Ronnie O’Sullivan v Stuart Bingham LIVE: World Snooker Championship scores and latest updates from Crucible

30/04/2024

LIVE – Updated at 17:40

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s bid to claim a record eight World Snooker Championship crown continues today as the 48-year-old faces Stuart Bingham for a place in the semi-finals.

O’Sullivan defeated Ryan Day 13-7 on Monday before revealing that “intermittent fasting” was playing a key role in his Crucible bid and giving him energy for the 17-day marathon in Sheffield.

The seven-time champion now takes on the 2015 winner Bingham, who edged a tight contest with Jack Lisowski in the previous round, after Judd Trump and Jak Jones were left all square at 4-4 after the opening session of their last eight encounter.

Last night, John Higgins won a thriller with Mark Allen to book his place in the quarter-finals. Higgins trailed for much of the match but managed to hang on and force a deciding frame, where he produced a stunning clearance – sparked by a do-or-die doubled red across the table – to edge out Allen and take the win.

Follow all the action from the World Snooker Championship below.

World Snooker Championship 2024: Latest scores and updates

World Snooker Championship quarter-finals underway at Crucible
Ronnie O’Sullivan in action against Stuart Bingham seeking record eighth crown
Bingham leads 3-1 at mid-session interval
Judd Trump 4-4 Jak Jones after opening session of quarter-finals
John Higgins edges thriller against Mark Allen

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Stuart Bingham

17:40 , Mike Jones

This quarter-final is developing into a fine contest. The standard of play wasn’t anywhere near the levels both players are capable of but it was an intriguing battle nonetheless.

These two will return tomorrow morning for the next stage of this match.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-4 Stuart Bingham

17:38 , Mike Jones

This is Bingham’s frame to win from here. He scoots around the table with a bit of a skip and gets himself 67 points ahead. When the blue drops that should be that.

It is.

O’Sullivan concedes the frame and both players end the session on level terms. That’s a fair result on reflection.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:35 , Mike Jones

Bingham uses his smarts and patience. He helps himself to a lead of 45 but doesn’t manage to spread the remaining reds as well as he’d like.

He goes safe but O’Sullivan leaves a tricky long red to the bottom corner. Bingham knocks it in!

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:32 , Mike Jones

Very nice. Stuart Bingham lands a long pot and finds a gap for the cueball to dance around the table setting up the blue.

There’s still a long way to go in this frame but he’s been the more likely to score from it so far.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:28 , Mike Jones

Bingham’s break comes to an end at 17 and O’Sullivan decides to take on a long effort at a red just behind the blue. It doesn’t go in.

For the session, O’Sullivan’s potting success is just 85% yet he’s still leading this match.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:26 , Mike Jones

There were only a couple of loose read after the initial break and Bingham tidies them up nicely. He comes off the black and spins the cueball into the reds where it burries itself and doesn’t give Bingham a potting opportunity.

That was unfortunate.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:24 , Mike Jones

Oh yes! Stuart Bingham gets on the board first in this final frame with a lovely pot to the bottom left. The red bobbles around as it drops with the cueball spinning back to the middle of the table.

Bingham knocks in the blue and seemingly hasn’t left himself anything easy.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Stuart Bingham

17:20 , Mike Jones

Ronnie O’Sullivan was 3-1 down in this match and now leads after Stuart Bingham finally concedes the frame. There’s going to be one more frame to play this afternoon.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

17:16 , Mike Jones

Stuart Bingham must be trying to rediscover a bit of rhythm. He’s keep this frame going but isn’t troubling Ronnie O’Sullivan with his attempts at a snooker.

He still needs four of them, one pot would win it for O’Sullivan.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

17:07 , Mike Jones

Ronnie O’Sullivan said earlier in the week that he finds ways to win. He’s doing just that here. A break of 70 means that Bingham needs snookers to get back in the frame.

There are 35 points on the table with O’Sullivan leading by 50. Bingham is playing on for now.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

17:05 , Mike Jones

Bingham edges ahead with a 20 point lead but makes an unforced error to set O’Sullivan up for a comeback. The reds are spread out perfectly, almost like a practice session, and this is the time for Ronnie to capitalise.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

16:59 , Mike Jones

Good pot! Bingham leaves one red on to the bottom left corner and O’Sullivan takes it on. He nestles it home, takes out the brown and then misses a simple red which would have set him up perfectly on the black.

O’Sullivan is so frustrated with how he’s playing at the minute.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

16:55 , Mike Jones

O’Sullivan is in control of this frame now.

He’s setting up snookers and waiting for Bingham to make an error. He does, and O’Sullivan knocks the red into the top right pocket. The colours quickly follow for Ronnie who manages to draw level at 3-3.

He’s won both frames in the second part of this session despite not playing all that well.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-3 Stuart Bingham

16:55 , Mike Jones

O’Sullivan is in control of this frame now.

He’s won both frames in the second part of this session despite not playing all that well.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:52 , Mike Jones

Mistake!

O’Sullivan fouls again by potting the cueball and Bingham’s opportunity to win has increased. He comes down the table and pots the red into the bottom left before quickly following up with the black.

Bingham then misses the final red to the middle right. This frame is still alive!

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:50 , Mike Jones

A break of 43 from O’Sullivan leaves him one pot away from levelling the match but the red doesn’t drop. There are 43 points remaining on the table and Bingham trails by 41 after potting a red and the green.

The two remaining reds are tricky though, stuck over by the left hand cushion. Bingham goes safe. O’Sullivan leads 63-22.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:46 , Mike Jones

That’s a shocker!

Just as he looked to increase his advantage Bingham gets a red to lip out of the middle right and his break ends with him still trailing O’Sullivan by two.

O’Sullivan seems keen to take this table on now. His focus is almost overwhelming his frustration at the minute.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:43 , Mike Jones

More than any previous frame, there’s a bit of tension built up in this one. It’s been a battle against both the opponent and the table itself here for both men.

O’Sullivan is the one chipping away at the reds but he hasn’t managed to build up a break. He kisses the green off the pocket and lets Bingham in.

Bingham takes a red to the middle left then follows it up with a brilliant long yellow. This is a chance.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:37 , Mike Jones

It’s O’Sullivan who breaks the deadlock again after a slight error from Bingham. He leaves the cueball in the middle of the table and allows O’Sullivan to slip a red into the bottom left.

The yellow follows but the cueball finishes over by the right side cushion. All the reds are positioned over on the bottom left quarter of the table and there’s no clear colour to follow up.

O’Sullivan plays it safe and leaves the cueball at the top end of the table, right on the edge of the cushion.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:31 , Mike Jones

Bingham fouls in an attempts to just clip a red and get the cueball safe, he misses them all and nudges into the green making his next shot as difficult.

O’Sullivan decides to make him play and Bingham needs a couple of attempts to hit a red again meaning O’Sullivan leads 16-5.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:27 , Mike Jones

This is already a nasty frame. The black is up by the baulk cushion, the yellow down the other end.

Ronnie O’Sullivan ends the deadlock with a superb pot into the bottom left corner. He needs to hit it hard and manages to screw the cueball all the way back to play off the black.

Oh no! As good as that was, this is equally as bad. O’Sullivan is stuck with no colours to pot. He tries to play a safety but sends the cueball into the top left pocket for a foul.

Over to you Stuart Bingham.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:22 , Mike Jones

There’ll be a bit of confidence flowing in O’Sullivan now after that break but he leaves Bingham with a long pot off the break and watches as the red flies into the bottom right corner.

That’s a great shot!

The next one, not so much. Bingham hopes to cannon into the small pack of reds next to the black but fails to pot the colour. He gets away with one as there’s not much on for O’Sullivan who takes a bit of time to think about his next move.

He plays safe.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-3 Stuart Bingham

16:18 , Mike Jones

Century!

O’Sullivan tidies up the colours and goes above three figures with the blue. It’s a career 1263rd century for the Rocket who sweeps the entire table to win the frame and close the gap on Bingham.

Bingham will be annoyed at letting that one go. He was in control but let it slip.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

16:16 , Mike Jones

O’Sullivan has stepped up his play. He needed a chance to spend some time at the table and Bingham offered it up. Ronnie’s break goes above 50 when the black drops, again.

O’Sullivan deposits a red to the bottom left pocket and takes out the pink to move the frame beyond Bingham’s reach. This is just the start he needed for the next stage of this match.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

16:12 , Mike Jones

Both Stuart Bingham and Ronnie O’Sullivan have picked up where they’ve left off. Little mistakes from O’Sullivan and Bingham taking advantage…

…or does he? Bingham bounces off the lip of the middle right pocket with a lead of only eight. The reds are available and O’Sullivan almost leaps out of his seat to take a crack at them.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

16:05 , Mike Jones

A break of 71 from Kyren Wilson takes him into the mid session interval with a 4-0 lead over John Higgins. That could not have gone any better for a man who may just have enough momentum in this tournament to carry him through to the final.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

16:03 , Mike Jones

2010 world champion, Neil Robertson, said:

“Stuart’s coach Chris Henry would have been having him think about all the positive memories he’s had in the World Championship.

“He’s very strong about the psychology aspect and he’d have had Stuart thinking about the positive experiences he had against Ronnie in 2015 [quarter-final win] and he would be drawing on that.

“He looks to be in a great frame of mind, Stuart.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

15:58 , Mike Jones

Seven time world champion, Stephen Hendry, spoke about Stuart Bingham on BBC Two saying: “He’s got to steady the ship now, Stuart Bingham, and make sure he converts this chance.

“Because if he doesn’t take chances like this, he’s not going to win the match, plain and simple.

“Over three sessions you’re not going to keep Ronnie quiet forever, he’s going to have his times where he’ll win three, four frames on the bounce. Which is why these opportunities are imperative for Stuart.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

15:53 , Mike Jones

Over on the other table Kyren Wilson is putting on a masterclass against John Higgins. Twice he’s just fallen short of a century breaks but Higgins hasn’t had a sniff yet.

Wilson leads 3-0 already.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

15:51 , Mike Jones

ronnie o’sullivan v stuart bingham live: world snooker championship scores and latest updates from crucible

(Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-3 Stuart Bingham

15:49 , Mike Jones

Bingham has had a blinder of a mini session here. He should be 4-0 up but an error in the third frame gave O’Sullivan a chance to get on the board.

Despite a couple of positional errors in this one, he gets the job done and moves two frames in front. He’s been the best player in this quarter-final so far and O’Sullivan needs to reset during this upcoming interval.

A break of 79, the highest of the match so far, gives Bingham the frame and he looks in wonderful form.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-2 Stuart Bingham

15:43 , Mike Jones

Oh wow. Stuart Bingham misses a red and leaves Ronnie O’Sullivan with a decent opportunity to level the match. Instead O’Sullivan kisses the bottom right pocket with an attempt at pocketing the black handing the momentum back to Bingham.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 1-2 Stuart Bingham

15:34 , Mike Jones

A foul from Bingham gifts six more points to O’Sullivan but the frame goes on despite Bingham now needing two snookers. He makes O’Sullivan pot the pink, which he does, and the frame goes to the Rocket.

Good response after a tough opening two frames.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-2 Stuart Bingham

15:31 , Mike Jones

In no time at all O’Sullivan notches up a break of over 50 and moves into the lead with the colours remaining. He needs to get past the blue to secure the frame…

… and does! That was quite simple but O’Sullivan misses the pink and Bingham will have a go at forcing a snooker.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-2 Stuart Bingham

15:29 , Mike Jones

Chance! Bingham leaves a red bobbling from either side of the cushion after a break of 51 and there’s an opportunity for O’Sullivan to get going in the frame.

His first red drop hime and the black follows shortly afterwards. How high can he go now?

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-2 Stuart Bingham

15:25 , Mike Jones

Ronnie O’Sullivan isn’t at the races this afternoon at all. He kisses the cushion with another attempted long pot and let Stuart Bingham get on the board first in the frame once again.

A fine cut on the black keeps the Englishman at the table. It’s a tremendous shot and takes the break into the 20s.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-2 Stuart Bingham

15:18 , Mike Jones

Bingham almost cleans up the table but misses the final black yet that is enough to give him a 92-14 win and take him two frames up against O’Sullivan.

It’s been the Stuart Bingham show so far. Can O’Sullivan respond?

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Stuart Bingham

15:16 , Mike Jones

Bingham seems to be in a determined and focused mood. He polishes off a couple of reds, takes out the black hovering over the bottom right pocket and begins to move through the gears again.

Two reds have found their way up towards the baulk cushion. Bingham pots on and follows it up with the brown. The second red then drops and Bingham comes down the table to take out a displaced green.

He moves 50 points ahead before cleaning up the final red and a black. Just the colours to go now.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Stuart Bingham

15:09 , Mike Jones

Wonderful from O’Sullivan! A long pot across the table sees him roll home a red to the bottom left pocket. He follows with the blue and another red but then leaves the black hovering over a pocket.

It’s the kind of luck that’s summed up his afternoon so far.

Bingham leads 17-14 in the second frame.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Stuart Bingham

15:03 , Mike Jones

Despite the foul, O’Sullivan manages to chip away with a couple of reds and a blue to get up to seven points. He makes an error though missing a red when trying to clip it and play safe.

Bingham has a simple shot to the bottom left but he looks at the angles to see which colour his the best option to play for. He eventually goes for the pink.

That drops in and Bingham moves into the lead.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Stuart Bingham

14:58 , Mike Jones

O’Sullivan has broke the reds for the second frame with nothing to play for Bingham. He clips the right hand most red too thin and leaves an opportunity for O’Sullivan who doesn’t take it.

He doesn’t leave Bingham with a chance for a pot and this frame, like a good chunk of the previous one, could end up being decided by who gets in first.

O’Sullivan clips a red and skews the cueball into the bottom right pocket, that gives away four points to Bingham.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-1 Stuart Bingham

14:54 , Mike Jones

Bingham takes the opening frame. He misses the final red with a shot down the cushion but O’Sullivan remains in his seat and prepares himself for the next frame.

Just the start Stuart Bingham wanted.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:52 , Mike Jones

Now then. Bingham gets in first and manages to build his score. He tidies up the reds close to the middle of the table before dropping down behind the black and slotting in another one.

He spins back up for the blue, knocks that in, and has a choice of six reds. Four of them are handily available and they don’t last long as Bingham’s lead moves above 50.

The frame should be secure now and Bingham confirms it by opening up the black and knocking it into the bottom right pocket…

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:46 , Mike Jones

The pockets are playing tight this week as O’Sullivan finds when a tricky half-chance to slide a red into the middle left boucing off the corner.

Bingham and O’Sullivan are caught in a battle of wills at the minute with neither player wanting to give the edge to the other.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:42 , Mike Jones

Bingham was wrestling with the cueball throughout his break and has to play safe with the black and pink hidden amongst the remaining reds. He leads 18-7 and both players are now engaging in a battle of safety play.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:39 , Mike Jones

Ah! O’Sullivan’s break finishes at 7 as he fails to slot home a relatively simple black. Bingham comes to the table and will have a strong opportunity to score highly.

Like the Rocket he starts off with a red-blue combo before executing a fine plant to the bottom right pocket. His positional play for the cueball isn’t great though and he’s left with an awkward shot to roll the blue into the top right pocket.

It drops! Crisis averted.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:36 , Mike Jones

Stuart Bingham gets the session started with his break and kisses the top left pocket with the cueball.

He leaves a long pot on for Ronnie O’Sullivan who takes a moment then rolls it into the pocket screwing the cueball over to the right, bouncing it off the cushion and leaving a perfect shot on the blue.

O’Sullivan gets the first points on the board.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 0-0 Stuart Bingham

14:34 , Mike Jones

Here we go!

The afternoon session is about to begin with John Higgins, fresh off his remarkable win last night, is the first to be introduced and he strides out with a huge smile on his face.

His opponent today is Kyren Wilson who has reached the quarter-final stage in seven of the last nine years. Can he go further this year?

On the other table is the match we’ll be covering. Stuart Bingham is playing in his fifth quarter-final and looks relaxed as he makes his walk out.

Finally, a man who needs no introduction, Ronnie O’Sullivan completes the line-up.

Stephen Maguire 1-7 David Gilbert

14:30 , Mike Jones

Stephen Maguire, who defeated Shaun Murphy in the previous round, had a tough morning at the Crucible.

Facing off against David Gilbert, the Scot only managed to pick up one of the eight frames played and faces a mammoth task to get himself back in contention tonight.

The duo take to the tables once again in the evening session

The financial rewards of a breakaway snooker tour appeal to Ronnie O’Sullivan

14:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan joked that he would “love to see” a LIV Golf-style breakaway in snooker if someone was willing to offer him hundreds of millions of pounds, but was not interested in contributing to the noise around what a possible rival could mean for the World Snooker Tour.

Leading players, including O’Sullivan, are understood to have been approached by Far East backers about the prospect of establishing a breakaway circuit from as early as next season.

O’Sullivan has already effectively ruled himself out of any parallel tour by signing a deal to play in WST events in Saudi Arabia for the next three years.

The financial rewards of a breakaway snooker tour appeal to Ronnie O’Sullivan

How John Higgins booked his spot

14:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Action is not far away, but there’s still more than enough time to drink in last night’s magnificent clearance from John Higgins. Remarkable stuff.

Next up…

14:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Not long now until quarter-finals three and four are underway. Kyren Wilson vs John Higgins and Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Stuart Bingham will be best-of-25 frame affairs contested over three sessions today and tomorrow to determine who makes the final four at the Crucible.

World Snooker Championship prize fund

14:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The World Championship is the richest prize in snooker with players sharing a total prize fund of £2,395,000. The winner will receive £500,000, with the runner-up pocketing £200,000 and the losing semi-finalists netting £100,000 each.

An additional £15,000 is available to the player who compiles the highest break (including the qualifying stage), while two maximums made across any of the three triple crown events this season will be rewarded with a £147,000 bonus.

What might be on the table for snooker’s future?

14:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Surely it’ll end up in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudis are becoming increasingly big players in snooker, having staged the World Masters of Snooker – complete with golden ball – last year, and preparing to stage the first ranking tournament in the kingdom in August. Ronnie O’Sullivan has also signed an ambassadorial deal with the Saudis. If Hearn holds true to his talk that money is all that matters, there is no doubt the Saudis carry the biggest clout of all.

Presumably the Saudis are behind this proposed rival tour?

Funnily enough, no. The Saudis have thrown their lot in with Hearn and the World Snooker Tour. The rival tour is understood to emanate from China. Exact details remain sketchy, but a number of top players have admitted having been approached. They have been offered guaranteed six-figure sums to sign up to a new circuit which would effectively preclude them from also competing on the existing tour – and thus their ability to compete in the prestigious ‘triple crown’ events.

Who is likely to jump ship?

It’s perhaps more pertinent to point out those who won’t: O’Sullivan has effectively committed to the WST by signing up with the Saudis, while Judd Trump has dismissed the prospective rival event out of hand. Without O’Sullivan or Trump, unquestionably the sport’s two biggest stars, it is hard to see how any rival tour could carry any kind of legitimacy at all. Some players, including Kyren Wilson, have indicated their willingness to consider their options. But it would seem a remarkably self-destructive career move to quit the main tour – just as Saudi money begins to roll in – in favour of a series of glorified exhibitions on the other side of the world.

Fast forward to 2028 – what is the state of play?

Right now it’s all too easy to envisage a World Championship in Riyadh, and even the possibility of a rival event taking place in China. But one would hope the reality is rather different. Saudi involvement may not please everybody but it will probably satisfy most players’ financial demands, which in turn may make them more amenable to the idea of continuing at the Crucible. Even its biggest critics must admit that a World Championship away from its famous home would lose much of its lustre. With enough vocal backers to drown out the money men, all is not necessarily lost.

(Getty Images)

What might be on the table for snooker’s future?

13:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Besides Ronnie O’Sullivan’s seemingly unstoppable surge towards a record eighth title, two separate narratives have been dominating the headlines during the first week of the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield.

Comments by O’Sullivan and the sport’s predominant power-broker Barry Hearn have fuelled speculation that the tournament could be taken away from the Crucible – while in a separate development, details are emerging of a potential rival tour based in China.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at the two developing stories and what they might mean for the future of snooker.

So, is snooker leaving the Crucible?

The venue’s current deal expires in 2027 – coincidentally, its 50th anniversary of staging the World Championships. Hearn has effectively delivered an ultimatum to Sheffield City Council to improve or rebuild the venue, or see the tournament taken away. Whilst there is a growing feeling that the Crucible’s facilities and capacity are not compatible with the sport’s ambitious future plans, many maintain that such concerns are trumped by tradition.

What are the favoured options?

Money talks as far as Hearn is concerned, and he insists he would not think twice about signing a lucrative deal to stage the World Championship in Saudi Arabia or the Far East. Another mooted possibility is rotating the tournament around a series of global venues. But his comments caused a significant backlash, with former world champions Shaun Murphy and Ken Doherty calling criticism of the Crucible “sacrilege”, and insisting the tournament would lose much of its uniqueness if it was staged elsewhere.

Ronnie O’Sullivan: I’d walk away from snooker if I felt under-valued

13:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan declared himself open to offers amid rumours of a rival snooker tour and warned he would walk away from the sport if he believed his talent was being under-valued.

Leading players, including O’Sullivan, are understood to have been approached by Far East backers about the prospect of establishing a breakaway circuit from as early as next season.

Ronnie O’Sullivan: I’d walk away from snooker if I felt under-valued

World Snooker Championship: Quarter-final scores

13:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Here’s how we sit after the opening session of the first two quarter-finals:

David Gilbert 7-1 Stephen Maguire

Judd Trump 4-4 Jak Jones

13:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

So nearly frame ball for Jak Jones as we reach the 11-minute mark of this duel on the pink. A double played the full length of the table is all of half-an-inch out – Trump knocks it in and will double for the frame…

It’s there! A sensational finish to the session with Judd Trump holding his nerve and finding the right angle to leave affairs squared ahead of the resumption tonight!

(Getty Images)

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A murmur from the gallery disrupts Jak Jones as he looks to get down over his next shot. A little luck! The pink catches the knuckle of the pocket but rolls safe enough.

Or does it? Trump might fancy this, you know…or not. The Englishman plays cautiously and remains in it despite a potentially fatal kiss on the black, which is now nastily placed.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

On we go with the two in containing mode, biding their time and attempting to draw an error.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s almost an exhibition shot, in the end, the pink inspecting the jaws but never looking likely to tumble given the pace at which it was played.

Pink and black left, Trump trailing by eleven.

Over on the other table, David Gilbert has pinched the final frame on the black to take a mighty 7-1 advantage through to tonight’s session.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The green goes in. Brown too. Is there an angle on the blue to move the pink, or will it have to be a double to the middle? Trump thinks the former…the pink is now pottable but how on earth is he going to get on to the black?

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And there is that required snooker! Jak Jones slides past the last red off the left cushion, and the cue ball slips in to the green pocket to make matters worse. Neither pink nor green is friendly for Judd Trump, but as he slams home to leave just the colours, a squared session is there for the taking.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This is superb stuff from Jak Jones. He drops deftly behind the penultimate red to leave Judd Trump leaving snookers.

The pink will make certain of a two-frame lead…no! Life for Trump in this frame yet with Jones 37 ahead and 35 left on the table.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another long pot missed from Judd Trump, his percentage down below 40% for the day and not allowing him to build any momentum.

A crossing of arms in the chair from the 2019 champion – and he slumps further as Jones produces a magical positional shot from the brown.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Make that 15 points to the good! A clever snooker leaves Trump forced to come in off a couple of cushions, and he twice underweights the escape.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones reaches 33 but goes no further, not quite generating the requisite contact he needs to separate a gang of four reds. The other remaining on the table is out of commission beyond the black.

The Welshman is seven points to the good.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

13:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

To the table steps Jak Jones, cutting a red along the bottom cushion to get his scoring started in the frame. He has little option but to venture into the bundled reds from the yellow, and just about emerges intact. Plenty more work to be done, though.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

12:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This is tough stuff for Judd Trump, a tricky spread making accuracy paramount in the early furrowing as he looks to plough a route back to level pegging. He takes a full minute over a blue with the break at 20, considering the positioning.

Break over. Trump inadvertently flicks a red on his way through to another from that blue and his lead is capped at 26.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

12:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

One more frame in the session, then. Can Jak Jones extend his lead to leave himself well placed ahead of the match’s continuation tonight? He’s not made a century yet.

The first error in frame eight is his, though, a red crawling over the corner pocket with the cue ball up in baulk. Judd Trump taps it in but can’t quite forces his way on to the black. A single point is all he collects.

Judd Trump 3-4 Jak Jones

12:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A fine seizing of the advantage from Jak Jones, one shot, frame won – a red to the middle is missed on 74 to squander the century but Jones goes back in front.

Judd Trump 3-3 Jak Jones

12:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Across the arena, David Gilbert has split the first two frames after the interval with Stephen Maguire, preserving a four-frame advantage. Even taking one of the two remaining in the session will leave Gilbert very strongly placed before returning tonight.

Judd Trump 3-3 Jak Jones

12:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And Jones leaves a red to the middle which Judd Trump gobbles up. We’re back level at the Crucible.

(Getty Images)

Judd Trump 2-3 Jak Jones

12:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Judd Trump knocks in the 13th red, with the black that follows leaving Jak Jones seeking snookers with the lead 48 and a maximum of 43 available. The other two are virtually unpottable – Trump leaves Jones in a predicament and settles back into his chair, knowing one more ball or a Jones error of any kind would bring him back level.

Judd Trump 2-3 Jak Jones

12:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jak Jones also runs out of position early in his break, the difficulties of having to navigate to the blue and back evident. An attempt to free a couple of reds doesn’t quite come off, and that may well be break over with the Welshman three points in arrears.

Judd Trump 2-3 Jak Jones

12:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

24 is all Trump can tally, though, the Englishman never quite able to keep position with neither pink nor black available. A jaunty cut double to the middle fails to find the intended destination.

Judd Trump 2-3 Jak Jones

12:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Trump goes in-off to open the scoring in the sixth frame. But Jak Jones leaves a sniff for the 2019 winner – he’ll look to build a break.

Judd Trump 2-3 Jak Jones

12:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Judd Trump clears to the pink to move back to within a frame. A handy steal.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

12:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This is the longest frame of the match so far, neither player making an obvious error in an extended defensive duel.

Judd Trump eventually puts Jak Jones in a bit of brown ball bother, and the Welshman’s escape leaves a rather inviting chance to take the frame.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Close, but no cigar! An aggressive move from Trump to try and slam into the two reds on the bottom cushion from the blue, generating top spin on the shot and hoping the angle is right. His failure to connect leaves him trailing by 17. Into safety play.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones rattles one in but can’t build further from there, a blue missed to the middle with Trump staring 4-1 in the face. This feels like a must-steal for the Englishman – though there are only three more readily available of the five reds remaining.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“Ooh!” cry the crucible crowd as Jones reaches 51 before striking the top jaw of the middle pocket. A sigh from Jones, who traipses back to his chair as Judd Trump eyes up a toughie…no dice.

The pair trade two more missed reds.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jak Jones gets things going in the fifth frame after a Judd Trump miss. The Welsham opens up the pack via the black after knocking in his first red. He’s unfortunate that the cue ball rolls over towards the cushion, but the hampering proves little impediment, the second red dispatched as he settles again to his work.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Our featured protagonists are back out there. It’s been a lovely start for Jak Jones, who has looked incredibly calm as he bids to reach just a second ever semi-final at a ranking event – and he’s doing it against the tour’s form player of the season at the Crucible, no less. Can he build from here?

David Gilbert roars into 4-0 lead

11:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

So much for nip and tuck on the other table – a sparkling 110 in frame four secures a 4-0 advantage at the interval for David Gilbert against Stephen Maguire.

Judd Trump 1-3 Jak Jones

11:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Welshman is amongst the balls early in frame four, slamming into the pink from the blue and sending the reds spilling everywhere. The pink has rolled safe and the black is hard to access, but if he can pick off a few more one-pointers, an opportunity to swell his lead may emerge.

He can’t quite build a substantial tally in his first visit, but he seizes the chance at the second attempt. The final black doesn’t fall but a 94 means a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval.

Judd Trump 1-2 Jak Jones

11:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Tidy stuff to finish it off once more from Jak Jones, including an effective use of the long rest. Into the lead he goes.

(Getty Images)

Judd Trump 1-1 Jak Jones

11:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The black is tied up with a red near the left corner, while two more lurk in the vicinity of the pink over towards the left middle. Clever! Trump frees one of them with a friendly flick that still allows him to hold for the blue, and then delicately takes the red away from the black to enhance his chances of continuing on.

A tough roll into the right corner…and it isn’t there, sliding away having been caught too thin.

Judd Trump 1-1 Jak Jones

10:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones takes to the easel cautiously, painting his way up to 39 before pausing for deeper thought on a blue. Actually, it’ll be the pink, a tougher shot but one that may allow him to maintain position.

Rattles the mandibles and away! An error from Jones and Trump will get another shot in frame three.

Judd Trump 1-1 Jak Jones

10:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Fluke! Good luck for Judd Trump, missing a long red that goes careering into the bunch, kissing a colleague into the corner. There are no colours available, though – and a Jackson Pollock-ed table may afford Jak Jones an opportunity.

Judd Trump 1-1 Jak Jones

10:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Over on the other table, David Gilbert has won the first frame against Stephen Maguire. That could well be a long match between two long-time foes.

Jak Jones breaks to commence frame three.

Judd Trump 1-1 Jak Jones

10:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

In they all go – we’re back level! Lovely work from Jak Jones to finish it off after Judd Trump erred.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Much more like it from Jak Jones, who makes his first substantial contribution of the match. A quiet character, Jones is a lovely potter of the ball when he gets going, and he quickly eliminates the reds with the colours all eminently pottable…

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Trump does manage to create an opportunity to move into a 2-0 lead, but kisses a red as he tries to manipulate a potting angle on another, and that’s that. A lead of 61 with six reds left on the table.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An elegant screwback from Trump jogs free a couple more reds, though it’s an odyssey around the angles from the yellow to access them.

Nicely done – 38 and counting, though he’ll have to go in again to convert this visit into a frame-winner.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle

What a way to start your scoring! Jak Jones produces a delightful cut to the corner, played at pace to navigate back up the table but right in the heart of the pocket.

Can he capitalise with a yellow to the middle? No, handing Trump a scoring chance. A shake of the head from Jones.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A two-cushion escape is less well executed by Jones, conceding four points. Judd Trump asks him to go again…much better.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A moment of carelessness from Judd Trump as he tries to play up to the yellow pocket off a red on the cushion but nearly goes in-off. In the end, he gets a stroke of luck, the jaw blocking Jak Jones’s route down the table and forcing the Welshman to take the scenic route. He makes good time on the journey and arrives safely, nestled against the reds.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jak Jones

10:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Frame secure, and this looks like a big’un to start from Judd Trump. Century number 980 of his career goes awry on the green but an opening 110 is an excellent start.