World number one Luke Humphries (29) said "every game you play now is cut-throat" after kicking off his title defence of the Players Championship Finals with victory.
Humphries eased into the second round in Minehead on Friday with a 6-2 win over Germany's Gabriel Clemens.
He raced into a 4-0 lead but it wasn't made easy for him as Clemens rallied to take the next two.
Humphries steadied himself and finished off the match, but he says his mid-game wobble was a warning that players will be ready to capitalise if an opportunity arises.
"Every game you play now is cut-throat," Humphries said after claiming victory.
"If you rest on your laurels you will face defeat, and I think we've got to step up and start working harder because if you don't, there are other players that will take your place," he added.
Humphries will face Dutch veteran Raymond van Barneveld in the second round on Saturday.