The countdown to Christmas is on and that can only mean one thing at this time of year, its time for the stars of the darting fraternity to enter our homes for three weeks of pure sporting theatre.

For so many years it has been a fixture in our lives and for me personally it signifies the holiday season, and as a lifelong enthusiast of the game I don’t think that Christmas would be the same without the drama and tension that only the oche of Alexandra Palace can provide.

The players themselves have created some extraordinary moments, with the undeniable skill at the tips of their fingers always providing a gripping and emotionally charged sporting occasion.

Join me on the the countdown for some of the greatest moments that the world of elite level tungsten has had to offer down the years.

Feel free to let me know your own top five or if I’ve missed any of your favourites in the comments down below.

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5. Michael Van Gerwen lands seventeen perfect darts.

To witness a nine dart leg is a true rarity in this sport and when it happens you have to simply stand back and applaud such pinpoint precision.

For Michael Van Gerwen in 2012 that monumental task simply wasn’t enough as he almost completed the utterly outrageous feat of hitting another in the following leg, virtually tearing the roof off of Ally Pally in the process.

Everyone in the arena and at home held their breath as Michael closed in on history as the only man to hit back to back nine dart legs.

His subsequent failure to hit double twelve left him and everyone watching speechless, as it is a feat that we had never witnessed before and subsequently it has never been seen since.

Along with the imperial John Gwynne calling the action on commentary, this was darting artistry at its very finest.

Click on the page numbers down below to continue the countdown.

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