JOHN KUCZYNSKI will begin his challenge at the £500,000 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Thursday.
The American number one will take on 2004 World Championship runner-up Mark Dudbridge in arguably the tie of the first round at the Circus Tavern in Essex, England.
Kuczynski reached the third round on his World Championship debut 12 months ago, winning against Lionel Sams and Erwin Extercatte before suffering a loss to Gary Welding.
"I really enjoyed myself here last year," said Kuczynski as he took a look around the venue ahead of his clash.
"I've been eagerly awaiting this since the summer when I knew I was coming back.
"I'm looking forward to it and think I'm going to do well again.
"I'm very comfortable here and like it on the stage. I have a tough draw, Mark is a great player but I know that if I play my darts I can beat just about anybody."
Kuczynski has enjoyed another year of life on the Professional Darts Corporation's circuit, and is "absolutely sure" he is a better player coming into this event.
"It's because of the competition I'm playing now," said Kuczynski, who was the only US player to go past the first round in this year's World Series of Darts in Connecticut.
"I've been back over [to the UK] a few times this year and it's unbelievable.
"The competition is so good and everyone you play is tough.
"It's not like the US circuit, where you get a few breaks here and there so it makes you a better player.
"The World Series was great, I really enjoyed myself there. It was unbelievable and I think inside myself now that I am going to do really well."
Kuczynski proudly carries the mantle of American Number One, and believes the sport has a great future in the United States.
He is joined in Purfleet by another American, Philadelphia's Bill Davis, while Ray Carver only missed out in the final game of the tournament's qualifiers in Birmingham, England earlier this month.
"I've been there for quite a few years, but now I'm starting to get some exposure and people are starting to see that we can play some good darts too," he added.
"It's not just England, Wales and Holland any more, I think we're coming around and there are a few guys behind me who can represent America really well also."
Davis, who was born in Japan but now makes his living as an SAS Programmer, will meet world number 12 Andy Jenkins in his opener on Thursday.
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