Nicholson looking to regain Players Championship title

Paul Nicholson is hoping to repeat his only major success to date when he begins his campaign in the Cash Converters Players Championship on Thursday.

Nicholson won the event in 2010, either side of Phil Taylor's victories in the new event, which this year is worth a whopping £60,000 for the winner.
The top 32 players in the Players Championship series now head to the Doncaster Dome for the £250,000 event, with Nicholson joining James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld in starring on the opening night.
While Taylor enters the fray when he meets Terry Jenkins in the first round on Friday night, 2010 winner Nicholson meets Bristol's Steve Brown in Thursday's opening session.
The 32-year-old defeated Mervyn King in the final of the 2010 Players Championship - having overcome Taylor in the semi-finals at the Circus Tavern - but failed to qualify to defend his title when he endured a poor year after that success.

Format

"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.
"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."
Brown has broken into the top 32 for the first time this year and also won his maiden ranking title, and Nicholson is expecting a tough test against the 30-year-old from Bristol.
"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.
"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.
"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."

Wade appearance

The opening night also sees world number three James Wade - June's UK Open champion - open his bid to claim another major title when he faces Andy Smith.
"It's a huge tournament and one that I'd love to win," said Wade. "With the World Championship coming up we're all looking to hit top form and there would be no better place to do it than in Doncaster.
"Andy will be a tough opponent in the first round and it's a short format so you know you have to start well, but it's an exciting challenge."
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld plays Ronnie Baxter, while two other former World Champions - John Part and Richie Burnett - are drawn against Wayne Jones and Wes Newton respectively.
The tournament opens when Derby's Jamie Caven meets Coventry's emerging star Scott Rand, while Grand Slam of Darts semi-finalist Mark Walsh plays Mark Hylton and Peter Wright faces Denis Ovens.
The first round continues on Friday night with the remaining eight matches, including reigning champion Taylor up against Terry Jenkins, February's runner-up Gary Anderson facing Michael van Gerwen and number one seed Justin Pipe playing Scotland's John Henderson