'He was suddenly a bad player': Dave Chisnall finds previous stick levelled at Luke Humphries 'madness'

Dave Chisnall is on the eve of a busy July and August darts calendar, with tournaments in Leicester, Hildesheim, Kiel and Blackpool. Although 2025 has yet to produce a title, "Chizzy" feels his form is starting to peak just in time. In his column for kwiff.com, he shares his take on the season so far, the importance of timing and his hopes for summer success.

"It’s a bit strange to be without a trophy this far into the season, after a pretty good recent few years. I’d already bagged a Pro Tour and a Euro Tour event at this stage at both 2023 and 2024, and I’m itching for some more silverware," said Chisnall to Kwiff.

The past week has been relatively quiet for Chisnall. No Euro Tour or Players Championship on the schedule, just a few exhibitions, including in Middlesbrough and soon in Portsmouth, where he will pitch at Fratton Park, the stadium of Portsmouth FC.

"It’s been a bit of quiet week for me with no Euro Tour or Players Championship action, and just a couple of exhibitions in Middlesbrough. I’m on the move again this weekend, playing down at Portsmouth and the football stadium in fact with the event at Fratton Park. I’ve ticked a few off this year already, with trips to Swansea’s Liberty Stadium and two trip to The Riverside up north."

Despite the relative drought of prizes, Chisnall remains optimistic. His confidence has suffered little dent, even if it just went wrong against good friend Stephen Bunting in the semifinals at the last Pro Tour dual in Leicester.

"I’m not one to dwell on things too much, but I do feel I could have and should have been my pal Stevie (Bunting) at the last Pro Tour events at Leicester. I threw two 180s in the last leg decider, but there’s not much you can do when the guy with the darts goes and takes out a 12-Darter. You’ve just got to sit back and think – fair enough, it’s just not meant to be.

Chisnall acknowledges that timing your peak is important in darts, as it is in other sports. "You hear it in golf or tennis too: players want to peak at the right times, like the Majors. I don't put myself in the same league as a McIlroy or Federer, but the idea is the same. You don't want to throw your best darts in January or February, right after the World Cup."

A notable point of criticism in the darts world, he calls the reaction to Luke Humphries after his world title.

"You hear about golfers and tennis players trying to peak their performance for the four big majors every year and, whilst I wouldn’t put myself in the same bracket as a Rory McIlroy or Roger Federer, it’s a bit similar with darts.

"You don’t want to be chucking your best darts in January/February straight after the worlds, and it was strange to see Luke Humphries get so much stick for a drop off after winning the Worlds 18 months ago. He won The Grand Prix, The Grand Slam and The Worlds and then because he lost a few games in the New Year he was suddenly a bad player. Madness."

The next few weeks should make the difference. Chisnall hopes his deliberate adjustments to the schedule will pay off. "I made a few adjustments, including in my schedule, to be top of the game right around this time. There's a lot of money to be made in July and August, and I feel like everything is starting to fall into place now."

That would come in handy in the coming period, as the prestigious World Matchplay is scheduled in July. "If things went badly in July I would be very disappointed because I feel my game is in good nick. I’ve tweaked a couple of things, schedule included, to try and come good around this time of the year – especially for the first half of the season anyway. There’s good chance to earn a few quid in July and August and fingers crossed things are just coming right. With trips to Leicester, Hildesheim, Kiel and Blackpool coming up I’m hopeful it’s coming good just at the right time."