(3-1, 3-0, 0-3, 3-2)ANDY SMITH'S love affair with the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix continued as he knocked out Raymond van Barneveld from the tournament with a fine 3-1 second round triumph on Wednesday night.
The Studley ace produced a fine performance to win through to his third quarter-final in the double-start format, which remains his most successful major tournament.
The victory also sent a fourth of the eight seeded players in the event packing, as van Barneveld followed Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson and Wes Newton in being defeated.
Smith laid the platform for the victory by winning six straight legs after van Barneveld took the opener on double ten.
He traded 180s with the Dutchman in winning the second, and added a further maximum and double 16 to break in the third before hitting the same bed to win the set.
Smith then swept through the second set without reply, with a pair of double top finishes coming either side of a key double four, after van Barneveld failed to set up a double when needing 95 in a tense second leg.
A miss from Smith in the third set's opener, as he was unable to convert double top for a 120 checkout, allowed van Barneveld to win his first leg in seven on tops.
The Dutchman punished a slow start from Smith to win the second on double four, and after the pair once again traded maximums he showed his champion quality with a brilliant 160 checkout to take the set.
Smith, though, took the first two legs of the fourth set to move a leg away from the win, and after a 180 was waiting on a finish as van Barneveld took out 130 to stay in the match.
A 36 finish from van Barneveld sent the set into a decider, but a 180 came too late as Smith took control before hitting double 16 for a famous triumph.
"That's a big win for me," said Smith. "I've beaten him a few times before but recently he's had the better of me, but when he's not quite on top of his game you have to jump on him and I did that.
"I can play a lot better than that, and Barney would say the same, but it's a win and I'll take that.
"I owe James Wade a few because he's beaten me a few times, but I'll have to play well on Friday, but I'll enjoy the game. I love being the underdog and I've got nothing to lose."
On the double-start format used in the World Grand Prix, he added: "I've been brought up with double-start by playing in my local leagues with my dad - I've won the league where you play 301 double-start about 20 times and they don't let me play any more!"
Match Stats
| Raymond van Barneveld | 1-3 | Andy Smith |
| 17 | 100+ | 20 |
| 7 | 140+ | 10 |
| 3 | 180 | 4 |
| 27.43 | Ave1 | 28.02 |
| 82.28 | Ave3 | 84.05 |
| 2 | Breaks of Throw | 3 |
| 160,130 | High Finish | 83 |
| 15/38 - 39% | Starting Doubles | 15/34 - 44% |
| 6/12 - 50% | Finishing Doubles | 9/24 - 38% |
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