Ted Hankey and Tony Eccles were the victims as the first two matches of this year’s Lakeside World Championship in Frimley Green produced shock results.
Hankey, winner of the title in 2000, turned in a poor display to lose 3-1 to former 'dartitis' sufferer Albertino Essers of the Netherlands.
On the eve of his 36th birthday, Eccles was beaten 3-2 by Danish blacksmith Per Laursen after relinquishing a 2-1 lead.
The defeat of 'The Count' was the bigger upset, Hankey having been fancied to reach the latter stages. He was struggling from the outset against Essers, whose form had been affected for a couple of years by an inability to release the dart, the game’s equivalent of golf’s 'yips'.
Thirty-seven-year-old Dracula fan Hankey failed to scare his opponent – and despite taking the third set, he could never lift his performance to the required level.
"I can’t explain it," the eighth seed said.
"I’ve been playing so well in practice. But I walked on to the stage, and it just didn’t happen. Albertino scored and finished well - but I’m not happy."
Essers, 36, was winning for the first time at the Lakeside and said: "It’s an unbelievable result for me. Ted normally throws very well, but my form over the last two months has been very good."
It meant a great start for the overseas contingent, because in the curtain-raiser to the British Darts Organisation’s most prestigious event Laursen showed no sign of nerves and won the opening set before Eccles, from Stockton, hit back.
But the 39-year-old, runner-up in the World Cup last year and the Welsh Open champion, forced a decider which went with the throw until Eccles began to scatter some loose darts when he started leg four to hand Laursen the initiative.
The Scandinavian made the most of his opportunity and comfortably checked out on 48 to secure a second-round match on Tuesday.
"I felt very good up there, considering it was my first time," said Laursen. "Tony scored well but missed some doubles.
"I had played Tony once before and beaten him, which gave me confidence, and I just kept focusing on my game. Maybe I can go further in the tournament."
World number one Mervyn King averted a third successive surprise with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Cumbrian qualifier Brian Woods, despite losing the first two legs.
