PHIL TAYLOR will face Peter Manley in the first round of the totesport.com Players Championship on Thursday January 28.
The £250,000 event will be played from January 28-31 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, and features the leading 32 players from the 2009 Players Championship Order of Merit.
Seeded from 1-32, the players are drawn in that bracket for the event, meaning the number one seed plays number 32, number two seed faces number 31 and so on.
World number one Taylor, the reigning champion after his victory in last year's inaugural event, will take on his long-time rival Manley at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet in a repeat of three World Championship finals the pair contested at the famous venue.
Their game will be played amongst eight first round clashes on the opening night of the totesport.com Players Championship on Thursday January 28.
Robert Thornton, who was runner-up to Taylor in last year's tournament, will take on Kevin Painter in another high-profile first round contest, seeing the English star return to the scene of one of his finest hours, the classic 2004 World Championship final against Taylor which went to a sudden-death leg.
Dennis Priestley, the 1994 World Champion in the first Professional Darts Corporation event at the Circus Tavern, will play Paul Nicholson, while Alan Tabern faces Andy Hamilton and Adrian Lewis, the number four seed, takes on Brendan Dolan.
Essex's Colin Lloyd will open up the tournament, against Stevenage's Denis Ovens, while Steve Beaton takes on Tony Eccles.
The first round will conclude with a further eight matches on Friday January 29, including world number two James Wade's clash with Mervyn King, ranked fifth in the world but 23rd for this tournament following his 2009 Players Championship performances.
Mark Walsh, the number two seed following his success in winning four Players Championships last year, takes on Steve Hine, Gary Anderson faces Jelle Klaasen and Ronnie Baxter meets Mark Dudbridge, a former finalist in the World Championship at the Circus Tavern.
Number three seed Colin Osborne takes on Co Stompe, Jamie Caven clashes with Michael van Gerwen and Wes Newton meets Peter Wright.
Tickets are priced from £20-£30 and available from the Circus Tavern Box Office on 01708 864001, 01708 863838 or 01708 867271.
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totesport.com Players Championship
First Round Draw
Phil Taylor (1) v Peter Manley (32)
Mark Walsh (2) v Steve Hine (31)
Colin Osborne (3) v Co Stompe (30)
Adrian Lewis (4) v Brendan Dolan (29)
Steve Beaton (5) v Tony Eccles (28)
Wes Newton (6) v Peter Wright (27)
Gary Anderson (7) v Jelle Klaasen (26)
Colin Lloyd (8) v Denis Ovens (25)
Robert Thornton (9) v Kevin Painter (24)
James Wade (10) v Mervyn King (23)
Ronnie Baxter (11) v Mark Dudbridge (22)
Dennis Priestley (12) v Paul Nicholson (21)
Alan Tabern (13) v Andy Hamilton (20)
Jamie Caven (14) v Michael van Gerwen (19)
Wayne Jones (15) v Andy Smith (18)
Terry Jenkins (16) v Vincent van der Voort (17)
Draw Bracket
Top half of draw
Phil Taylor (1) v Peter Manley (32)
Terry Jenkins (16) v Vincent van der Voort (17)
Colin Lloyd (8) v Denis Ovens (25)
Robert Thornton (9) v Kevin Painter (24)
Steve Beaton (5) v Tony Eccles (28)
Dennis Priestley (12) v Paul Nicholson (21)
Adrian Lewis (4) v Brendan Dolan (29)
Alan Tabern (13) v Andy Hamilton (20)
Bottom half of draw
Mark Walsh (2) v Steve Hine (31)
Wayne Jones (15) v Andy Smith (18)
Gary Anderson (7) v Jelle Klaasen (26)
James Wade (10) v Mervyn King (23)
Wes Newton (6) v Peter Wright (27)
Ronnie Baxter (11) v Mark Dudbridge (22)
Colin Osborne (3) v Co Stompe (30)
Jamie Caven (14) v Michael van Gerwen (19)
Schedule of Play
Thursday January 28
First Round
7.10pm Colin Lloyd v Denis Ovens
7.45pm Steve Beaton v Tony Eccles
8.20pm Dennis Priestley v Paul Nicholson
8.55pm Alan Tabern v Andy Hamilton
9.30pm Terry Jenkins v Vincent van der Voort
10.05pm Phil Taylor v Peter Manley
10.40pm Robert Thornton v Kevin Painter
11.15pm Adrian Lewis v Brendan Dolan
Friday January 29
7.10pm Wayne Jones v Andy Smith
7.45pm Wes Newton v Peter Wright
8.20pm Colin Osborne v Co Stompe
8.55pm Mark Walsh v Steve Hine
9.30pm Gary Anderson v Jelle Klaasen
10.05pm James Wade v Mervyn King
10.40pm Ronnie Baxter v Mark Dudbridge
11.15pm Jamie Caven v Michael van Gerwen
Saturday January 30
Second Round
1.10pm Beaton/Eccles v Priestley/Nicholson
2.10pm Lloyd/Ovens v Thornton/Painter
3.10pm Walsh/Hine v Jones/Smith
4.10pm Newton/Wright v Baxter/Dudbridge
7.10pm Lewis/Dolan v Tabern/Hamilton
8.10pm Anderson/Klaasen v Wade/King
9.10pm Taylor/Manley v Jenkins/van der Voort
10.10pm Osborne/Stompe v Caven/van Gerwen
Sunday January 31
Quarter-Finals
1.10pm Beaton/Eccles/Priestley/Nicholson v Lewis/Dolan/Tabern/Hamilton
2.10pm Newton/Wright/Baxter/Dudbridge v Osborne/Stompe/Caven/van Gerwen
3.10pm Taylor/Manley/Jenkins/van der Voort v Lloyd/Ovens/Thornton/Painter
4.10pm Walsh/Hine/Jones/Smith v Anderson/Klaasen/Wade/King
Semi-Finals
7.10pm
8.10pm
Order of play to be decided by toss of coin
Final
9.30pm
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 15 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 17 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 25 legs
Prize Fund
Winner: £60,000
Runner-Up: £24,000
Semi-Final Losers: £15,000
Quarter-Final Losers: £10,000
Second Round Losers: £6,000
First Round Losers: £3,000
Total Prize Fund: £250,000