1983 BDO World Darts Championship

Embassy World Darts Championship
Tournament information
Dates 1–8 January 1983
Venue Jollees Cabaret Club
Location Stoke-on-Trent
Country England
Organisation(s) BDO
Format Sets
Final best of 11
Prize fund £33,050
Winners share £8,000
Champion(s)
England Keith Deller
«1982 1984»

The 1983 Embassy World Darts Championship was staged at Jollees Cabaret Club in Stoke-on-Trent from 1–8 January 1983.

The tournament saw one of the World Darts Championship's biggest upsets, when Keith Deller defeated Eric Bristow, by 6 sets to 5 in the final, to become the youngest ever World Darts Champion and the first qualifier to win the World Championship.

Deller also beat world number 3, John Lowe in the quarter-finals and defending champion and world number 2, Jocky Wilson in the semi-finals, making him the only player in history to defeat the world's top three ranked players in the World Championship.

(Bristow) played the percentage shot. Living dangerous, Bristow - he's banking on Deller not doing this. But the shot's on for the title. Double 12 for the title..... I am telling ya, I'm telling ya, I've seen nothing like it in my life. Keith Deller of Ipswich, 23 years old, he had to qualify to get here. Bristow did a percentage shot, Deller did the business. He's now the World Champion!

BBC commentator Sid Waddell describes the 138 finish that gave Keith Deller the 1983 World Title

The final featured one of darts' most memorable moments, when Bristow was left on 121. Having hit single 17 and then treble 18, Bristow decided against hitting the bullseye. Instead he hit a single 18 to leave double 16, whilst Deller was on 138. Deller had already missed seven darts at a double to win the title in the ninth set, when leading 5-3 and Bristow believed his opponent would not check out the high finish. However, Deller hit treble 20, followed by treble 18 and finally finished on double 12 to win the title. To this day commentators often refer to 138 as the "Deller checkout" if a player is left with that score.

Seeds

  1. England Eric Bristow
  2. England John Lowe
  3. Scotland Jocky Wilson
  4. Sweden Stefan Lord
  5. England Bobby George
  6. England Cliff Lazarenko
  7. United States Nicky Virachkul
  8. England Dave Whitcombe

Prize money

The prize fund was £32,300.

Champion: £8,000
Runner-Up: £3,500
3rd Place: £500
Semi-Finalists (2): £1,750
Quarter-Finalists (4): £1,200
Last 16 (8): £700
Last 32 (16): £400

There was also a 9 Dart Checkout prize of £52,000, along with a High Checkout prize of £750.

The Results

First round Second round Quarter-finals Semi-finals
Best of 3 sets Best of 5 sets Best of 7 sets Best of 9 sets
                           
           
 England Dave Lee (85.20)  2
 Canada Tony Holyoake (75.60)  1  
 England Dave Lee (88.50)  2
   England Eric Bristow (96.00)  3  
 England Eric Bristow (85.80)  2
 Scotland Peter Masson (81.30)  1  
 England Eric Bristow (93.00)  4
   England Dave Whitcombe (87.30)  3  
 Wales Tony Ridler (75.30)  2
 Denmark Finn Jensen (68.70)  1  
 Wales Tony Ridler (85.20)  2
   England Dave Whitcombe (86.10)  3  
 England Dave Whitcombe (84.00)  2
 United States Andy Green (75.90)  1  
 England Eric Bristow (87.60)  5
   England Tony Brown (84.60)  1
 United States Jerry Umberger (74.70)  2
 England Alan Glazier (69.30)  0  
 United States Jerry Umberger (81.00)  0
   England Tony Brown (82.20)  3  
 England Tony Brown (74.70)  2
 England Bobby George (73.50)  0  
 England Tony Brown (83.10)  4
   Sweden Stefan Lord (82.20)  1  
 Belgium Luc Marreel (82.80)  2
 Wales Ceri Morgan (81.90)  0  
 Belgium Luc Marreel (72.60)  0
   Sweden Stefan Lord (73.80)  3  
 Sweden Stefan Lord (80.10)  2
 United States Kevin Mullaney (75.30)  1  
           
 Australia Terry O'Dea (87.60)  2
 Wales Peter Locke (83.10)  0  
 Australia Terry O'Dea (86.40)  2
   England John Lowe (87.60)  3  
 England John Lowe (97.20)  2
 Wales Alan Evans (86.40)  0  
 England John Lowe (87.30)  3
   England Keith Deller (86.40)  4  
 England Les Capewell (76.20)  2
 England Stuart Holden (76.20)  1  
 England Les Capewell (80.10)  1
   England Keith Deller (91.20)  3  
 England Keith Deller (85.20)  2
 United States Nicky Virachkul (82.50)  1  
 England Keith Deller (85.50)  5
   Scotland Jocky Wilson (85.80)  3
 Singapore Paul Lim (70.80)  2
 Wales Tony Skuse (69.00)  0  
 Singapore Paul Lim (76.50)  1
   England Cliff Lazarenko (83.70)  3  
 England Cliff Lazarenko (89.10)  2
 Wales Leighton Rees (84.30)  0  
 England Cliff Lazarenko (81.30)  2
   Scotland Jocky Wilson (86.70)  4  
 Australia Kevin White (79.20)  2
 Scotland Rab Smith (75.60)  1  
 Australia Kevin White (80.10)  0
   Scotland Jocky Wilson (79.20)  3  
 Scotland Jocky Wilson (76.50)  2
 Northern Ireland Steve Brennan (78.60)  0  
Final (Best of 11 sets) Saturday 8 January
Eric Bristow England (93.90) 5-6 England Keith Deller (90.00)
Highest Checkout: 1-3, 1-3, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 2-3, 3-2, 3-0, 1-3 Highest Checkout:
England Keith Deller wins the 1983 Embassy World Darts Championship

THIRD PLACE MATCH (Best of 3 sets)

Scotland Jocky Wilson (90.30) beat Tony Brown (80.10) England 2-0