About World Championship Men 1983

Champion
1983 BDO World Darts Championship Photographer: BDO Keith Deller-MBE
Total Prize Pool £33,050
Champion
£8,000
Runner-up
£3,500
3d place
£2,250
4d place
£1,750
Quarter finalists
£1,200
Last 16
£700
Last 32
£400
High finish
£750

The 1983 Embassy World Darts Championship was staged at Jollees Cabaret Club in Stoke-on-Trent from 1–8 January.

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. Alan Evans replaces Brent Bartholomew at the last moment, after the programmes have been printed.

Deller also beat world number two, John Lowe in the quarter-finals and defending champion and world number three, 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.

Callers Of World Championship Men 1983

World Championship Men 1983

Jollees Cabaret Club in
Stoke-on-Trent, ENG
Organizer:
World Darts Federation
Sponsor:
Embassy BDO
Participants:
32
Prize Pool:
£33,050
Start Date:
1 Jan 1983
End Date:
8 Jan 1983
24 days
05 hours
03 minutes
52 seconds
Lakeside Country Club in
Frimley Green, ENG
29 Nov - 8 Dec Date
£158,000 Prize
Andy Baetens Reigning Champion