Monday 4 January 2016 13:54, UK
After Gary Anderson lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy again, we pick out five things from another thrilling World Darts Championship.
'The Flying Scotsman' was crowned as world champion for a second consecutive year after a 7-5 win over Adrian Lewis at Alexandra Palace.
But Anderson's title triumph was just one of the talking points from arguably the best ever championship...
World No 1 Michael van Gerwen was at his blistering best in a 4-0 win over Darren Webster, ending the second round match with an average of 109.
But 'The Green Machine' was brought to a shuddering halt by Raymond van Barneveld in an epic third-round encounter.
The two Dutch players engaged in a memorable dogfight, with 'Barney' claiming a 4-3 victory that ended Van Gerwen's hopes of adding to his solitary 2014 title for another year.
Van Gerwen, who exited with the highest losing match average (105.78) in the competition's history, was left to reflect on a few crucial lapses in his finishing.
Phil Taylor arrived at the tournament without a major title for the year and was using a new set of darts for his pursuit of a 17th trophy.
But Taylor's inconsistent performances at the Palace only increased concerns that 'The Power' is on the wane.
The 55-year-old was overwhelmed by the high-scoring Jelle Klaasen in a 4-3 defeat and exited the tournament amidst growing concerns about his future.
Long-term rival Van Barneveld even suggested that Taylor could walk away from the sport which he had dominated for a lengthy era, but the Stoke man has since ruled out any retirement plans.
A big stage often brings the very best out of Van Barneveld and he was involved in three more enthralling matches.
He firstly edged out Stephen Bunting 4-3 to reach the last 16, then toppled Van Gerwen in a tense tussle, before giving Lewis an almighty scare as 'Barney' eventually bowed out at the semi-final stage.
RVB only really sparked to life when his back was against the wall, but even his Lazarus-like qualities could not spare him from a 6-3 defeat to Lewis, maybe ending the Dutchman's lingering hopes of another world title.
But with his 'Barney Army' behind him, the 48-year-old is still a match for anyone and is a worthy addition to this year's Premier League.
Michael Smith had struggled to justify his reputation as one of the emerging talents of the sport, but the 25-year-old emerged as a genuine contender.
In previous years, Smith had never progressed beyond the third round, and he erased this statistic with a flurry of 180s in front of a breathless audience.
The St Helens man hit a dozen maximums against Benito van de Pas to reach the last eight, but received a harsh lesson from Van Barneveld, who erased his three-set lead while beating 'Bully Boy' 5-4.
Smith will be hoping to build on a break-out year when he returns to action in the Premier League.
The unassuming Scot gave a scathing assessment of his own performance, despite regaining the title in a record-breaking match with Lewis.
Both finalists combined to produce 34 180s, a new world record, and Anderson hit a stunning 170 checkout, but was still striving for more from himself.
Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle had admitted before the final that Anderson was the stand-out performer and he probably peaked in 6-0 semi-final thrashing of Klaasen, which saw him end with an average of 107.
'The Flying Scotsman' is also the reigning Premier League champion and the evergreen Anderson will be expected to add more trophies in 2016.
