Luke Humphries Suffers Another Blow as Henderson and Smith Shine in Edinburgh

Luke Humphries will head into the Grand Slam of Darts with plenty to think about after suffering another defeat during his exhibition appearances in Scotland, while John Henderson and Ross Smith provided some of the biggest talking points in Edinburgh.

The former world champion has never been a player who needs much encouragement to produce his best darts, but consecutive defeats against dangerous opposition are certainly not the ideal preparation for one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar.

Henderson took full advantage of his opportunity against Humphries, while Smith delivered a spectacular scoring performance that reminded everyone why he remains such a dangerous opponent when his confidence is high.

And with the Grand Slam approaching, the performances in Edinburgh have given darts fans plenty to discuss.

John Henderson Gets His Moment Against Humphries

Henderson was one of the standout performers of the evening at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange, producing an impressive 4–2 victory over Humphries.

The Scottish player averaged more than 102, comfortably ahead of Humphries’ 100.39, and showed that he was more than capable of matching one of the world’s leading players on the big stage.

There were several impressive moments from Henderson, including three maximum 180s compared with Humphries’ single maximum.

However, the biggest statement arguably came through his finishing. Henderson produced a magnificent 153 checkout and also completed an 11-dart leg, demonstrating the kind of quality that can trouble even the strongest opponents.

Humphries, meanwhile, managed a highest checkout of 76, while his quickest leg took 14 darts.

It was a convincing display from Henderson, particularly considering the quality of the opponent standing across the oche.

For Scottish darts supporters, seeing Henderson produce that kind of performance against a player of Humphries’ calibre would have made the evening even more special.

Interestingly, this was also a reversal of their meeting in Dundee. Humphries had beaten Henderson 3–0 during the previous night’s exhibition before losing 6–2 to Gian van Veen.

That makes Henderson’s Edinburgh victory particularly satisfying. It shows how quickly things can change in darts, especially when players are competing in short exhibition matches where a couple of missed doubles can completely alter the outcome.

It is also a reminder that Henderson should never be underestimated. The Scot has experience at the highest level, having previously won the World Cup of Darts, and performances like this demonstrate that he still has plenty to offer.

Ross Smith Produces a Stunning 112.30 Average

While Henderson enjoyed his moment against Humphries, Ross Smith arguably delivered the most eye-catching statistical performance of the Edinburgh exhibition.

Smith defeated Henderson 3–1, recording an outstanding average of 112.30 across the four legs.

That is serious scoring, even by the standards of professional darts.

Smith also produced five maximum 180s during the match and completed a spectacular 10-dart leg. When a player combines that level of scoring with clinical finishing, opponents have very little room for mistakes.

The performance was another indication of the quality Smith has been producing throughout 2026.

He is not simply enjoying a brief spell of good form. The Englishman has already established himself as one of the most dangerous players on the circuit, having won the European Championship less than three weeks before the Edinburgh exhibition.

He has also lifted the World Series of Darts Finals title this season.

Those achievements make his latest performance even more interesting because Smith is approaching the Grand Slam with genuine confidence and silverware behind him.

And he was not finished after beating Henderson.

Smith Also Gets the Better of Gian van Veen

Smith ended his Edinburgh appearance with another impressive victory, defeating Gian van Veen 6–3 in the closing match.

It was particularly interesting considering that van Veen had beaten Humphries 6–2 in Dundee the previous evening.

The Dutchman has been enjoying an impressive period himself, having reached the World Championship final and secured qualification for the Grand Slam.

However, Smith once again demonstrated that he can compete with the very best.

His Edinburgh performance followed two victories in Dundee, where he defeated Robert Thornton 3–1 and Henderson 4–1.

That means Smith enjoyed an excellent run across the two Scottish exhibitions, collecting four victories against different opponents.

He also took part in an entertaining challenge against former Celtic and Scotland midfielder Scott Brown.

The unusual contest saw Brown start with 501 points while Smith had to finish 1,001. Despite having to overcome an additional 500 points, Smith managed to win the single-leg encounter.

It was a fun addition to the evening, but the bigger story remains Smith’s impressive performances against established professional players.

If he can take that confidence into Wolverhampton, he could become a serious threat to the leading contenders.

Humphries Needs to Respond Before the Grand Slam

For Humphries, the immediate concern is whether these exhibition defeats mean anything heading into the next major tournament.

There is certainly no reason to panic just yet.

The Englishman remains one of the most talented players in the sport, and his performance against Henderson was not particularly poor when looking at his average of 100.39.

However, the problem is that he has now suffered defeats against two quality opponents in successive nights.

His 6–2 loss to van Veen in Dundee was followed by the 4–2 defeat against Henderson in Edinburgh.

Those results might not carry the same importance as losses in ranking tournaments, but they still provide useful indications of where players stand against competitive opposition.

There was also a positive result for Humphries in Edinburgh, as he defeated Robert Thornton 3–0.

That is important context because it would be unfair to suggest that everything went wrong for him during the exhibition.

Nevertheless, the defeats against Henderson and van Veen will attract attention, especially with the Grand Slam approaching.

Humphries is the reigning World Grand Prix champion and finished runner-up to Luke Littler at last year’s Grand Slam.

He knows exactly what it takes to compete for major titles, but the standard of opposition means he cannot afford to start slowly.

Grand Slam of Darts Could Deliver Another Huge Battle

The 2026 Grand Slam of Darts takes place at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton from November 14 to November 22.

Littler will arrive as the defending champion, with the £200,000 first prize providing another major incentive for the sport’s biggest names.

Humphries will understandably be among the players attracting attention, particularly given his recent success at the World Grand Prix.

However, Smith and van Veen are also worth watching.

Smith has already demonstrated that he can produce enormous averages and win important tournaments this season. Meanwhile, van Veen’s run to the World Championship final underlines his growing reputation as a serious contender.

Henderson’s performance in Edinburgh also deserves recognition, although the exhibition result should not be confused with an indication that he is automatically among the favourites for the upcoming major.

The interesting question is whether Humphries can quickly rediscover his winning rhythm when the competitive pressure increases.

He has the experience, ability and major-title pedigree to make another deep run, but the competition will be fierce.

All Eyes on Humphries’ Response

Ultimately, the Edinburgh exhibition delivered exactly what darts supporters enjoy: big averages, spectacular finishes, unexpected results and several players making statements ahead of an important tournament.

Henderson deserved enormous credit for defeating Humphries, while Smith’s 112.30 average was a reminder of just how dangerous he can be when everything clicks.

For Humphries, however, the focus now shifts towards Wolverhampton.

Two consecutive exhibition defeats are not necessarily a warning sign of a major collapse, but they do give his rivals something to think about.

The Grand Slam will provide a much clearer picture of where he stands against the world’s best.

Can Humphries silence the doubters and challenge for another major title, or could Smith and van Veen steal the spotlight?

Who impressed you most in Edinburgh: John Henderson, Ross Smith or Gian van Veen?