Jan van der Rassel
Encyclopedia
Jan van der Rassel is a Dutch darts player who competes in British Darts Organisation
events. He uses the nickname The Project for his matches. His former nickname was Tweety Pie.
He began his darts career competing on the BDO circuit in 2002, and reached the quarter finals of the Dutch Open in 2003. After reaching the last 16 of the Winmau World Masters
in 2003, he switched the rival organisation, the PDC and made his World Championship debut in 2004 but lost his opening match to Ritchie Buckle. He then began competing on the PDC Pro Tour circuit (non-televised events). His best results came in his native Netherlands - reaching the semi-finals of the 2005 Open Hotel Zwartewater and the quarter-finals of the 2005 Dutch Open, which he was still eligible despite being a PDC player.
After failing to qualify for the 2005 PDC World Championship
he returned to the event in 2006
beating former world champion Steve Beaton
in the first round before losing narrowly to American John Kuczynski
3-4 in the second round.
In November 2006, van der Rassel won his first title - the Primus Masters, although the top players in the PDC were absent in the event he beat England's Andy Smith
, four fellow Dutchman and two Belgians on his way to the title. Just a week later, he failed to progress to the 2007 World Championship
losing to Steve Evans in the qualifiers.
Jan competed in fewer Pro Tour events during 2007, choosing to enter the tournaments closer to his home country - including the Antwerp Darts Trophy where he lost to James Wade
in the last 32. He progressed through the qualifying tournament for the 2008 World Championship
having to win four matches to make it to the Alexandra Palace
tournament. He managed to beat former world number one Colin Lloyd
in the first round and Denis Ovens
in the second round before losing to three-time World Championship runner-up Peter Manley
in the last 16.
In the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship
, he defeated 2008 finalist Kirk Shepherd
in the first round in a narrow 3-2 win and faced fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen
in the second round and lost 4-0.
van der Rassel rejoined the British Darts Organisation
in 2010 due to lack of sponsorship funds.
British Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....
events. He uses the nickname The Project for his matches. His former nickname was Tweety Pie.
He began his darts career competing on the BDO circuit in 2002, and reached the quarter finals of the Dutch Open in 2003. After reaching the last 16 of the Winmau World Masters
Winmau World Masters
The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running and most prestigious professional darts tournaments, which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship...
in 2003, he switched the rival organisation, the PDC and made his World Championship debut in 2004 but lost his opening match to Ritchie Buckle. He then began competing on the PDC Pro Tour circuit (non-televised events). His best results came in his native Netherlands - reaching the semi-finals of the 2005 Open Hotel Zwartewater and the quarter-finals of the 2005 Dutch Open, which he was still eligible despite being a PDC player.
After failing to qualify for the 2005 PDC World Championship
2005 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2005 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, sponsored by Ladbrokes, was held at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet and started on Boxing Day, 2004...
he returned to the event in 2006
2006 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2006 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship was held from 19 December 2005 to 2 January 2006 at the Circus Tavern. It was the 13th staging of the Professional Darts Corporation's version of the World Championship....
beating former world champion Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton
Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...
in the first round before losing narrowly to American John Kuczynski
John Kuczynski
John Kuczynski is an American darts player. He doesn't play the game professionally - his main career is as a self-employed sanitation engineer...
3-4 in the second round.
In November 2006, van der Rassel won his first title - the Primus Masters, although the top players in the PDC were absent in the event he beat England's Andy Smith
Andy Smith (darts player)
Andrew Smith is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He uses the nickname Pieman for his matches...
, four fellow Dutchman and two Belgians on his way to the title. Just a week later, he failed to progress to the 2007 World Championship
2007 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2007 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship was the 14th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The tournament began on Monday 18 December 2006 and the final was played on Monday 1 January 2007...
losing to Steve Evans in the qualifiers.
Jan competed in fewer Pro Tour events during 2007, choosing to enter the tournaments closer to his home country - including the Antwerp Darts Trophy where he lost to James Wade
James Wade
James Wade is an English professional darts player, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation . He became the youngest player ever to win a major PDC title at the World Matchplay in July 2007...
in the last 32. He progressed through the qualifying tournament for the 2008 World Championship
2008 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, sponsored by Ladbrokes, was the 15th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation...
having to win four matches to make it to the Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
tournament. He managed to beat former world number one Colin Lloyd
Colin Lloyd
Colin Lloyd , nicknamed Jaws, is an English professional darts player on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. He is a former world number one ranked player and he has won two major television titles in the PDC - the 2004 World Grand Prix and 2005 World Matchplay...
in the first round and Denis Ovens
Denis Ovens
Denis Ovens is an English darts player currently ranked number 29 in the PDC Order of Merit. He is nicknamed The Heat and is now based in Stevenage. Ovens is widely regarded as one of the most consistent players in the circuit, though he has as yet failed to convert his form from the circuit to...
in the second round before losing to three-time World Championship runner-up Peter Manley
Peter Manley
Peter David Manley is an English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. He is nicknamed One Dart as he is known for hitting doubles with his first dart...
in the last 16.
In the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship
2009 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship was the 16th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation....
, he defeated 2008 finalist Kirk Shepherd
Kirk Shepherd
Kirk Shepherd is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events, and lives in Birmingham, England. He is the youngest player ever to reach a final of the World Professional Darts Championship...
in the first round in a narrow 3-2 win and faced fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen is a Dutch professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation and is the youngest darts player to win the World Darts Championship. His nickname is The Matador. He lives in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands...
in the second round and lost 4-0.
van der Rassel rejoined the British Darts Organisation
British Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....
in 2010 due to lack of sponsorship funds.
World Championship performances
- 2004 (PDC) last 48 lost to Ritchie Buckle 1-3
- 2006 (PDC) last 32 lost to John Kucynski 3-4
- 2008 (PDC) last 16 lost to Peter Manley 1-4
- 2009 (PDC) last 32 lost to Jelle Klaasen 0-4
- 2010 (PDC) last 64 lost to Denis Ovens 1-3