The man from Winsford, who last September finally won the most coveted title in the game, has to give two start when he faces up to Andy Buckley in the round of the last 64 - the start of finals week - on Saturday, September 7.
And Buckley, from Chadderton, is no slouch on the famous green, either, for he won the Waterloo Spring title earlier this year.
Provisional 10-1 favourite to take the honours is Yorkshire county star Graeme Wilson, who now lives in the Watersheddings area of Oldham and plays for Budenbergs in the Manchester Evening News Premier League.
He plays his fellow Tyke Chris Slater, with the winner possibly facing a last 32 showdown with Geoff Telford, also of Budenbergs.
Mike Geraghty, beaten in the quarter-finals last year, takes on Alan Hill of the Wirral in his bid to extend his already-impressive record on the Waterloo green.
There are also two former champions near the top of the draw.
Birmingham's Ivan Smout, winner in 1999, is taking on Altrincham's Martin Ogiliev, and Stan Frith, who was the champion back in 1983, is up against another tough Yorkshire hope in Tony Riley.
Another past winner, All-England champion Tommy Johnstone, who won the Waterloo handical back in 1985, plays Wrexham's Mike Halliwell. Tweet