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Michael van Gerwen to face Raymond van Barneveld at Players Championship Finals

Michael van Gerwen will begin the defence of his Players Championships title with an all-Dutch encounter against Raymond van Barneveld.

Defending champion Michael van Gerwen has been seeded to play Dutch compatriot Raymond van Barneveld in the first round of the Players Championship Finals.

The 32-man tournament, which is being held in Minehead, uses a seeding system based on the results achieved away from the television cameras during a calendar year, and that has left five-time world champion Van Barneveld having to play the world number one.

Phil Taylor, who is the ninth seed, goes up against Ronnie Baxter, while top seed Gary Anderson faces a tough contest against Christian Kist.

World number three Adrian Lewis and 2014 Grand Slam of Darts runner-up Dave Chisnall meet in the last 32, with James Wade facing former Lakeside winner Jelle Klaasen.

The three-day tournament kicks off on Friday afternoon.

First-round draw

Gary Anderson vs. Christian Kist
Stephen Bunting vs. Steve Beaton
Mervyn King vs. Andrew Gilding
Phil Taylor vs. Ronnie Baxter
James Wade vs. Jelle Klaasen
Simon Whitlock vs. Dean Winstanley
Peter Wright vs. Benito van de Pas
Vincent van der Voort vs. Andy Hamilton
Michael van Gerwen vs. Raymond van Barneveld
Kim Huybrechts vs. Terry Jenkins
Brendan Dolan vs. Kevin Painter
Justin Pipe vs. Wes Newton
Robert Thornton vs. Darren Webster
Ian White vs. Jamie Caven
Michael Smith vs. Andy Smith
Adrian Lewis vs. Dave Chisnall

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Phil Taylor of Britain reacts as he takes part in the PDC World Championship darts final against Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands on January 1, 2013
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