GRAEME DOTT may consider setting up a second home at the Crucible Theatre as once again he produced his best snooker at the famous venue.
The 2006 world champion, making his 18th appearance at the Betfred World Championships in Sheffield, saw off seeded Ali Carter 10-7 in his first-round match yesterday afternoon.
Dott has reached three finals at the Crucible in total but was at a loss to explain why he felt so relaxed and performed so well in snooker's premier venue.
"My season can be absolute garbage but I come here and feel like a snooker player. I have no idea what it is," Dott explained.
"You're in the dressing room petrified for the knock on the door because you think you might play terribly because you don't know how you're going to play.
"Touchwood, I generally play well here because I'm comfortable. I think that's the main thing, you've got to be comfortable. Even when Ali came back at 8-7 I was still comfortable, which surprised me.
"I felt quite comfortable all the way through the match, probably the only thing I didn't do was score quite heavily. I played quite good; I was comfortable and was really happy to win.
"If I was to play a money match home and away I would probably pick here rather than my own table, I just love playing here. I've had nightmares as well but everyone does.
"I always seem to play really well here. You always hope to play well, but the thing with snooker is you never know how you're going to play."
Dott was 4-0 ahead and led 6-3 after the first session against 37-year-old Carter but was under pressure when the two-time finalist made two centuries to get back to 8-7.
Carter hasn’t been knocked out in the first round in Sheffield since 2006 but Dott was able to use his experience to get over the line and secure a last-16 tie against Barry Hawkins or Tom Ford.
And the 39-year-old hopes his 'jack of all trades' skill set will continue to help him thrive in the longer matches at the World Championships.
"I love it here, I'm not the best at anything, long potting, break building etc but I'm pretty good at everything and in these long games that's all you need to be," he said.
"I was so happy to qualify, I wasn't fussed who I played. I was worried I hadn't qualified when I was last out the hat. I'm just glad to be here because I'm not getting any younger.
"I tried to attack the balls as best I could when necessary, but you have to do that here because you're playing the best players in the world, you can't go into your shell."
Watch the Snooker World Championship Live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player, with Colin Murray and analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds
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