Ken Doherty is bidding to gun down Barry Hawkins tonight in the second round of this year's SAGA Insurance Masters at Wembley Arena.
The Dubliner, winner of the Malta Cup last season, is brimming with confidence ahead of his best-of-11 frame showdown at the richest invitational tournament on the snooker calendar.
'I'd love to win this event, it's steeped in tradition and history,' said Doherty. 'Other than winning the World Championship again, this is the one I most want.
'The UK Championship is the other big one, but I think I'd rather win the Masters. It's got a special quality to it.'
Victory for 1997 world champion Doherty, a beaten semi-finalist in 1997, 1998 and 2003 and runner-up in 1999 and 2000, would earn the Irishman a quarter-final berth.
And the 37-year-old says he feels right at home in London having spent many of his young years learning his craft in the city.
'I moved to London when I was 17,' added Doherty, who grew up in Ranelagh, Dublin. 'It was difficult at first to leave the nest, I often got homesick and I missed my family and friends.
'I used to fly home for the weekends now and then but I couldn't afford to do it too often.'
Those formative years in London were vital to Doherty's transition from hopeful amateur to the best on the planet
He said: 'It was fantastic for my snooker development. I played at Ilford Snooker Centre, which is a great club, but sadly it's closing down soon. The manager, Ron Shaw, used to give me free practice time.
'There were around 10 players there who were all potential professionals. Steve Davis also used to come for the odd game and I went over to Kings Cross occasionally to play Peter Ebdon.
'It improved my game no end. I had gone from being a big fish in the small pond of snooker in Dublin to a small fish in a big pond. But to compete regularly against so many good players really helped me.
'I started to win a few quid and in 1991 I bought my first flat. It was in Chadwell Heath near Dagenham.'
And when Doherty had time on his hands, he would often go and watch the Masters to see the best players strutting their stuff. 'In those early days, I used to go to watch the Masters. I loved the venue, Wembley Conference Centre was a fantastic place,' he said.
'The crowds are vociferous and animated but I liked that as a fan and I like it as a player - it's what sport is all about. I'm really looking forward to this year's event and to finding out what the new venue is like. I get good support because there are a lot of Irish around the Wembley area and further out in London.
'I've got good memories of playing in the tournament but also some bad ones. I've been in the final twice and lost 10-8 both times.
'I always fancy winning any tournament, but it's about having your mind right and your game right and things coming together over the week. I was playing really good snooker both times but I ran into John Higgins then Matthew Stevens, both on top of their game.
'And, of course, there's the black I missed on a 147 (in 2000) which still haunts me. In fact it always will because people often bring it up by saying things like "did you know you would have won a car, Ken?" Yes I did, thanks.'
