After a long 2 year plus drought on the local darts scene, Dartslive Singapore put together the Singapore SoftDarts Championship 2012 tournament for the soft tip darters last week at the Grand Ballroom of Grand Park Hotel at City Hall. Dartslive players from overseas countries like Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Taiwan also flew in for a 2-day intensive darts shootout with the locals. Almost 500 players, supporters and spouses visited the Grand Ballroom during the tournament to partake in the 2 days of darts extravanganza. And thanks to the everyone involved, from board marshalls, bartenders, cashiers, and most importantly, the friendly (and some very funny) darters, all had a wonderful great time!
Paul Lim, the most famous Singaporean Darter and winner of many darts tournament around the world kicked off the opening games on the first day on 1st Sept with his famous words "Gaaaaame... On !!!". And away the games started off with the 01 Doubles event. The hall was packed with excited and enthusiastic yet nervous players, eager to win their very first Dartslive tournament medal in Singapore. There were quite a few tournament first-timers and some were visibly excited throwing with trembling hands too. But soon enough, after a few gulps of tension-calming beer, nerves were brought under control. Competition was tight as players were put into groups with other players of similar caliber. No one could say they were "(b)eaten alive" as everyone had a fighting chance.
The finalists soon emerge and their games took center stage. Everyone had an enjoyable time watching the finals games. The most funny and unusual finals was where Kane/Andrew took on the pair of Raymond/Eve for the C flight finals on stage. Kane and Andrew were trailing their opponent in the decider leg and Kane needed to do a high checkout of 146 as the opponent had 96pts left in the 01 game. After scoring the first bull and followed by a double-18, he needed another daunting triple 20 to win the game. He paced up and down the line nervously and had everyone on their feet cheering him on and breathlessly anticipating his last dart. He took a last careful aim and scored the checkout with a spectacular pose! And he literally jumped for joy and hugged his partner! Everyone else in the hall cheered him for that amazing shot.
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Triple-20 Checkout shot by Kane Choo during his C Flight Finals:
from left : (1) The elegant pose (2) The shocking joy (3) The ecstatic celebration
(Photos by:Tan Chin Fan)
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| Day 1 - A Flight Doubles Winners |
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| C Flight Joint 3rd : Angus/Katherine |
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| BB Flight 2nd place - Paul (left) with Haze Leung of HK |
Day 1 '01 Doubles: A Flight
Champion : Ali Ho/Ivan Shen (TW)
2nd place : Zac Hong/Eddie Low
Joint 3rd : William Lee/ Tina Chan (HK) and Harith Lim/Nelson Wong
Joint 5th : Alan Chau/Jimmy Te, Jason Tan/Wei Ming, Johnny Seow/Winson, Andy Tan/Thomas
Day 1 '01 Doubles: BB Flight
Champion : Johnny Tan/ Lincoln Lai
2nd place: Haze Leung/Paul Leng
Joint 3rd : Kenny/CK, Kelvin Goh/Marcus Jiang
Joint 5th : Low Boon Chye/ Loh Yi-shin, Wai Leong/Jia Jie, Shine Hsieh/Nick Wu (TW), Frankie Cheong/Michael Ramond
Day 1 '01 Doubles: B Flight
Champion : Johnny Khoo/Alvin How
2nd place : Kok Ping/Andy Choo
Joint 3rd : Chris Leong/ Eunice Tan, Jason Chong / Yeow Jen Hwa
Joint 5th : Adrian Tan/Alvin Gan, Neo Qiu Nan/Caleb Fung, Kristine Lim/Yinn, Yap Boon Leong/Marco Lee
Day 1 '01 Doubles: C Flight
Champion : Andrew Ong/ Kane Choo
2nd place : Raymond Lim/ Eve Boon
Joint 3rd : Angus/Katherine, John Teng/Samuel Cheong
Joint 5th : Andy Bay/Evelyn, Syazwan/NurAyu , Marvin Fung/Thomas Lee (HK), Sammi Chong/Wendy Shaw
Once the Doubles event got wrapped up towards evening time, the Singles and Grand Masters got underway. The Best-of-the-Best Grand Masters event was interesting as all the high rated players from various countries came together for a chance to take the top prize and the bragging rights that came with it. Skilled players included Thailand's Watanyu and Yong Thanawat, Singapore's Paul Lim, Harith Lim, River Ang and Hong Kong's Haze Leung and Ben Wong.
The semi finals of the grand masters event pitted Paul Lim vs River on one side and Harith Lim vs Ben Wong (HK). It was the Semi final game between Paul and River that drew the crowd's attention and support as River fired up all cylinders to shoot an amazing and one of his best-ever game on the stage, in front of a wowed crowd. He led Paul Lim through much of the game and right into a 2-2 score and played Cricket as the last choice game. In the decider game, he was leading Paul right from the start and look very close to winning, until he missed two precious darts on the last remaining house - 15. Those 2 darts costs him dearly as Paul came back with multiple vicious triples and overcame the lead and wrap up the game soon after. But River wowed everyone with his awesome performance on the stage that was worthy of everyone's respect. Good game, River!
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| River Ang, Grandmasters 3rd place |
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| Paul Lim - Grand masters Champion |
Day 1 Singles : AB Flight
Champion : Kang Wei Ming
2nd place : Johnny Tan
Joint 3rd : Syazwan, Ding Dong De Mesa
Joint 5th : Clarence Wee, Kelvin Chan, Max Ong, Kristine Lim
Day 1 Singles: BC Flight
Champion : Esanna Lam (HK)
2nd place : Thomas Lee (HK)
Joint 3rd : Danny Koh, Caleb Fung
Joint 5th : Marvin Fung, Claudine Oh, Tony Kwan, Thniah Peng Keang
Day 1 Grandmasters
Champion : Paul Lim
2nd place : Harith Lim
Joint 3rd : River Ang, Ben Wong
Joint 5th : Zac Hong, Yong Thanawat, Cheung Pui Hong, Haze Leung
Day 1 ended with the Singles final with the HK players of Esanna and Thomas sweeping the top 2 spots in the BC Flight while Johnny Tan took the champion for AB fight.
Day 2 first event was the doubles playing medley and players turn up early and waiting to enter to start warming up for the game.
In the A Flight event of day 2, the team of Harith/Nelson put away Paul Lim/Joey Ho in the semi-finals to set up an all-Singapore team affair for the Finals. However, Alan Chau and Jimmy was on form and defeated Harith/Nelson to grab the champion trophies. In the C Flight, the HK pair of Marvin and Thomas managed to do better than their yesterday's Joint 5th position and reached the finals to play against the popular local pair of Edmund/Kin Leong. This time, the HK pair was on form and easily defeated Edmund and Kin Leong to take the champion.
Day 2 Medley Doubles: A Flight
Champion : Alan Chau/Jimmy Te
2nd place : Harith Lim/Nelson Wong
Joint 3rd : Paul Lim/Joey Ho, Ben Phua/Eric Tan
Joint 5th : William Lee/ Tina Chan (HK), Johnny Seow/Edwin Yak, Osbert Neo/Jason Tan, Jason Tay/Kelvin Yap
Day 2 Medley Doubles: BB Flight
Champion : Arturo/Reynan
2nd place: Leow Wei Qiang/Kelvin Chan
Joint 3rd : Jalen Ng/Gary Tay, Dicky Mahdi/Danny Ang
Joint 5th : Alice Koh/Kenny Tan, Shine Hsieh/Nick Wu, Sky Neo/James Kew, Shawn Tan/Raymond Teo
Day 2 Medley Doubles: B Flight
Champion : Ken/David Khor
2nd place : Sunny Soh/Cassandra
Joint 3rd : Johnny Khoo/Alvin How, Felicia Ooi/Nick Lee
Joint 5th : Jason Chong/Yeow Jen Hwa, Hiu Lam/Esanna Lam, Ace Lau/Ruide Tan, Kristine Lim/Yinn Cheng
Day 2 Medley Doubles: C Flight
Champion : Marvin Fung/Thomas Lee (HK)
2nd place : Edmund/Kin Leong
Joint 3rd : Wang Liting/Hoo SiewFen, Vincent Leong/Joyce Chee
Joint 5th : Raymond Lim/Eve Boon, Jean Hia/Jenny Loo, Angus Wei/Katherine Chiok, Andrew Leong/Daniel Kum
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| C Flight Doubles Day 2 Winners |
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| 5th place Trios team of Kristine/ Yinn/ Nick looking tired but happy with their win |
Day 2 Trios
Champion : Eddie Low/Leow Wei Qiang/Kelvin Chan
2nd place : Paul Lim/Esanna Lam/Marvin Fung
Joint 3rd : Lincoln Lye/Johnny Tan/Ken Khor, Jimmy Te/Marcus Ye/Wang Liting
Joint 5th : Ryan Lau/PuiHong/Carmen Lo, Bernard Tong/Lion Lim/Alvin Lim, Kristine Lim/Yinn Cheng/Nick Lee, Nick Low/East Leng/Kwan HF
The Trios, as the last event of the Dartslive Singapore's Softdarts Championship 2012 tournament, was a popular event as it reach its maximum team limit much earlier in the day and the organisers have to turn down a few more teams' request. It was a tough fight as there were no divisions and no handicap. Competition was keen and there were many cases of tied games forcing some extra games from the teams. However, everyone enjoyed themselves especially since there was a lucky draw and location players/team photographs.
Finally, in the Trios finals, we see the local trios of Eddie Low/Leow Wei Qiang/Kelvin Chan playing against the HK team of Paul Lim/Esanna Lam/Marvin Fung. It was a tough fight as both teams were equally strong and the game went into the 3rd leg tie breaker. Finally, all 3 members of the balanced team of Eddie/Leow/Kelvin shot continously good darts leaving Paul Lim struggling to catch up on the score. The checkout dart was confidently made by Eddie and the trios trophy goes to the local trios team!
At the end of it, most of the players were tired but at the same time thoroughly enjoyed themselves and had great fun meeting and playing with local and overseas darters. Some had tears of joy, some had tears of disappointment, but all of us had much fun to laugh and cheer about and collected many experiences and stories to tell other darters. We all went home that night with a new experience and a new zest for darting!
For more SSDC pictures, please check out Dartslive Singapore's Facebook page
Correction 22 Sep'12 - Singles AB Flight results
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