PHIL TAYLOR will begin his bid to retain The Unibet Masters title on Saturday November 1 against Wes Newton, while World Champion Michael van Gerwen faces a massive all-Dutch clash with Raymond van Barneveld at Edinburgh's Royal Highland Centre.

The second staging of the £160,000 tournament will see the world's top 16 players do battle across two days, live on ITV4, on November 1-2.

The opening day will feature the eight first round games split across two sessions at the Royal Highland Centre, with two of the event's Scottish stars in action in the afternoon session on Saturday November 1.

World Championship finalist Peter Wright, who was born in Lothian, will take on Justin Pipe in the tournament's opening fixture, before Ayrshire's former UK Open champion Robert Thornton meets Premier League star Dave Chisnall.

The afternoon's third game sees Australian number one Simon Whitlock take on Mervyn King - a European Tour winner in September - before two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis, last year's Masters runner-up, faces leading Belgian Kim Huybrechts.

The evening session kicks off as in-form James Wade, who reached the World Grand Prix final recently and won a Players Championship on Saturday, takes on Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan.

Reigning champion Phil Taylor, the 16-time World Champion, will then meet two-time major finalist Wes Newton before the eagerly-awaited all-Dutch meeting between World Champion Michael van Gerwen and Premier League Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Scottish number one Gary Anderson, the former Premier League champion who has won six ranking titles during 2014, then takes to the stage for the final first round game, as he meets 2012 World Championship finalist Andy Hamilton.

"We've thrown up some very special games for darts fans during this event," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.

"This event is the best versus the best - the top 16 in the world - and it's an event not to be missed."

World number one Michael van Gerwen, who won the World Grand Prix earlier in October, is the 9/4 pre-tournament favourite with sponsors Unibet, with Phil Taylor 11/4 to claim back-to-back Unibet Masters titles in Edinburgh.

James Wade's resurgence in recent months sees him rated as 8/1 joint third favourite alongside in-form Gary Anderson, with last year's runner-up Adrian Lewis 9/1 to go one better next month. For full odds and betting markets, visit www.unibet.com.

The quarter-finals will be held in Sunday's afternoon session at the Royal Highland Centre, with the semi-finals and final taking place on Sunday evening, with the tournament screened live on ITV4.

Tickets for The Unibet Masters are still available and can be purchased from pdc.seetickets.com and by calling 0844 871 8807.

Tickets are also available through www.secc.co.uk and by calling 0844 481 8898.

The Unibet Masters.

First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket.

Michael van Gerwen (1) v Raymond van Barneveld (16).

Dave Chisnall (8) v Robert Thornton (9).

Simon Whitlock (5) v Mervyn King (12).

Peter Wright (4) v Justin Pipe (13).

Phil Taylor (2) v Wes Newton (15).

Gary Anderson (7) v Andy Hamilton (10).

James Wade (6) v Brendan Dolan (11).

Adrian Lewis (3) v Kim Huybrechts (14).

Schedule of Play.

Saturday November 1.

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm).

First Round x4.

Peter Wright v Justin Pipe.

Dave Chisnall v Robert Thornton.

Simon Whitlock v Mervyn King.

Adrian Lewis v Kim Huybrechts.

Evening Session (7pm-11pm).

First Round x4.

James Wade v Brendan Dolan.

Phil Taylor v Wes Newton.

Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld.

Gary Anderson v Andy Hamilton.

Sunday November 2.

Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm).

Quarter-Finals.

Whitlock/King v Wright/Pipe.

Wade/Dolan v Lewis/Huybrechts.

Taylor/Newton v Anderson/Hamilton.

van Gerwen/van Barneveld v Chisnall/Thornton.

Evening Session (7pm-11pm).

Semi-Finals.

Final.