PHIL TAYLOR admits there will be no nerves ahead of his defence of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Taylor will open his challenge for a 14th World Championship at the Circus Tavern next Monday, with £100,000 on offer to the winner.
He faces debutant Austrian Anton Pein in the first round, in a game where he feels his experience on the big stage will pay dividends.
LISTEN TO PHIL TAYLOR AND COLIN LLOYD IN DARTSTV
"I still get excited about it, the hunger's still there but as soon as I leave home my nerves go," he said.
"I'll be edgy but as soon as I head off everything calms down. I'm used to it now, I've been doing it for so long and I don't need to be nervous any more.
"I think experience counts a lot in games. Anton's going to be under pressure because he's playing the defending champion and I've got to try and get on top of him as quick as I can.
"The one thing I can do is step up a gear. Most times I have an extra gear and that's the secret - you have to be good all the time and brilliant when you need to be.
"My form's okay, I'm playing reasonably well and if I can get through Monday I have a a few days off then to get on the practice board.
"All the players now are good from the start and you know you have to play well or you're out.
"I tend not to worry about the other players and let them come to me instead - I look forward to it."
World number one Colin Lloyd is looking to redeem himself following a stunning first round loss 12 months ago, when Gary Welding came from 2-0 to win in a decider.
"It can happen in any tournament and it just happened to me in the World Championship," said Lloyd.
"I was one of the favourites and 1/6 on I think in that match but Gary played very well.
"I was shell-shocked. Everybody asked what went wrong and I can't explain it. I still felt good throughout the match, but just stopped hitting it.
"I am one of these players where once the game is gone, it's gone and I move on to the next tournament and stay positive.
"I'm very happy. I feel good, feel confident and my darts are going well - but we can all say that on the practice board.
"It's a matter of getting up there in front of the crowd and the cameras and performing. Hopefully I can do that.
"I play darts all year round for this time of year - this is what it's all about.
"It's the same in football, cricket, boxing, you want to be World Champion - and I want to be the Ladbrokes.com World Champion."
Lloyd meets Germany's Tomas Seyler in his opener on Tuesday evening.
"Every opening match is tough, but what makes this tougher is that I don't know a great deal about Tomas.
"He's the German number one and I'll give him the utmost respect but hopefully my experience on the big stage will get me through."
Lloyd also supported Taylor, who was among the ten nominations for the 2006 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award won by Zara Phillips last week.
"I have to say that I do believe he should have got the award," added Lloyd.
"This country has not got a 13-time World Champion, the man is phenomenal. That is without the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and any other thing he has won.
"He is the best darts player in the world. It's tough to play him because there is no let-up - you have to be on your game, stay focused and hang in there."
Follow the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in DartsTV from Monday 18 December.
Listen to Live Commentary and see latest scores, along with highlights from every session of the tournament.