Wade, though, won the next two with a 13-darter and double six, after a 177 score left 24, as he moved to the brink of victory at 16-12.

The tension rose as he missed eight match tungsten darts at doubles in leg 29, with Taylor staying in the hunt with double 16 before finishing double six to pull back to 16-14.

Wade, though, regained his composure with scores of 140, 174 and 140 to pull clear in the next leg and finished tops for a 12-darter to complete a famous triumph.

"Phil's beaten me so many times so I'm a bit numb, but I'm really happy," said Wade. "I didn't expect Phil to play like that but I've beaten him and can look forward to the final.

"I've not played my best but I caught a man when he is struggling, and Phil doesn't normally struggle here so I'm very grateful; it's a big weight off my shoulders.

"He didn't score or finish like he normally would; in patches he did but I stuck with him until ten-all and it seemed to break him a little bit.

"I've got the self-belief at the moment. I've had hidings from Phil, been up there before and he's punched me all around the stage and normally he beats me and beats me, and this time he didn't have any big punches in him.

"I came here tonight and had a good idea of what was going to happen, and I thought I was going to play much better. I hit probably six finishes with my last darts.

"I missed a few match tungsten darts and hoped I hadn't messed it up, but it's hard to beat a great player like Phil Taylor - what he's done in darts will go down in history."

Wade will be appearing in his sixth World Matchplay final, and added: "I wanted to play Phil Taylor this week and Michael too, because I'm feeling good and I want to play against the best."

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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Taylor had been undefeated since 2007 in the prestigious World Matchplay and was bidding to win the title for an eighth successive year and a 16th time in total after battling through to the last four.

However, Wade - who went on to win the title in 2007 after Terry Jenkins had knocked out Taylor - held his nerve to claim a memorable triumph as he put himself into the final in Blackpool for a sixth time.

Wade had levelled twice after trailing 3-1 and 7-5 before moving into a lead he would never relinquish at 13-10 and 16-12 before holding off Taylor's late rally to end his 38-game winning record on the Winter Gardens stage.

Finishes of tops, double 18 and double seven gave Taylor three of the first four legs, and after Wade hit back with a 120 finish an outstanding ten-darter put the reigning champion 4-2 up.

Taylor then opened leg seven with 180 and 140, but a 168 score from Wade applied the pressure before he punished a miss at double 13 by hitting tops for a 13-darter to hit back.

Taylor produced a fine 12-darter to take a 5-3 lead, but Wade responded with a 180 in a 14-darter before breaking throw on tops - after his opponent missed the same bed - to level.

Taylor took the next two with the aid of 180s for a 7-5 cushion, but the left-hander again hit back as he took the next four legs - punishing missed doubles from the Stoke great in three - to move 9-7 up, with 76 and 64 combinations proving key in that run.

Wade then missed two darts to extend his advantage as Taylor finished 97 with a single 19, double 19 and double top checkout, and a 14-darter which included a second 177 opening of the game saw him level at nine-all.

The next two were also traded before Taylor's miss at tops in the 21st leg allowed Wade in on the same bed to edge 11-10 up, and he then finished 84 and 65 to pull three legs clear.

Taylor kicked off the next with a 174 score as he replied with an 11-darter before the duo traded 180s as double ten moved Wade 14-11 up, only for the left-hander to miss the bull for a 161 checkout as his opponent took leg 26.

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

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Wade took two of the next three, despite a 13-darter from van Gerwen, before a missed bulls-eye from the left-hander for a 167 finish allowed the Dutchman to land double 18 for a 12-8 advantage.

Although Wade took the next to punish missed doubles from van Gerwen, the top seed finished 72 to restore his lead and double 16 in successive legs to move 15-9 up.

Wade claimed two of the next three to stay in the hunt, but an eighth 180 of the game helped van Gerwen move 17-11 up, and despite double ten keeping the left-hander's hopes alive, another maximum helped him set up tops for a 14-darter to seal glory.

Wade's defeat saw him lose out for a fifth time in the final in Blackpool, and he conceded: "It's an honored to be in the final but I let myself down a little bit. From start to finish I struggled, and I wasn't good enough.

"I'm devastated, because I know I was good enough to win that final but I laid down and got steamrollered.

"I'm happy to be in the final and to mix it with the best players in the world again, but I'm not happy with how I played. It's almost as if someone cut my arm off, and the most simple shots became hard work.

"I expected Michael to come out all guns blazing and he didn't do it, but he did it when it mattered. He's a true champion and he did a job against me and won quite comfortably.

"I'm really happy with how it's gone this week and I can take positives from the other games this week, but hats off to Michael."

Van Gerwen's victory also means that he has moved, for the second time, beyond £1 million on the PDC Order of Merit after taking his prize money in ranking events for the past two years to £1,059,750.

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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The Dutch star, 26, erased the memories of last year's tears in defeat to Phil Taylor with a magical display to defeat Wade, the 2007 Matchplay Tungsten Darts winner who was seeking his second Blackpool title.

Wade had ended Taylor's seven-year reign as World Matchplay champion in Saturday's semi-finals, but was unable to repeat the performance against the world number one as van Gerwen scooped the £100,000 first prize.

After sharing the first ten legs, a five-leg burst from van Gerwen - including checkouts of 127 and 144 - saw him pull clear to lead 10-6 and take a cushion which he would never relinquish as he charged to glory.

"This is fantastic, amazing for me and it's a wish come true," said an emotional van Gerwen afterwards. "It means a lot to me because after the World Championship this is the biggest ranking event.

"It's totally different to last year. Everybody could see how emotional I was after that game and it means a lot to me to win this trophy.

"I knew what I had to do but we both struggled a bit and couldn't get going for some reason, maybe the pressure of holding this title. James' scoring power wasn't there and he was hanging in there in the game with his finishing.

"He's a difficult player to play against but my scoring was loads better than James' and I wanted to take advantage of that. It doesn't matter how you win a final, to win a final feels great."

After celebrating in front of a capacity 2,000 fans in Blackpool, he added: "The crowd were fantastic and I'm really glad to have won this trophy in front of a crowd like this."

An edgy opening saw van Gerwen break throw immediately before Wade level with a 68 finish and then took out double six to lead 2-1.

Van Gerwen fired in a 180, the first of four in as many legs, as he took the fourth, but Wade punished missed doubles from the Dutchman to take a 4-2 cushion.

The tables were turned as Wade missed tops in the seventh leg to allow van Gerwen back in on double 16 before tops from the Dutchman level, and the next two were shared before a 107 finish put the 2007 champion 6-5 up.

Van Gerwen's response, though, was clinical as he took out 127 for a 12-darter to level, double eight and double 16 to move 8-6 up, a fabulous 144 finish and 80 on double ten to win five straight legs and open up a 10-6 lead in the blink of an eye.

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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2007 World Matchplay winner Wade remains on course to reach his sixth final at the Winter Gardens following his 16-11 win over gutsy Mensur Suljovic, who hit back from a seven-leg deficit to cause the left-hander some nervous moments.

After Wade took out double ten to break in the opening leg, Suljovic hit the same bed to level before finishing 101 to lead 2-1.

Wade, though, levelled before moving back ahead with a 13-darter, and after the Austrian landed two 180s in taking leg six, finishes of 108 and 48 moved the left-hander into a 5-3 lead.

Suljovic posted double 18 to hit back, but Wade landed 180s as he took the next two and finished 64, 86, 74 and 104 in a run which took him out to a 12-5 advantage.

Suljovic, though, responded in a similarly clinical fashion as he took six of the next seven legs - including a 116 finish - to pull back to 13-11, but the Austrian crucially missed one dart to cut the gap to one leg.

Wade stepped in to finish 74, once again in two darts, to take a 14-11 lead and then hit his favoured tops in the next two to book his semi-final place.

"I'm happy to have walked off stage a winner but I couldn't get going enough and it didn't quite come together for me," said Wade. "I couldn't find that extra gear and I thought I was going to, especially when I went 10-5 up.

"He didn't lay down or make it easy and I knew that would be the case. When I went 10-5 up I probably should have done the job done a little bit quicker, but I did enough.

"I was never really worried about losing the game but I eased up. I thought it was going to be really close but I'm happy because I won."

Wade has been defeated in four Blackpool finals by Taylor, but overcame his great rival in the World Grand Prix and The Masters last autumn and is in confident mood ahead of their semi-final.

"I know he will play extraordinary darts so if I beat him I've got to play brilliantly and I think at the moment I've got the game to beat him when he's playing well," Wade added.

"It hasn't come out and we can all talk, but I know I'm good enough to beat him at the moment when he's playing well, and I'm in a better place than I've ever been."

Taylor added: "James was brilliant tonight and he held his nerve and did the business. I'll be giving it everything and I'll fight him to the death.

"I think everybody's in for a treat because it's going to be two cracking semi-finals."

Saturday's other semi-final will see world number one Michael van Gerwen - last year's beaten finalist in Blackpool - take on number five seed Peter Wright, who is bidding to claim his first major title.

Van Gerwen remains the favourite to take the title with sponsors BetVictor, at 4/5, with Taylor now 7/3 to continue his incredible Winter Gardens success, with Wright 10/1 and Wade 11/1 to lift the trophy on Sunday night.

Taylor is a 2/9 favourite going into his semi-final with Wade (10/3), while van Gerwen is 1/6 ahead of his clash with Wright, who is 4/1 to reach the final.

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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Taylor's bid to win an amazing eighth successive World Matchplay, and a 16th triumph in total in Blackpool, continued as he saw off Chisnall 16-8 with his most clinical display of this year's event so far.

Chisnall out-scored his rival with nine 180s to Taylor's six, but four key ton-plus checkouts helped the Stoke great pull clear in mid-game before he went on to seal the win.

Chisnall actually took the game's opening leg with a 13-darter against the throw - but it would prove to be the only time he led during the contest as Taylor levelled and then finished a 14-darter to move 2-1 up.

Chisnall levelled with another 13-darter, but Taylor found another gear to hit an 11-darter - where the players traded 180s - before breaking throw by taking out 130 for a 12-darter to lead 4-2.

Double nine gave Taylor the next before Chisnall traded 12-dart finishes with his rival, only for another 130 checkout to put the world number two 7-3 up.

The next two were shared before Taylor pulled clear with six straight legs, which saw him land a brace of 68 checkouts before finishing 161 and 100 to leave the St Helens man trailing 14-4.

Chisnall rallied to win four of the next five to keep his feint hopes alive, but Taylor was ruthless in sealing victory, scoring a 180 and a 177 in a 12-darter as double 16 secured his spot in the last four.

"I hit my finishes well tonight and I want to kick on now," said Taylor, who is now unbeaten in 38 games on the Winter Gardens stage since 2007.

"Dave makes you nervous and puts you under pressure from the very start. The only way to beat Dave is to try and match him when he hits the big scores, and he's a great player.

"I'm going up there to try my best in every game and it's not about winning a 16th title here or an eighth in a row, it's just about winning this tournament."

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
  Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
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Van Gerwen, last year's World Matchplay runner-up, continues his challenge to claim the Winter Gardens title after reaching the last four, but had to produce some tungsten darts of the highest quality to come back from behind four times.
 
White, who knocked out Stephen Bunting and Simon Whitlock to reach his first Blackpool quarter-final, made a brilliant start to lead 3-0, and after van Gerwen hit a 180 as he hit back in the fourth the Stoke ace followed a 14-darter with checkouts of 106 and 105 for a 6-1 lead.
 
Van Gerwen took the next three to cut the gap and the pair then traded 11-arters before van Gerwen landed six perfect darts with two maximums in the 13th as he pulled back to 7-6.
 
Van Gerwen then levelled with a 72 checkout, with White matching his 180 in the next to lead 8-7 before the Dutchman produced a 174 score and a 72 finish to win leg 16.
 
White then took out 48 and 80 to move 10-8 up, before van Gerwen won a spectacular 19th leg with a 177 score and a 156 checkout, before tops again squared the contest for a 14-darter.
 
Van Gerwen then landed another maximum as he moved ahead for the first time at 11-10 before double eight helped him to extend his lead to 12-10 - but White once again responded as he finished 60 to hit back and landed two 180s in a 12-darter to tie the contest once more.
 
Incredibly, White then regained the lead with another superb 12-dart leg, only to see Van Gerwen level at 13-all with the aid of a 177 before punishing missed doubles in the next two to lead 15-13.
 
White battled to stay in the contest, but seven further missed doubles cost him as van Gerwen stepped in on tops to finally seal victory following a thrilling contest.
 
"It's amazing to win a game like this," said Van Gerwen. "Ian played fantastic darts but I played really well and hit the doubles at the end, so it's a big pressure off my shoulders.
 
"To win a game like this is quite emotional and fantastic. Ian put me under pressure constantly and full credit to him.
 
"I was struggling at times and I know I can play better, but I'm glad to win this game and proud to be in the semi-finals again."
 
White admitted: "It's very disappointing but I'm showing everyone what I can do, getting up there to play the world number one and pushing him right to the end.
 
"I had a good start and I knew I had to get ahead and try and stay ahead. When I got to 12-12 it just didn't go for me, but he did well to get through it."
 
As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
  Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
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World number five Wright remains on course to reach his third televised final of the year after ending Welsh ace Gerwyn Price's dream Blackpool debut with a bit 16-7 win.
 
Former rugby ace Price has made a big impression after only 18 months on the PDC circuit, and knocked out Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis to reach his maiden major quarter-final.
 
However, he never recovered from seeing Wright storm into a 10-2 lead as his Winter Gardens dream was ended.
 
Price had landed a 180 in the opening leg only to see Wright finish a 13-darter to claim first blood, and though double two levelled, a 101 checkout and finishes of 11 and 12 darts saw the Scot move 4-1 up.
 
Price finished 80 to respond, but Wright took out back-to-back 14-dart legs, a brilliant ten-darter and a 102 finish as he won six in a row to move 10-2 up.
 
Price took his third leg before being puninshed for missed doubles as Wright took an 11-3 lead before finishing 66 to move nine legs clear.
 
Price's bull finish in the 16th leg was matched by Wright in the next before double 16 put him 14-4 up, with the Welshman taking out 76 and 56 to hit back with two legs.
 
Another brilliant ten-darter, though, moved Wright to the brink of victory, and though he missed three match darts in the next leg, he had enough breathing space to return in the next on double four to book his semi-final spot.
 
"The idea was to come out all guns blazing and get a super lead to make it harder for the opponent to try pulling it back, and it worked," said Wright.
 
"Gerwyn played some fantastic darts against Adrian Lewis and I was expecting the same again but he didn't turn up like he did on Tuesday, and I didn't have to be super-consistent.
 
"I fell asleep halfway through the match and he played some brilliant darts but it was usually on his own throw and then I came out in the next leg and played decent darts on my throw.
 
"He'll be back, he's only learning the darts sport and he's one to watch out for - he will be dangerous.
 
"I've been saying that the World Matchplay would be the one for me this year and I've got to back my words up and go and do it. I'm in the semi-finals, and who knows what can happen now."
 
As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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Price admitted: "On Tuesday and Sunday they were going in and today they were running away from me; I couldn't find the target, whether it was trebles or doubles.
 
"I was probably still on a high from Tuesday and I've got to learn to come down from that and to get ready for the next game.
 
"I was just happy to be here in the beginning and to win two games is a dream come true for me, but I've got to learn.
 
"I knew that I could come here and beat Michael, and Adrian was going to be a hard game but I've beaten him before and I didn't know whether I could do it over this format.
 
"I was confident going into this game but I think my mind was drifting elsewhere and I wasn't 100 percent like I was on Tuesday, but I'll learn from this and hopefully push on now."
 
Van Gerwen defeated Wright in the finals of the 2014 World Championship and 2015 UK Open, but lost out to the Scot in the Japan Darts Masters last month when he could only watch on as his rival took out a 141 checkout.
 
"It's going to be an amazing semi-final," added van Gerwen. "He's had a fantastic season so far but I'll be the huge favourite and I want to beat him.
 
"Peter's going to be a good opponent to play against. He's a fantastic scorer and a good finisher so I need to make sure that I take advantage of his mistakes."
 
Van Gerwen's win has seen his odds to win the tournament cut to 4/6, with Wright now 10/1 to take his first major title on Sunday.
 
The quarter-finals conclude on Friday night with the remaining two matches, as 2007 champion James Wade takes on Austrian ace Mensur Suljovic before reigning champion Phil Taylor faces Premier League semi-finalist Dave Chisnall.
 
As for professional game of dart, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.
 

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
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The Welsh ace hung up his rugby boots in January 2014 when he won a PDC Tour Card at Qualifying School in his first professional tournament.
 
Having played local league darts in Wales alongside former UK Open finalist Barrie Bates, Price was encouraged to give the circuit a try.
 
And having played for Neath, Glasgow Warriors and Cross Keys at rugby union and for South Wales Scorpions for a period in rugby league, Price is now competing in his third sport - and heading rapidly towards the world's top 32.
 
A World Championship qualifier last December, Price has since competed in the UK Open and continued his progression on the PDC ProTour to claim a World Matchplay spot - where wins over Michael Smith and Adrian Lewis have thrust him into the limelight with a quarter-final place.
 
"It's unbelievable to be in the quarter-finals," said the 30-year-old. "I was just happy to be here! To get through the first round was my goal, and to get my first win on TV.
 
"I just wanted to play well against Adie and I think I out-played him most of the game. I wasn't nervous - it was an unbelievable buzz on stage and I just can't wait to do it again."
 
Friday's quarter-final with Price will be the longest format he has played at the best of 31 legs, but having claimed many top scalps on the circuit the Welshman is full of confidence after his 13-10 win over Lewis.
 
"I've done it on the ProTour," he adds. "I know it's a different format, more of a sprint than a marathon, but I know I've got the game in me and it's just whether you pull it out of the bag.
 
"I didn't really know if I could go this far over these many legs, but I've shown that I can.
 
"I think can go all the way and I can be on the stage with the big boys, if I can score like I can and check out like I think I can - if I didn't believe in that it's pointless even being here."
 
Price was defeated by Wright on his World Championship debut in December, but believes that he is a better player seven months on from that Alexandra Palace debut.
 
"Peter beat me at the World Championship but I didn't take my chances so maybe it's my turn now," he said.
 
"In the first two rounds I took my chances and I backed it up against Adrian with my scoring. Hopefully I can do that against Peter as well and get my own back."
 
Price will continue his progression towards the world's top 32 with his run in the World Matchplay, and is aiming to make his mark dart's biggest names over the next few years.
 
"I never thought in a million years that I'd be here," he admits. "I always thought that I'd be going away playing rugby, but I've turned now to a new career.
 
"I sort of messed my rugby career up but this is my second chance and I'm not letting this one go."

As for professional game of darts, we recommend tungsten darts, tungsten is an extremely dense metal. It is also very durable, so a high-density tungsten dart resists wear and the knurling will last much longer.

  Tungsten Dart Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinadart.com/
  Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
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