Phil Taylor started his bid to win a 12th World Grand Prix title by brushing aside Steve Beaton on Monday night, as Gary Anderson, James Wade and Mickey Mansell impressed with wins at Dublin's Citywest Hotel.

Reigning champion Taylor dropped just one leg as he overcame Beaton in straight sets to reach the last 16 of the tournament, which sees players have to both begin and end every leg on a double.

After Beaton missed a chance to win the game's opening leg, Taylor pounced on double 16 before winning the set without reply.

Four missed doubles allowed Beaton to take the opening leg of set two, but Taylor levelled on double 16 and then took out 121 for a superb 12-darter before sealing victory by taking out 84.

"The first round's always difficult but Steve didn't quite turn up tonight and I took advantage," said Taylor.

"It was a difficult match and I kept Steve under pressure.

"I was steady but the second round's a longer format and I can relax a little bit now."

Taylor now meets emerging star Andrew Gilding, who enjoyed a debut win in the tournament with a straight sets defeat of Darren Webster, who was punished for his missed doubles to both begin and end legs as the Suffolk thrower progressed.

Two-time World Grand Prix champion James Wade also enjoyed a strong straight sets victory, losing only one leg as he knocked out Andy Smith.

Wade won the game's opening set without reply, taking out a 108 finish in the process, before hitting back from a leg down to win the second as he sealed victory with a 13-darter.

Wade will now face Robert Thornton in Wednesday's second round, with the Scot overcoming Justin Pipe 2-0 in their opener.

Thornton opened the match with a nerve-settling 160 score and won the first set 3-1 despite a showpiece 132 finish from Pipe, who also led 2-1 in the second before the former UK Open champion won the next two legs to seal the win.

Another Scot, Gary Anderson, produced the night's highest average of almost 99 as he knocked out 2011 runner-up Brendan Dolan 2-0.

The number six seed won the opening set 3-1 before repeating the scoreline in a superb second set, which featured legs of 11, 13 and 14 darts - with a 12-dart finish from Dolan not enough against the heavy-scoring Scot.

Anderson will take on a second Northern Irish star on Wednesday, after Mickey Mansell claimed a straight sets win over Ian White by winning both sets 3-1.

Daryl Gurney narrowly missed out on his chance to join Mansell in the last 16 as he pushed Adrian Lewis all the way to a deciding leg in their three-set thriller.

Lewis opened the game with a 160 finish and replied to a 100 checkout from Gurney by taking out 106 to win the opening set 3-1, only for Gurney to take out 138 as he took set two by the same scoreline.

Lewis came from a leg down to lead 2-1 in the third set, only to wire the bull for the match in the fourth leg as Gurney forced a decider - in which the emerging Derry thrower missed the bull for a 170 finish and two further darts at double eight to allow the world number three back on double ten to finally seal the win.

Lewis' second round opponent will be Kevin Painter, who also battled through in three sets as he overcame Andy Hamilton.

After Painter took the opening set 3-1, his rival levelled by winning the second without reply, but three missed doubles from Hamilton in the third set's opener proved crucial.

Painter stepped in to finish 82 before then checking out 65 and double 16 to take the set 3-0, sealing victory by hitting six finishing doubles from seven attempts.

The first round concludes on Tuesday with the remaining eight matches, including 2012 champion Michael van Gerwen up against Dutch compatriot Vincent van der Voort.

Fellow Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld, the Premier League Darts champion, meets last year's beaten finalist Dave Chisnall in another highlight.

Number four seed Peter Wright plays Jamie Caven, Australian star Simon Whitlock faces Richie Burnett, Dean Winstanley plays Michael Smith and debutant Stephen Bunting takes on Ronnie Baxter.

First Round results:
Darren Webster 0-2 Andrew Gilding (1-3, 2-3)
Robert Thornton 2-0 Justin Pipe (3-1, 3-2)
Mickey Mansell 2-0 Ian White (3-1, 3-1)
Kevin Painter 2-1 Andy Hamilton (3-1, 0-3, 3-0)
James Wade 2-0 Andy Smith (3-0, 3-1)
Phil Taylor 2-0 Steve Beaton (3-0, 3-1)
Gary Anderson 2-0 Brendan Dolan (3-1, 3-1)
Adrian Lewis 2-1 Daryl Gurney (3-1, 1-3, 3-2)