In the high-stakes world of professional darts, where split-second decisions and razor-sharp focus can turn heroes into zeros, few moments rival the sheer bewilderment of Peter Wright’s latest catastrophe. The two-time world champion, affectionately known as Snakebite for his distinctive mohawk and venomous throwing style, suffered a humiliating first-round exit at Players Championship 34 in Wigan on Thursday. In a match that will be replayed in darting lore for years, the 55-year-old Scot repeatedly targeted the wrong number on the board—not once, not twice, but **six excruciating times**—handing world No. 137 Tytus Kanik a stunning 6-3 victory.
The Robin Park Leisure Centre buzzed with anticipation as Wright, ranked No. 30 in the world and a veteran of countless TV spectacles, took on the unheralded Polish qualifier. Kanik, who clawed his way into the PDC Tour Card at the European Q-School back in January, entered the fray on a mission. Having endured seven straight defeats in Players Championship events, this was his chance to break the curse—and against one of darts’ biggest names, no less. Little did anyone expect the underdog to feast on Wright’s mental lapse.
The drama ignited with the score locked at 2-2 in the race-to-six-legs format. Wright stepped to the oche, needing just 20 points to seal the leg and grab a vital 3-2 lead. Kanik wasn’t even on a finish yet, leaving Snakebite in prime position to strike. But in a twist that left commentators grasping for words, Wright’s brain short-circuited. Convinced he only had 12 remaining—the magic number for a double-six checkout—he unleashed his first dart straight at the 6 bed.
It lodged in the single-six segment, scoring just six points. Undeterred, Wright now believed he needed a mere six more. He pivoted to double three… and nailed it perfectly, embedding deep inside the wiring. Perplexed by his own success, he then deliberately busted his score on the third dart, wiping the slate clean for another go. Returning moments later, he fired all three darts at double six again—clanging off the board without a single touch. Still oblivious.
This farce repeated itself **not once, but six times in total**. Visit after visit, Wright hammered away at the wrong segment of the board, his arrows flying true but futile. The crowd murmured in disbelief, and the broadcast booth erupted. “I don’t know what he was doing,” one stunned pundit gasped. “Does he think he’s on double six? He does, he thinks he’s on double six. **Don’t hit it and please look at the monitor, Peter!**”
Finally, reality crashed in like a poorly aimed 180. Wright squinted at the scoreboard, his face twisting in confusion. He turned to the scorer, mid-oche, pleading for clarity: **”How did I get to that?”** Kanik loomed behind, arms crossed, suppressing a grin as the Scot pieced together his folly. Shaking his head in self-reproach, Wright regrouped. First dart: **double 10, pure and simple.** Leg won, 3-2. Relief washed over the arena—for about five minutes.
That momentary triumph proved Snakebite’s swan song. Kanik, sensing blood, pounced with ruthless efficiency. The Pole reeled off the next **four legs in a row**, his checkout percentage soaring as Wright’s confidence crumbled. A 6-3 triumph sealed Kanik’s first-ever win over Wright and his ninth ProTour victory of the year. Jubilant, the 24-year-old pumped his fists, roaring in celebration as the undercard erupted. His reward? A gritty second-round battle against Canada’s Matt Campbell, where he fell 6-2—but what a story to tell.
For Wright, the sting was twofold. Already locked into the prestigious Players Championship Finals (November 21-23) at 47th on the Order of Merit, his qualification was safe—echoing his triumphant 2021 conquest over Ryan Searle. Yet this howler etched itself into the annals alongside his greatest hits: the 2020 and 2022 World Championship glories, where his electric blue hair and unorthodox grip mesmerized millions. “It’s darts,” Wright might shrug, but even he couldn’t mask the frustration. Miscounts aren’t new to the Scot—he’s flirted with disaster before—but six straight? That’s hall-of-fame folly.
Kanik’s rise adds poetic justice. From Warsaw’s local leagues to PDC spotlights, he’s the embodiment of grit. “This means everything,” he later beamed, eyes alight. Beating Snakebite? **”A dream come true.”** As Players Championship 34 wraps—the final ProTour hurrah before Minehead and Ally Pally qualifiers—the message is clear: in darts, the board doesn’t care about your pedigree. One miscount, and you’re toast.
Wright’s blunder transcends the oche, a reminder that even legends falter. Fans flooded social media: **”Snakebite just got self-sabotaged!”** Memes of confused mohawks proliferated. Yet, true to form, expect Wright to bounce back, hair spiked, venom reloaded. Darts’ beauty lies in its chaos—today’s villain is tomorrow’s king. For now, though, Tytus Kanik reigns supreme, his improbable upset the talk of the town.
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