacking, although van Gerwen can give the home fans something to celebrate by beating Daryl Gurney.
The Northern Irishman has lost four matches in a row, albeit in competitive fashion, but those defeats can knock the confidence out of many. Daryl Gurney does give off the impression that he would be less bothered and he will certainly be fired up to quieten the crowd, but nine losses in ten matches played makes it hard to see that happening.
When they met on the European Tour earlier in the season, Michael van Gerwen won a very high quality contest between the players.
It feels like Michael van Gerwen is still playing the superior darts in September and Daryl Gurney's recent drop in standards may result in an early exit in Amsterdam.
MY PICKS: Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 Legs @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Kevin Doets-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Josh Rock @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Luke Humphries to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Micael van Gerwen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)
Darts 2026: 128-162, - 21.43 Units (289 Units Staked, - 7.42% Yield)
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