Day 1 Masters Snooker Highlights

Could even in. It is day one here in the rather splendid and palatial

surroundings of Alexandra Palace in north London, for the Masters, the

exclusive tournament that is always by invitation only, and only 216 of

the world's top players. It is always a real gem of a wave to start

any new year. Lack 16 of the world's top players. Tonight's

opening session had a real stamp of quality about it, because it

featured Ding Junhui of China, a man who wonders tournament five years

ago, up against the reigning Crucible King, Stuart Bingham.

Stuart had that amazing career high in Sheffield eight months ago, but a

living up to the label of world champion has not been quite so easy.

I've never actually won a game here, so hopefully I can change that

this year. Looking at the people I've lost two, Ali Carter, Judd

Trump, Mark Selby, Marco Fu, you are not going to get any easy games. If

you are not on your game, you are going to get beaten. I have got a

tough opponent this year in Ding Junhui, so hopefully I can overcome

the voodoo. The first time I actually played him, many moons ago

now, I beat him then, so I hope I put a bit of hearing him then.

Obviously we'd paid a few times after that and he beat me a few

times on the trot, but it has been pointed out to me that I think I

have won seven on the trot against him, since 2011. Hopefully that

continues. It seems amazing to think, but Ding Junhui's first

appearance in the Masters was as a 16-year-old in 2004. Three years

later he made the final, only to suffer a thumping at the hands of

Ronnie O'Sullivan. In 2011 he became only the third

overseas player to win it at Wembley Arena. Since the event has moved to

Alexandre Pallas, he has not won a single match you. Mind you, Stuart

Bingham has never been past the last 16 stage in the Masters. Something

had to give tonight. Well, they share the first couple of frames,

pretty scrappy to this point, and it was all being watched by two former

world champions, Peter Ebdon and Dennis Taylor.

COMMENTATOR: How many times have we seen that type of shop, where they

missed the ball completely? I am sure the players will mention

it to the tournament director early, or Michael Clarke, the former top 16

player. They will get the fitter to have a look at the table after the

evening's play. And early chance for Stuart. He can

develop the blackspot area here with a nice canon.

Didn't quite play the canon as he intended.

Last season he made 44 centuries. He has only made ten this season so

far. But an early chance here to get a

sizeable contribution. And that time, Dennis, he got a much

bigger bounce off the side cushion then we have been experiencing so

far this evening. Very well played. A nice little

Camembert. -- canon there. You can see the difference, can't

you? In his concentration and focus now, winning that last frame really

helps to settle him. That will unsettle him a little bit.

He might have to take the blue now, because he is hampered with the

black. He has got an awful long way to travel if he does take the blue

to avoid the yellow and get back up to the reds. He is looking at the

black, but is that red? Not right over the top of it. He couldn't do

much with the cueball from that position. This read may have passed

the blue into the corner pocket. Awkward queueing there. But he

pushed the cue there in the straight line. One more could potted and he

could secure this frame. -- one more good pot. Well played!

Starting to look like a world champion.

Such a fluent player, Stuart. Made 279 centuries in his career.

Jan Verhaas keeping a close look at things they are, to make sure he

does not touch one of those reds with his sleeve. Not that many more

pots and he has got himself into the lead. A delightful little stunned

shot there through the gap. The frame well and truly over. So

one could pop down to cushion here, and he has got a sizeable break

available. Every chance, now that he has not

cut down the commission. Surely he could make a maximum break?

He has made a maximum on three occasions, Stuart Bingham.

Needs to bounce. I think he is just about OK. ?10,000 for the highest

break, and ?10,000 for a maximum, because it rolls over. It was made

at the UK championship, Neil Robertson did that. There will be an

awful lot of people here in this audience who have never seen a

maximum break live. No, it needs to go a bit further. He

is going to have to leave himself with a tough luck if he drops the

scene. -- black if he drops this in. He has got down to pot the pink,

because if he makes 146, every chance that he picks ?10,000 up for

that. He might... No, he was only kidding.

He is going for the magical maximum. What a roar of applause at this goes

in. Getting there! Get in! Absolutely

fantastic. Where is the blue? It was a very big

problem, because the green doesn't go past it. If he can drop the

yellow in... He could be perfect on the green. He

has hit it affects. Did he get a kick, or did he hit it thick? What a

chance that was for his fourth maximum break. The crowd has denied

that. More importantly, for Stuart Bingham, he looks much more relaxed.

Big smile on his face. He might not be Mr maximum, but he has won the

frame. We had a maximum at the Masters last

year from Marco Fu, and almost had another one they are. A great

attempt by Stuart Bingham. They shared the next four frames. He had

taken a 3-1 advantage, a Ding Junhui law that you back. 4-3 as we join

it. The top rate from Ding Junhui so far has been 60. It is worth

pointing out that Stuart Bingham has won their last seven matches over

the last five years. In we go to frame number eight. Ding Junhui to

play, 30 points adrift. COMMENTATOR: It is the same scenario

for Ding Junhui here. It is not quite as bad now. There is one at

the left of the bunch of reds. That is where he is lining the cue up. He

has got the perfect angle on the yellow if he wants to canon into the

reds. Just disturb a pupil is the but he has got that single red that

he can play on. It just depends how he feels. It is a good angle, to

play the canon into them, if he wishes.

Could have been better. He still has a pot on.

Once again, those reds blocking each other into the right corner, and

maybe one available into the left corner.

There is one there that will just go into the left corner pocket. In

fact, a couple. He is OK now. As you mentioned earlier, Dennis,

the shock that he played with the yellow, when he played them well and

full of confidence, you seem to get good splits. The balls turn out well

when you go into them. When things are not going well for you, a number

of times, you come awkward on balls. It is just incredible. But it was a

very good recovery shot. He played shot perfectly. He was a

very unfortunate not to finish on something easier.

Well, we are in frame number eight, and Ding Junhui, believe it or not,

his highest break is 42. It would be a good time to make your

highest break of the match. In fact, it would be a good time to win the

frame with this visit, and get himself back all square.

He is going to need the Canon number three reds. -- be canon on the three

reds. He would be a lucky to finish on at least one red when he cannons

into them. If he flicks the bottom red on the left he will either be

read on the left or push the other one towards the right centre. Can he

see in to pot it? That is even better, taking the Canon out of the

equation. As you can see, just enough room to get to be potting

angle. That has worked out very nicely.

Yes, the little flick off the pink. That helped the situation there.

That supersedes his 42 break which we mentioned was his highest.

One easy read and then a couple of tricky ones. A slightly trickier one

on the left side of the table. 18 in front. Red, to come 19.

A bit of work still to be done here to secure the frame.

Going to need both reds. He played that pretty well.

Dead straight on this. He hasn't got much angle to work with, so he may

elect, well, if he just drops city and he is going to leave a very

awkward black. Sometimes in this situation you will screw up to the

blue just to get the white away from the cushion. He is just going belly

it in, as we say. -- going to Dolly it in. The key shot coming up. In

fact, he cannot play for the red into the right corner pocket. Far

from safe in this frame just yet. Just the reds needed. We have seen a

view of these missed, but we have seen a few sliding along the cushion

here. -- slide in. I wonder if the red will actually stick to the

commission. Stewart won a few friends ago with pace that actually

hit the cushion. It will be interesting to see what happens

here. He is debating as to whether to refuse the pot. That is what he

was thinking about. But he is now back looking at it, so this has got

to go in. He just thought a second, you could

see him thinking, maybe I should make sure I have a good safety

shot. Then of course he played the correct shot, and he did hit that

read perfectly. He really did. You can't fail to be impressed with the

resolve that Ding Junhui showed, especially during that rate. Because

he has not played well in this match and he has dug deep and he has given

himself a chance. He certainly has. He has got the scores all square

again, what we still can't pick anything between these two players.

Four frames each. And the match is now over three hours old, and it has

become the best of three friends affair. Into the next we go, and it

is Ding Junhui who has just missed a yellow, Stuart ten points behind.

Not all lost for Ding Junhui. The White pulled up 12 inches short, it

would have been straightforward. A good shot from Stuart. Just enough

room for the White to go around the back of the green. If you does miss

that, he would get a free ball. Important he gets this right. This

side of the middle pocket with some left-hand side, hoping to hit two

cautions and not go around the back of the green. -- cushions. Ding

Junhui is still in a state of shock that his ball did not go in rest of

the. All of a sudden it caught the left

jaw. He has to be careful. He would like to hit it from two cushions.

Not go around the back of the green. That is a shocker.

Surprise, he was frightened about going around the back of the green,

to finish playing the shot he has, a bad misjudgement.

This shot is for the frame, even though he is four points behind.

He has come at a little short. Nothing coming easy to the boys.

Just pressure, it means a lot to these players to get through to the

quarter-final of the Masters. The plot is on but he has to be

careful. That he does not go near the middle pocket. -- pot. He got

away with that one. But look where the cue ball has finished. Ding

Junhui will take this on. If he screws back a couple of inches he

has an easy blue and he is on the blink. A big shot coming up for the

Chinese player. -- pink. Got to take this on. Looks as though he is

refusing it. That is unusual. That is unusual. Especially after playing

that shot. Why does he not try to knock the brown, he had little to do

with the wife. It was a very difficult shot, he had to avoid the

double-kiss, and there was every chance he was going to be pushing

the brown towards the green pocket. Stewart taking time to compose

himself. He knows the importance of this shot.

Played that well. What a tussle this match has been. Both players having

chances in the end. The world champion takes it. He leads by five

frames. One away from a place in his first quarter-final of the Masters.

He is so close, Kenny finally get into a first quarter-final in this

Masters. He has tried for long enough. Now let's get to the next.

Stewart has a 35 point pushing here. -- cushion. Looks like a safety. I

do not blame him. Does not want to be taking a brisk at this stage and

let Ding Junhui back king macro. Ding Junhui will be taking this one

arm, Dennis. It is quite thin. Playing the safety shot. He was a

little surprised, he should have taken the raid on. Perhaps been 25

points behind, he decided discretion is the right option. That is very

thin, this could be really good. He could pop the yellow. I'm starting

to get excited. It has been a very tense match. Whoever comes through

this battle, would have expended a lot of nervous energy. Bingham

looking tired now. This is the chance that Stewart has been waiting

for. Ding Junhui was unfortunate there. You are never sure where they

will go when you play that type of safety shot. For the red to go over

the pocket was unlucky, to say the least.

If he plays one good cannon, it will be all over. He has played that

really well. Red and a colour. Then he wins his first ever match at the

Masters. Ding Junhui won this title in 2011, he has gone out in the

first round ever since. Early on, both players were trying so hard.

Bingham has battled away. He almost made a maximum break. He has played

the snooker behind the blink. Barring a good few snickers, Bingham

has won his first match at the Masters and he beat Ding Junhui,

6-4. That was a tough match for both players. Both played well in patches

but both missed lots of chances. Ding Junhui will be very

disappointed, Bingham will be over the moon, having won his first match

at the Masters. He beats Ding Junhui, six frames to four. Well

done, to the world champion. He joins us live. First in the

quarter-final in the Masters? It has been a long time coming? It was my

seventh go. Very scrappy today. Ding Junhui was struggling a little. We

bought the level down a bit. I'm over the moon to be in a

quarter-final. You dug in for the last couple of frames? We were both

missing chances. I tried to open the red when there were 40 points there,

I played a bad shot on mine. Over the moon to get through. There was a

147 attempt on frame three. We thought you would go for the 146?

Where you tempted? Not really. As soon as you get so far you have to

go for it. That was my first turn for the Masters. I played well for

patches, happy to be in the next round. Huygens or Wayne Bowen and

the next round. A couple of days to calm down? When you played at the

Crucible, you have never been past the quarters, have you got

encouragement from having pushed those records aside, can you do

something similar here? That was a stepping stone for me to win a game

here. Anything goes. It will be tough against those two. A couple of

days off and go back home and do the school run with the kids and get

back here for Thursday or Friday. Just before you have to get on the

school run, tell us about being the world champion. Tell us how

difficult it has been about trying to live with this label? I have been

a pro for 20 years. This is my 21st season, I have been in the

background, now I am pushed to the front. I do not feel like I will

play any different or I am a different person, I feel the

pressures of being world champion. It is a big learning curve. You

learned a lot tonight and you are through. See you very soon. While

Stuart clicks as thoughts and gets himself ready for the next

instalment we will reflect on the opening match of the Masters. It was

between a defending champion, Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen, the world

number 11. A fascinating match and will -- we will join us 5-3 in front

for Mark Allen. On the cards after a bizarre accounts in early on. He was

gifted frame X. Murphy forfeited the frame after having three fouls on a

red he was not snickered on. The referee said that as the rule, you

forfeit the frame. It was very dramatic in this match. We will take

you to frame nine, can Allen wrap it up? -- snookered.

That is a fair point about the scoring ability of the players, 91

in the fifth, 104 in the seventh. That is top drawer scoring. That is

the type of contributions, as John has said in the studio that Shaun

Murphy needs to raise his standards too. He played that very

confidently, he played at such a pace, he was bound to be blue or on

colour. He is wrong side of the blue, you would rather be well be

wrong side of the blue than of straight. -- off.

As I say, this situation, you cannot afford to miss, particularly when

you are in. A pink pop past the green into the

top right-hand pocket. The black has tied up as well. A lot of work to

do. He could play a couple of shots here. Pot the red. Go around the

back of the black. Try and develop the black and the red. He has a nice

angle on the red into the bottom left corner pocket. Cue ball. A

bottom on the cue ball could go into the red and the black and bring the

black into play. He has got this opportunity as well from this red. A

good shot. Excellent shot! He wanted to bring the black and the red into

play. A lot will depend on where the black goes. If that does not go to

its own spot, the red could be available. Difficult to tell at the

moment. If it goes majorette line in the middle of the top cushion. It

says the red could be possible. Never quite certain what that tells

us. Does that mean it goes on. You would think of the was right in the

middle of the market, it would go on. It cannot be touching the red.

Sean having a look around. He does not want the red and black to be a

plan to the corner. It is close to being done. If he does try and play

the cannon, he has to be careful he does not hit hard enough for the

black to be in the corner pocket. A nice angle on the red. Needs the

bounce. Could not play it any harder, he could have knocked the

black in. This is a tricky one. Has to drop this in. Needs the black to

bounce a fraction. Could not do much with the cue ball. Could not get

that far away from the caution as he would like. This is another tester

he cannot afford to miss. -- cushion. Good queueing again, lovely

angle on the back. We'll try to split more reds into play. There is

OK, he has the red into the centre if the bottom red does not pot.

Nice angle on the black. He could play the cannon to nudge the ball.

He has the red to the right of the blue which is easy to get on. Takes

the no risk route. Can he play this red and leave himself a nice angle

on the blue? Obviously, he can. This could be the key to this frame. He

will be playing the cannon this time. You always need some luck.

That the red comes out nice. Then it goes! He is on the red. Fantastic.

Lovely shot. The red was plumb on, perfect. It has been a good

response. Are you reading my script? You can't help but be impressed by

the response from Sean to what happened in that frame where he was

conceded by missing the ball three times. Denmark in the next frame

made 104. -- then mark. That looked a little wide, lacking the pace.

More pace would not have dropped. That puts the frame in the bag. Two

snickers to tie for Mark Allen. -- snookers. As you said a few moments

ago, when you have a lead on Mark Allen, you will feel you have one or

two chances to clinch the frame. Tremendous response from Sean. Maybe

doubt creeping into Mark's mind. 67 in the last was almost enough. With

one chance he gets, he could win the frame. The first few reds and

colours was superb. He developed them so nicely. The crowd have been

in for a wonderful treat us up again. -- this afternoon. This red

will make it a another century. A high-quality match. Not without

incident. He misses the black. He will not be too disappointed. He has

a century, another frame. He has pulled one back. Only one behind

now. Mark Allen still leading by five frames to four. Having been 25

behind can he now close the gap. We'll Allen get over the line? He is

ten points ahead. A nice angle on the brown mouth. -- now. He can pop

the brown and get it towards the blue he may have the chance of a

pot. This is not straightforward. The brown goes in. He wanted a cue

ball a little closer to the blue. The blue open to the left corner

pocket. A place in the quarter-finals and beating the

defending champion. Look at the determination on his face. And the

opposite for Shaun Murphy. Rolling the yellow towards the corner. 22

points the difference. Two snickers. The defending champion looks like he

is on the way out. -- snookers. It is difficult enough to get a

snooker with the two balls on the table, to get two, almost

impossible. They nearly give him one for free.

That is good to see. Sure knew that Mark's heart would have been in his

mouth. These two are good may. His heart would have been in his mouth,

no doubt about that. -- good mates. Good effort. Now he is led the pink

which will top the eyes and cross the treasonous first-round match.

One frame the gifted to Mark Allen. It is not that easy when he won the

final 10-2. It was not easy today. Take nothing away from Mark Allen,

two sentries, a high one and 137, the defending champion is knocked

out by the young man from Northern Ireland. He wins by six frames to

four. His record had not looked so pretty but this evens things up. A

great victory for Mark Allen. We say farewell to Murphy. Good night.

Let your New Year start with a bang and visit an explosive new China.