A big thank you to everyone who has followed along to our coverage of Friday evening's four matches from Alexandra Palace.

For a full round up of today, you can read Paul Higham and Jonty Colman's report here.

We will be back tomorrow, when of course, Luke Littler returns to action.

Goodbye!

Afternoon Session

First round

Stephen Burton 0-3 Alexander Merkx

Wessel Nijman 3-2 Cameron Carolissen

Ian White w/o Sandro Eric Sosing (Sosing withdrew on medical grounds)

Second round

Stephen Bunting 3-1 Kai Gotthardt

Evening Session (19:00)

First round

Mickey Mansell 3-1 Tomoya Goto

Florian Hempel 3-1 Jeffrey de Zwaan

William O'Connor 1-3 Dylan Slevin

Second round

Michael van Gerwen 3-0 James Hurrell

Afternoon Session (12:30)

First round

Karel Sedlacek v Rhys Griffin

Richard Veenstra v Alexis Toylo

Second round

Brendan Dolan v Lok Yin Lee

Chris Dobey v Alexander Merkx

Evening Session (19:00)

Second round

Danny Noppert v Ryan Joyce

Raymond van Barneveld v Nick Kenny

Luke Littler v Ryan Meikle

Damon Heta v Connor Scutt

The 17-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough year after finishing runner-up at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship in January.

The Englishman, who has won 10 senior titles on the Professional Darts Corporation tour this year, is the first darts player to claim the award.

"It shows how well I have done this year, not only for myself, but I have changed the sport of darts," Littler told BBC One.

Read more on Littler's latest honour

One year ago, he was barely a household name in his own home. Now he is a sporting phenomenon.

After emerging from obscurity aged 16 to reach the World Championship final, the life of Luke Littler and the sport he loves has been transformed. Viewing figures, ticket sales and social media interest have rocketed. Darts has hit the bullseye.

This Christmas more than 100,000 children are expected to be opening Littler-branded magnetic dartboards as presents.

Read more on Luke Littler's huge impact on darts

Image source, Getty Images

Michael van Gerwen speaking to Sky Sports after beating James Hurrell 3-0: "I think I played okay. Of course, I was a bit nervous, it's been a tough year for me. It always comes with a lot of energy, it takes twice as much. Overall, it was a good performance. I was confident. I won the game, that's the main thing."

On his performance: "Hurrell is not the quickest player and I had to maintain my own pace. It wasn't spectacular but I don't care, I won the game."

On his tempo: "Sometimes, you need to find a relax in yourself. Sometimes, that is my difficult part.

On James Hurrell: "He's a great player, but tonight wasn't his night and it wasn't my night. This was just the start of my campaign, there is more to come."

Michael van Gerwen just needs to hold his throw for the match.

After a 180 and 140, following nine darts he only needs 81.

The next three tee up 32, but he returns to miss doubles 16, eight and four.

Hurrell needs 150. Two trebles 20s are perfect, but he just misses out at double 15.

Van Gerwen sees it off on double two and books his place into round three.

Very profesional from Van Gerwen, but a good showing from Hurrell nonetheless.

Starting the leg with back-to-back 140s, James Hurrell shows spirit and fight, but it may not be enough.

After nine darts, he needs 121, but Michael van Gerwen, after a 171, leaves 94.

A huge finish from Hurrell!

He takes out the big finish on 121. Treble 20, treble 11, double 14.

Lovely darts.

Almost for a second leg in a row, Michael van Gerwen starts on a 180, had the third dart not bounced out of the red bed.

Still, he gets to a finish before James Hurrell, needing 164 with Hurrell waiting to go at 80.

Van Gerwen gets 124 to set up double 20 to put the pressure on.

Hurrell goes 20, 20 and puts the third dart in the same spot. A chance wasted.

MVG finds tops to go within a leg of the third round.

Not to put pressure on James Hurrell, but he does have to beat Michael van Gerwen in three consecutive sets to win this match.

To make it harder, MVG starts the third set with another 180.

Hurrell gets down to a finish first, but it is on 135. He doesn't get it to go.

Van Gerwen allows Hurrell back, leaving 40 when chasing an 89 out.

Hurrell misses bull to finish off 65, with Van Gerwen eventually taking the leg on double 20 for a break of throw.

Alexandra Palace is situated in North London and has staged the PDC World Darts Championship every year since the 2008 edition, won by John Part of Canada.

Between 1994 and 2007, it was held at Circus Tavern in Purfleet.

The Ally Pally is also the home of snooker's Masters event, which is played every January.

Michael van Gerwen has had 14 darts at a double in this match, seven of which came in that last leg.

Prior to it, he had hit five out of five at a perfect rate.

Now, he has pinned six out of 12, halving his doubles percentage in one leg.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael van Gerwen had gone quiet for a moment there, but he lets out a big celebration after finding the fourth 180 of the match.

MVG has six darts to wrap up 184, halving it on the first visit.

On the next, he misses double 12 on a 92 out to take the set.

Hurrell can't get 140 to go, hitting exctly that without a double for a no score.

Van Gerwen misses three more at double 12 before taking three darts at double six, taking the set with his seventh dart at a double in the leg.

A 140 from James Hurrell makes the the chance of a break of throw a real possibility in this leg.

He needs three legs in a row to go his way to avoid going 2-0 down in sets.

An 83 gives him six darts to see off 158, a big opportunity.

The first three are excellent, setting up the next visit to just see off 24.

A 140 from Michael van Gerwen puts the pressure on Hurrell, who misses double 12 and double six before taking the latter for a break of throw.

The first nine darts in the second leg from Michael van Gerwen are at a slightly slower scoring rate, but he is keeping pace with James Hurrell.

A 123 from him sets up three darts at Shanghai, which he has already checked out on in this match.

A hat-trick of single 20s sees him miss out, but James Hurrell's 110 attempt is not taken.

On MVG's return, he breaks Hurrell's throw on double 20.

Five out of five on the doubles.

Michael van Gerwen has the darts to start set two and a third 180 of this match gives him six darts to take out 100.

He only needs two. Treble 20, double 20. Bosh.

Another 100+ finish for an 11-dart hold of throw.

Image source, Getty Images

We'll be doing our best to answer some of your darting questions in our World Championship coverage over the next couple of weeks.

So, what height should a dartboard be? We consulted the official rules...

The standard height from the floor to the bullseye on the dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches (1.72m), while the oche (distance between the front of the board and the toeline) should measure 7ft 9.25 ins.

A solid start to the match from both men in terms of averages.

Michael van Gerwen is going at a rate of 98.24 per visit, just ahead of James Hurrell's 96.82.

Van Gerwen has played well though, taking all three of his darts on the doubles.

Michael van Gerwen just has to hold his throw to take this opening set and he leaves himself on a Shanghai finish of 120.

All three darts are spot on and the first set is his!

A slow start to the leg from James Hurrell opens the door for Michael van Gerwen to set up a chance of a break of throw.

A visit of 134 for MVG, helped by a treble one from Hurrell, boosts those hopes.

Van Gerwen is left on 91 after a 180 from Hurrell but a poor visit from the Dutchman gives Hurrell three darts at double 11.

The first dart splits it in half and after a miss on double four, Van Gerwen comes back on 52, which he takes for a break.