It was the seventh and final time that the tournament was held at the Jollees Cabaret Club in Stoke-on-Trent, as the tournament organisers, the British Darts Organisation, decided to move the event to the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey, from 1986.

[1] Eric Bristow went into the tournament as defending champion and was almost beaten in the first round by Ken Summers.

Summers had won the first set and was two legs to nil in front and left on 68 to pull off a major surprise.

John Lowe suffered defeat in the final for the fourth time, failing to add to his only previous title – won in 1979.

Keith Deller, champion two years previously, set a new record for becoming the first player to average over 100 with his three darts during a match at the World Championship.