If you’re playing in the PDC in a televised ranking event, you should never, ever, underestimate your opponent.
The best complacency moments in darts often come when a player decides to play it safe and leave themself an easy finish.
Their opponent is often left with a high 100+ finish so they assume that instead of going for the big checkout themselves, they can leave an easy double with the expectation that their opponent will miss.
Well…
Like we say, this is the PROFESSIONAL game of darts and any player on the circuit is capable of taking out any finish, no matter how high it is or how they’ve been playing.
Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the best moments where darts players get complacent and then get punished for all to see.
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When Darts Players Get COMPLACENT
Mensur Suljovic Hits RIDICULOUS 161 Against MVG
We’d expect complacency from MVG when he was young, fearless and a bit arrogant (we expect it because he appears on this list twice…), but you’d think a more mature player would not underestimate their opponents.
Left on a 121 out shot against Mensur Sulovic in the 2023 World Championship, Michael van Gerwen hit 20, T17 to leave a shot at the Bull to win the game.
Instead, he tried to play it safe and hit single 18 to leave a more comfortable D16 shot next time around.
Suljovic after all is back on 161 and needs to hit it to stay in the game so in fairness, he’s under serious pressure.
MVG playing it safe arguably added to that pressure knowing he’ll have three match darts at a favoured double.
It wasn’t to be though. Suljovic in a moment of absolute magic took out the 161 but the finish wasn’t even the best part.
The camera catches Suljovic celebrating while MVG is seen in the background looking absolutely gobsmacked!!
CLASSIC
Chris Dobey Punishes Rob Cross
Rob Cross staged the greatest comeback ever in the 2024 World Championship against Chris Dobey. He was down 4-0 at one point but would go on to somehow win 5-4.
It’s all the more surprising when you see how Dobey was punishing him throughout. None more evident than when he was down 3 sets and 1 leg with 81 left (Dobey back on 161).
After hitting a single 19 with his first dart, Cross played it safe with a single 10 and 20 to leave a D16 checkout on his next throw.
That was peak complacency considering the battering he was taking.
Dobby did not mess around and took out the 161 to pile on the pressure.
How Cross came back to win this one we will never know!
Gerwyn Price SHOWS Ross Smith How to Checkout 161 👀
Ross Smith and Gerwyn Price are two heavy hitters when it comes to scoring.
Both find themselves on a 161 finish at the same time and you’d think both fancy their chances.
Smith is up first and hits the T20 with his first dart, the checkout is on…
His second dart though is 20. He passed up on the 161 opportunity and then hit T15 to leave a ‘safe’ D18 finish next time round.
Price knew his percentages as well. Unfortunately for Smith, Price was more confident of hitting the 161 in 3 darts than he was in 4.
He hit T20, T17, Bull to show Ross Smith exactly how you checkout the big numbers.
Usually it’s the better player that gets complacent. How Ross Smith thought he was safe with Price following up is beyond us 🤷🏻♂️
Phil Taylor Hits 160 to SILENCE MVG 🤫
Poor Michael, he’s appearing on this list twice… That just shows though what happens when you get complacent and underestimate your opponent.
In this instance it was the biggest sign of disrespect ever because he tried to pull the mind games against the GOAT!
Of all people, why try it against ‘The Power’?
Taylor was left on 160 whilst MVG was on 87 and it was his throw.
MVG hit single 17 to leave 70, but instead of going T20 to leave D5 (a single 20 would have left him a Bull had he missed), MVG tried to play the percentages and went for T18.
He only hit the single though so followed it up with single 20 to leave D16 next time around.
Taylor didn’t like that so he just took out the 160 to teach a 24 year old MVG not to try those games with him.
This was in the Premier League final as well so lucky for MVG he went on to win it because usually when you try to rattle Taylor like that, it ends badly for you…
Keith Deller Wins World Championship With 138 Against Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow is facing defeat in the 1983 World Championship final against Keith Deller.
It’s 5-5 on sets but Deller is leading the decider 2-1 on legs.
Bristow has a score of 121, Deller is on 138.
Bristow hits 17 and T18 to leave a bull finish. The camera pans to the bullseye, the commentator says bullseye, but Bristow plays it safe and hits 18 to leave a 32 finish when he returns.
Bristow never returns.
Deller checked out the 138 (T20, T18, D20) to win in the most dramatic fashion that we’ve ever seen in a World Championship final.
Take these moments as lessons learned. Sure it makes sense to take the ‘percentage’ route and leave yourself a better out shot but at the highest level, that doesn’t really work out all the time.
Us mere mortals can play the percentages with little anxiety but when you try that against top class pro’s you can end up coming unstuck and looking a bit silly in the process!
What did you think of this list? Were the play justified in trying to play it safe or were they just asking for trouble by getting complacent against the best of the best.
Let us know in the comments below 👇
Also if you think we’ve missed any obvious ‘complacency’ moments be sure to mention them and we’ll make a part 2 if there’s enough to include!
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