1983 BDO World Darts Championship
The 1983 Embassy World Darts Championship was staged at Jollees Cabaret Club in Stoke-on-Trent from 1–8 January 1983.
| 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 | ||
| Winner's share | £8,000 | ||
| High checkout | 161  Jocky Wilson | ||
| Champion(s) | |||
 Keith Deller | |||
| |||
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.
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
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 £30,000, along with a High Checkout prize of £750. In the semi final, Jocky Wilson missed double 18 for the 9 dart finish.
The Results
| First Round (best of 3 sets) | Second Round (best of 5 sets) | Quarter-Finals (best of 7 sets) | Semi-Finals (best of 9 sets) | Final (best of 11 sets) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Eric Bristow (85.80)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Masson (81.30)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Eric Bristow (96.00)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Lee (88.50)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dave Lee (85.20)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Tony Holyoake (75.60)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Eric Bristow (93.00)
| 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Dave Whitcombe (87.30)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Dave Whitcombe (84.00)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Andy Green (75.90)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Dave Whitcombe (86.10)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Tony Ridler (85.20)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Ridler (75.30)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Finn Jensen (68.70)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Eric Bristow (87.60)
| 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Brown (84.60)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Bobby George (73.50)
| 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Brown (74.70)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Brown (82.20)
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Umberger (81.00)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Umberger (74.70)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alan Glazier (69.30)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Brown (83.10)
| 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Stefan Lord (82.20)
| 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Stefan Lord (80.10)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kevin Mullaney (75.30)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Stefan Lord (73.80)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Luc Marreel (72.60)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luc Marreel (82.80)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ceri Morgan (81.90)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Eric Bristow (93.90)
| 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keith Deller (90.00)
| 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | John Lowe (97.20)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alan Evans (86.40)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | John Lowe (87.60)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Terry O'Dea (86.40)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Terry O'Dea (87.60)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Locke (83.10)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | John Lowe (87.30)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keith Deller (86.40)
| 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Nicky Virachkul (82.50)
| 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keith Deller (85.20)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keith Deller (91.20)
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Les Capewell (80.10)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Les Capewell (76.20)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stuart Holden (76.20)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keith Deller (85.50)
| 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Jocky Wilson (85.80)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Cliff Lazarenko (89.10)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leighton Rees (84.30)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Cliff Lazarenko (83.70)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Paul Lim (76.50)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul Lim (70.80)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Skuse (69.00)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Cliff Lazarenko (81.30)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Jocky Wilson (86.70)
| 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Jocky Wilson (76.50)
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Steve Brennan (78.60)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Jocky Wilson (79.20)
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kevin White (80.10)
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kevin White (79.20)
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rab Smith (75.60)
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
BBC commentator Sid Waddell describes the 138 finish that gave Keith Deller the 1983 World Title
Third Place Match
- Jocky Wilson (3) 2–0 Tony Brown