Gary Robson hopes his big-time experience will enable him to reach the Lakeside World Championship final this weekend.
The 39-year-old from Northumberland has become the favourite to qualify from the bottom half of the draw for Sunday's showdown after all the top seeds in that section fell by the wayside.
Robson himself was responsible for the exit of one, and a highly significant one too in 17-year-old pre-tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen, before following up with a second narrow victory over 2001 champion John 'Boy' Walton.
His next opponent is another Dutchman, dark horse Niels de Ruiter, against whom Robson aims to exploit his greater know-how of major occasions having won the prestigious Bavaria World Trophy in 2005.
'I could do with a bit of an easier match because the last two have been incredible,' said Robson, who was taken to a deciding set by Van Gerwen and Walton.
'I can't really see it getting easier, but my win in the Bavaria has definitely given me a lot of confidence.
'The Bavaria has exactly the same format as this tournament with mostly the same players. The only differences are that it's in Holland and isn't as well established as the World Championship.
'It would mean everything to me to win this title. My life would be complete. It's been my dream since the age of nine.'
Although that success in Utrecht two years ago came as a surprise, there would be fewer eyebrows raised if 'Big Robbo' went all the way and captured the £70,000 first prize in Frimley Green.
'I'm a better player now and I'm getting better because that's what you have to do,' he said. 'I turned professional after the Bavaria and I put a lot more practice in now.
'I spend a lot of time in Holland and there are a lot of players to practise with over there and they really push me.
'In practice I've been playing unbelievably well. Last week I hit two nine-darters.
'I've changed my throw a bit and I'm hitting a lot more 180s now as opposed to 140s and my doubles are also coming good.'
With one English finalist guaranteed from the last-four clash between Martin Adams and Mervyn King, Robson is also hoping he and Phil Nixon can make it a domestic clean sweep tonight.
'It's good that English players have done so well in this tournament. We can live with that - it doesn't often happen, does it?' said Robson.
'Next time it might be all the Dutch that get through and all the English go out, you can never tell.'
Top seed Adams reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive year with a 5-3 victory over 2000 champion Ted Hankey in a repeat of the scoreline between the duo at the same stage in 2005.
King recovered from 3-0 down against Tony Eccles to win 5-4 in one of the best matches of the tournament so far.
