FORMER champion Scott Waites will head the eight BDO representatives at the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts in November, with Canada's Jeff Smith and current BDO number one Glen Durrant set to make their debuts at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall later this year.
The Grand Slam of Darts is unique for the cross-code format which sees stars of the PDC and BDO face off across nine days, live on Sky Sports.
The 24 PDC representatives will include major tournament finalists from the past 12 months and eight PDC Qualifiers, with a further eight players coming from the BDO system.
Reigning Lakeside Champion Waites will make his return to the Wolves Civic stage in November, having been crowned as the Grand Slam of Darts champion back in 2010 when he produced a memorable comeback from 8-0 down in the final against James Wade to win 16-12.
Waites will be joined in Wolverhampton by Canada's Smith, who was the Lakeside Championship runner-up in January, as well as May's World Trophy winner Darryl Fitton and 2015 World Masters champion Glen Durrant, who will be making his Grand Slam debut.
The remaining four BDO representatives will be the top four non-qualified players from the BDO Invitational Rankings on September 30, which currently includes former Lakeside Champions Scott Mitchell and Martin Adams, Dutchman Danny Noppert and West Midlands-based Jamie Hughes.
PDC players still have the opportunity to claim an automatic place in the event at the Champions League of Darts, World Grand Prix, European Championship and World Series of Darts Finals.
The SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts will be held from November 12-20 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Tickets are available by calling 0870 320 7000 or online via www.theticketfactory.com/pdc.
2016 SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts
PDC Representatives
(Invited in the following order up to a maximum of 16 players)
2015/16 PDC World Champion: Gary Anderson
2015 Grand Slam of Darts Champion: Michael van Gerwen
2016 Premier League Champion: (Michael van Gerwen)
2016 World Matchplay Champion: (Michael van Gerwen)
2016 World Grand Prix Champion: TBC
2015 World Youth Champion: Max Hopp
2016 Masters Champion: (Michael van Gerwen)
2016 UK Open Champion: (Michael van Gerwen)
2016 European Champion: TBC
2015 Players Championship Finals Winner: (Michael van Gerwen)
2016 World Series of Darts Finals Champion: TBC
2016 Champions League of Darts Winner: TBC
2016 World Cup of Darts Champions: Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis
2015/16 PDC World Championship Runner-Up: (Adrian Lewis)
2015 Grand Slam of Darts Runner-Up: (Phil Taylor)
2016 Premier League Runner-Up: (Phil Taylor)
2016 World Matchplay Runner-Up: (Phil Taylor)
2016 World Grand Prix Runner-Up: TBC
2015 World Youth Championship Runner-Up: Nathan Aspinall
2016 Masters Runner-Up: Dave Chisnall
2016 UK Open Runner-Up: Peter Wright
2016 European Championship Runner-Up: TBC
2015 Players Championship Finals Runner-Up: (Adrian Lewis)
2016 World Series of Darts Finals Runner-Up: TBC
2016 Champions League of Darts Runner-Up: TBC
2016 World Cup of Darts Runners-Up: (Michael van Gerwen), Raymond van Barneveld
This list can produce a maximum of 24 players. If it produces 16 players, no further players shall qualify automatically.
If it produces fewer than 16 places then additional places shall be filled from the reserve list in the following order:
2016 European Tour event winners (in ProTour Order of Merit order at Nov 7): James Wade
2016 Players Championship winners (in ProTour Order of Merit order at Nov 7): Ian White, Stephen Bunting, Benito van de Pas, Gerwyn Price, Josh Payne
2016 UK Open Qualifier winners (in ProTour Order of Merit order at Nov 7): No additional qualifiers.
Once 16 players are reached from the above criteria, then the remaining 16 places shall be filled with eight players from a PDC Qualifier and eight players from the BDO system.
PDC Qualifier
The PDC Qualifier will be held on Sunday October 23 at the Barnsley Metrodome and will be limited to a maximum of 256 players. PDC Tour Card Holders will receive a 48-hour priority window to enter ahead of entries being open to PDPA Associate Members who competed at the 2016 PDC Qualifying School.
BDO Representatives
2016 Lakeside Champion: Scott Waites
2016 Lakeside Championship Runner-Up: Jeff Smith
2016 World Trophy Winner: Darryl Fitton
2015 World Masters Winner: Glen Durrant
Plus top four ranked players in BDO Invitational Table at September 30