"I can beat him" - Showdown with Lakeside favourite Jimmy van Schie holds no fear for German debutant Paul Krohne

It may not have been the fluent, dominant performance he would ideally like to show, but for Paul Krohne on his Lakeside debut only one thing mattered: winning. And he did just that, defeating Dalibor Smolik 3–1. The young German claimed his first victory on the legendary stage, though he openly admitted that his level was far from what he expects of himself.

Interestingly, Krohne began strongly. In the opening sets he showed the level that brought him to this WDF World Championship — high scoring, solid doubling, and an early sense of control. But then the rhythm slipped. His biggest frustration? The first dart.

“I wasn’t finding my first dart,” he explained in his post-match interview afterwards. “I think every player here relies on the first dart — if it sits well, we can all control the 180s. But mine was all over the place: five, one, twenty, too high, too low. So I was really working on that. But in the end it paid off, so I won.”

He kept fighting, kept adjusting, kept searching for the right feel. In the end, he put enough good moments together to take the match. “But I won, so it doesn’t matter.”

For Krohne, his first appearance at Lakeside meant more than just a win — it was a personal milestone. The historical weight of the venue wasn’t lost on him. “I’m really pleased,” he said. “We all see the photos in the back, even if you don’t from the crowd. I’m really happy to be here.”

The German also reflected briefly on the decision he made late last year. Krohne gave up his PDC Tour Card — not due to a lack of ambition, but through realism. “I gave away my Tour Card last year to focus more on my training — I’m becoming an industrial clerk — so getting a plan B to darts was a big thing to me. It wasn’t an easy choice, but I did it.”

After stepping away from the PDC circuit, he felt the next step was clear. “I wanted to play either WDF or PDC and the PDC wasn’t happening for me. But right now it’s working out, so I hope for the best.”

One question naturally lingers: does Krohne see himself returning to the PDC Tour in future? His answer was straightforward. “I’ve got one and a half years left of my training, so during that time I won’t go for it. But I’ll play the WDF, the most permanent tournaments I can do on the weekends.”

He namechecked compatriot Niko Springer as an example of smart career planning. “He did it a different way — he started a training ship and then went on tour. I did it the opposite way, but in the end maybe we’re on the same level.”

In the next round Krohne faces number one seed Jimmy van Schie — a major test, though Krohne looked ahead with calm confidence. “Yeah, it’ll be a better game, I can tell you. It’ll be hard, but we’ll see. We will win.”

And does he believe he can beat the top seed? “Yeah, I can beat him if I play good. If he plays bad and I play bad, it’s 50/50. If both of us play good, it’s 50/50 as well. So what’s to come? Hopefully a good game.”

With his debut win secured, his pragmatic mindset and clear potential, Krohne looks ready for an intriguing continuation of his Lakeside journey. One thing is certain: he has already made an impression.