Power to play Priestley

Old foes: Taylor and Priestley

First round results:
D Priestley 6-1 C Monk
A Tabern 3-6 W Newton
C Lloyd 6-3 P Wright
R Baxter 2-6 J Klaasen
T Jenkins 6-1 S Whitlock
P Taylor 6-3 J Caven
W Mardle 2-6 G Anderson
J Part 6-2 S Burnett

Also see

• Order of Merit
• On Sky TV
• Darts Schedule/Results

Phil Taylor set-up a second round clash with Dennis Priestley as they both won their Las Vegas Desert Classic openers, while Gary Anderson impressed against Wayne Mardle.

Defending champion Taylor came through a tough challenge from the up-and-coming Jamie Caven, while Priestley had earlier beaten Colin Monk 6-1 as the two veterans set-up another repeat of their World Championship final days.

Ronnie Baxter won a warm-up event on Tuesday but was well beaten by Jelle Klaasen, while Anderson showed why he is expected to do well in the PDC as he comfortably beat crowd favourite Mardle.

Wes Newton usually enjoys Vegas and he moved safely through the first round, while Terry Jenkins and Colin Lloyd also made safe progress.

Taylor was beaten in the warm-up event in Vegas after struggling with a bad back recently, and he had to be at his best to see-off a tenacious challenge from in-form Caven, who outdid his illustrious opponent with a 102 average.

Pushed

'Jabba' did not look fazed by the 14-time world champion, and despite losing his throw early he pushed 'The Power' all the way to 5-3, before just one missed double top saw Taylor come in and seal the win 6-3.

"I did it when I went out on my bike believe it or not," Taylor said of his bad back. "I pulled my back, I've never done it that bad before, and it's taken me a couple of weeks and I've had some physio, it hurts a bit but it'll be fine now.

Taylor added of Priestley: "It's the same old same old, it's a blast from the past - it always will be. We'll both play well, we always do against each other, it's normally an entertaining game between us two."

Priestley booked his date with Taylor after he ended Colin Monk's Vegas debut in the very first game, with 'The Menace' providing some deadly finishing to go through 6-1.

Monk had his chances, but missed darts were punished brutally by the veteran Yorkshireman, who took out scores of 96, 136 and 81 to win through with ease.

Jaws v Bull

Colin Lloyd will face Terry Jenkins in the second round after they both enjoyed impressive wins over Peter Wright and Simon Whitlock respectively.

'Jaws' Lloyd exacted revenge on Wright after a 6-0 loss on Tuesday by easing to a 6-3 success against 'Snake Bite', while Jenkins looked in good touch as he saw off former Lakeside world champion Whitlock with a 6-1 demolition of the Aussie.

Scotsman Anderson should have big things in front of him in the PDC after his recent switch from the BDO, and he showed his class with a 6-2 win over Mardle.

Next up for Anderson will be Newton, after he beat fellow Lancastrian Alan Tabern 6-3 to keep up his fine form in Vegas, which has seen him reach two semi-finals.

The quickest game of the night came with Klaasen's rapid-fire 6-2 win over Baxter, as 'The Rocket' failed to build on Tuesday's warm-up win, and the Dutchman now faces former world champion John Part after his 6-2 win over American Scott Burnett.