PAUL NICHOLSON begins his challenge to win a second Cash Converters Players Championship title against Steve Brown on Thursday night - as he defends an unbeaten record in the tournament.
Nicholson claimed his first major title in February 2010 when he took victory in the £60,000 tournament, defeating Mervyn King in the final at the Circus Tavern.
He had only emerged 18 months earlier as the Australian number one - meaning that he did not compete in the inaugural Players Championship Finals - and failed to qualify for the third staging of the event this February following a disappointing 2010 campaign on the PDC ProTour.
However, three Players Championship victories this year ensured his spot in the 32-player tournament at the Doncaster Dome, which is being televised live on ITV4, and he is determined to enjoy further success this coming weekend.
"It's obviously a format I like because I won it," said Nicholson. "I've got an unbeaten record in this competition because I won it at the start of last year and didn't qualify for the other two events.
"At first, I didn't like the events which are condensed into three or four days and found it difficult, but I warmed to it pretty quickly.
"Obviously I won at Purfleet, I did well in the UK Open this year and reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship, so I'm warming to these shorter events.
"I'm growing better at the longer ones as well and I'm still learning about how to play these different types of tournaments.
"It was a hard lesson for me not to qualify back in February but probably one that I had to learn, and it's been a good thing for my career because of how I've responded since."
Nicholson enjoyed the best weekend of his career almost two years ago, when he defeated three World Champions - Dennis Priestley, Steve Beaton and Phil Taylor - as well as future World Champion Adrian Lewis in his run to the final, where he overcame Mervyn King 13-11.
"It was a lot of fun that weekend," adds Nicholson. "That Sunday was a wonderful start to my career, and I don't know of many people who win majors that early in their careers.
"A few people said it came too early, and maybe they were right, but I've still got the trophy on the mantelpiece and I'll remember that day forever.
"I sometimes look back at who I defeated during that event - Dennis Priestley, Steve Beaton, Adrian Lewis, Phil Taylor and Mervyn King - and it was such a hard run to win a tournament.
"It gives me a lot of spirit and heart going into other tournaments."
Nicholson meets Bristol's Steve Brown in the first round on Thursday night, with the 30-year-old having won his first ranking title and broken into the world's top 32 this year.
"It's not going to be an easy task," adds Nicholson. "I know Steve prepares well, he's a very good professional and I've been impressed with him for the past two years.
"He's not just a good professional darts player but his approach to the youth darts is very impressive. He does a lot of work with his own academy and he has a lot time for other people.
"When he started on the circuit he was quite a raw player but he's found his own path of how to be a better player and he's impressed me in that regard.
"It reminds me a bit of what I've done because I started out as a raw player and once you have a couple of years of success, like we've both had, you start to learn how to be a better player.
"We're probably at similar points in our careers, maybe I'm a little bit ahead of him, but he's the kind of player you can never count out, because he plays with a lot of grit and determination."
Nicholson could meet James Wade or Andy Smith in the second round and has a potential quarter-final with Raymond van Barneveld in Doncaster - but is refusing to prepare for anything other than his best-of-11 leg contest with Brown.
"It's a short format, like a ProTour game, so you can't look beyond that," he said. "If I can get past Steve I can start looking ahead
"I tend to look at who might be there in later rounds of an event because I've made the mistake in the past of not knowing who I'm playing.
"But if you look past your first opponent then you're cheating them, because if I start thinking about James Wade or Andy Smith then it takes my mind off the game against Steve.
"I see it that I've got six games to play in ten days before Christmas, and if I can win them all I'd be the Players Championship winner and in the second round of the World Championship."
Tickets are available all sessions of the Cash Converters Players Championship, either in person from the Doncaster Dome Box Office or by calling 01302 370 777, with a buy one, get one free offer available for tickets for the opening night on Thursday December 8.
Cash Converters Players Championship
Thursday December 8 (7pm-11pm)
First Round
7.05pm Jamie Caven v Scott Rand
7.35pm Mark Walsh v Mark Hylton
8.05pm Peter Wright v Denis Ovens
8.35pm John Part v Wayne Jones
9.05pm Wes Newton v Richie Burnett
9.35pm Ronnie Baxter v Raymond van Barneveld
10.05pm James Wade v Andy Smith
10.35pm Paul Nicholson v Steve Brown