Day 1 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

You come off the M1, go down the Parkway, wherever you are coming

from. It's special. It's our annual pilgrimage to the home of snooker.

Wherever you walk there's always a bit of history, there's always

pictures of previous finals and stuff like that. The playing arena

itself is quite incredible. It's probably the greatest snooker

playing arena that we've played in. It's a great atmosphere and

obviously it's the World Championships. It has a special

feeling about it. It can do the best two weeks of your life when you are

there playing for the world title and if you manage to win it there's

nothing like it, the feeling. Try getting involved. The booing and

dying. It makes it magical. -- the oohs and aahs. That's where some of

the most iconic moments of our game took place. You walk into that

arena, that's where those matches happened, that is where Alex brought

out the family for the shot, where Dennis won in 85, where Cliff made

147 and all the players after, it happened in that room.

Hello, good evening to you, welcome to highlights of Day one of the 2016

Betfred World Snooker Championship. A quest to deliver one of the most

coveted titles in British sport begins right here. It's all eyes on

the reigning champion, Stuart Bingham. Ladies and gentlemen, your

champion, Stuart Bingham! Obviously a bit of a blur after it

last year. I've zonked out for three weeks after. I don't know if it has

sunk in. I think being here amongst all the players and seeing it all

happen again, yeah, I think it obviously slowly sinking in. Seeing

the boards and all that with my name on it, yeah, it's great, absolutely

fantastic. I've been out onto the stage floor and ceiling it, back to

the two tables, it is a bit weird but it seems like yesterday I was

here winning it. It's nice walking around Sheffield and getting

stopped, for pictures, and things like that. It's all brilliant.

I've had it near enough four years for myself. I've given it

.. E-mail:.. Near enough a full year.

Just to have my name engraved on it is something I've always dreamt of.

-- near enough for year. I need to get my teeth into the

match against Ali, can't let him get on top of you. If I can do that I'll

hopefully enjoy it out there. And then who knows? If I enjoy it like I

did last year. But Bingham has a pretty tough opening match against

Ali Carter, who was twice runner-up here at the Crucible. In 2008 losing

in the final two Ronnie O'Sullivan. Then losing 18-11 to O'Sullivan in

2012. Carter got off to a fantastic start in this match leading the

first session five frames to four. They shared two frames in the

opening two of the evening session. We picked up with Carter leading

6-5. I don't think he was too happy to

see the green go in. 12 points to lead. Now he's got to get this brown

safe. I don't think there's enough room in behind the brown to go

cushion first. Well, this is as straightforward as

you can get it, as long as you can hit it right. As we look just at the

brown, three quarters ball on the right-hand side. Pink or blue to

snooker behind. He's played it well, very well. It could be a telling

safety shot come snooker, that. He has a bit of pressure now. These

last four colours. You wouldn't believe it, would you?

And I miss. The only good thing for Stuart is

the cue ball didn't go in the pocket. The referee, Paul Collier,

just asking where the cue ball was. I mentioned earlier today, he has

the final this year, Paul. He needs to hit this., off the second

cushion. If he does, you can get a good shot back here. A bit more

pace. Ali will be playing a pot here, so good result for Stuart. The

main thing when you are snooker like that is to get the object ball safe,

not to leave your opponent the pot on. He's done that. Think of the

brown. From the side cushion towards the black. If it had caught the blue

full in the face he'd have left brown on. Thankfully for Ali and his

supporters, he didn't. I don't know if he can screw it off

the side cushion and hit the black. I think brown might be going up and

down, he might have to hit the brown too hard to play that shop. Brown

just the right of the black, the cue ball across. Just a containing

safety. Not a good one, though, he wants to be behind the pink. Could

be in trouble after the next shop. -- next shot.

You called it, Stephen. An edger, this brown. Dear me. Well, superb.

Nothing wrong with the world champion's eyesight.

Just deactivated on that and the problem is when you do that you take

all the pace out of the cue ball and you don't get any back spin. Trying

to stun it in behind the black. This is a gift now for Stuart. Should

have been! Where's this brown going? Where is the brown ball going?

Surely not! That was a nervy one, wasn't it?

It was that far away it nearly had a chance of going in any pocket. This

round cuts, you know. It's thin, but it cuts. -- this brown. Now he's

missed the blue. A chance. Four points behind. He needs blue, pink

and black to get the two frame advantage. There was Stuart Bingham

squirming in his seat. He knows what an opportunity he's just missed.

Just wants to make sure he gets fairly straight on this pink.

Looks pretty good. Pink will put him seven points in front with seven

remaining. APPLAUSE

Big frame. Over 40 minutes. In it goes. That was a massive

frame, as Stephen Hendry said. He only needed brown and blue. He

missed brown. Ali Carter cleaned up the four remaining colours. Now two

ahead, 7-5, the defending champion in trouble again. STUDIO: It has all

the makings of one of the great opening-round matches at the

Crucible. They shared the next two frames. We pick up the action in the

next frame, Carter to play, leading by ten.

In a macro strange way he played the shop. When the pressure is on a lot

of players to prefer to stun them in.

Here, he's putting all his eggs into one basket, really. Needed to be

straight on the brown. Now he's not straight on the brown. In potting

the brown he's running to the green. That'll leave him possibly snookered

by the brown when he has re-spotted. The yellow to the right middle he

could stun the cue ball from the yellow to the green pocket. There

you go. That was all about pressure and the fact he couldn't get perfect

position on the yellow. So, Stuart has been given a lifeline

here. Comes to the table 11 points behind, needs up to and including

the pink to close the gap to one frame. How will he play the yellow?

On the practice table... This is not the practice table. You go around

the table. It's all about judging pace. Needs to run past the blue. He

looks to have played it absolutely perfectly. Great shot!

A glance at the scoreboard. Six points behind. Brown, blue and pink

needed. Another twist in this tale. Absolutely perfect on the pink. When

Ali Carter potted the last read it looked for surgeon he was going to

win the frame. Missed the brown. Stuart Bingham has done the

business. Now just one frame behind. It's getting closer and we're

getting nearer the end. 8-7 to Ali Carter. STUDIO: Bingham rattled in a

break of 68 to draw level. Bingham trailing, can he go in front?

Fairley he can play this for the black if he travels to far to the

left middle. Nicely played. He's not been behind in this match

since the first frame, which he lost. Is he going to go one frame

behind now? At the business end of this match? This is an excellent

opportunity for Stuart. As Stephen has alluded to a few times in the

last couple of frames, he's looking the more, shall we say, relaxed of

the two. It's hard to be lacked in this situation. He's giving himself

more time not to make a silly mistake and make an unforced error.

Yeah, he seems to be able to brush off disappointment more than Ali

Carter. Everyone is different. Different characters and

temperaments. Since he came back from the interval, it's almost like

he's seen the winning line to early. Before the interval, this was the

pot success, 79%. 95%, Ali Carter. Since the interval... Remember, 95%

Ali Carter. He is now down to 78%. And Stuart Bingham 93. A complete

turnaround in pot success. No matter who you are, you've got to ten three

macro balls at this game of snooker. If you are going to get anything out

of it. -- you have to pot balls at this game of snooker. I think the

worst thing for Ali Carter as he sits there suffering is the fact

that he'll be looking back on so many opportunities he's had to have

this match sewn up by now. But then I wouldn't count him out. If Stuart

wants to win this frame... He's within one frame of victory. Ali

could throw off the shackles and come out all guns blazing. I

wouldn't assume anything just yet in this match.

Landed perfectly on the blue. World it in. The red on the left-hand side

of the table available into the right corner. Just a straightforward

role in. But of course there is tension in the arms. Got to be a bit

careful. He has hit it slightly. But it's OK. He'll play for the pink.

Didn't want to risk playing for the pink. Maybe it's a bit tight but you

can see by the look on his face he is underhit that. He's not good on

the blue at all. Just the wrong side of the blue line. I thought he'd

have played for the pink. Maybe the pink is tight. Trying to force it

around. He's played this well, he's played this well. This is inch

perfect! Beautifully played by Stuart Bingham. Still on course to

keep Ali Carter in his seat and go one frame away from victory.

There you see it, 49er head, 59 remaining, but not for long. Red and

black needed. It's been a good performance, very

good performance, from Stuart Bingham. From 8-5 down.

88, 40 four. 68. And now this. 74. Back to what he does best, scoring

heavily. What a time to do it. Yeah, if you can get this back double on

the red, chance of a first century of the match. He's pretty close.

It's very close indeed. He's on the black.

Needs to slow up. It's OK. This'll be the fifth century of the day.

Already had four. It be Stuart's 20th at the Crucible. Willett it'll

be interesting to see how the next frame goes because the pressure

turns around, now it's Stuart who's ahead. And can see the winning line.

Well played. Not since he won the first frame has

Stuart Bingham been in front in this match, but he is now, and if he wins

one more the defending champion will be in the second round. He leads Ali

Carter 9-8. STUDIO: Absolutely. For the first time in this match since

the opening frame Stuart Bingham is now in front. It's all about

finishing off the job next. And he was right, he hit it too thick. And

he's left it. So here's a better chance for Ali now.

He's played that quite nicely, he'd love to get the black on this spot.

If you've got the black on the spot you can start thinking about winning

this frame one visit. He has the angle on this red to play for the

black. Say run through and get somewhere

near that circle and he'll be OK. -- play the run-through. In actual fact

it was another red that would go. In an ideal world, that red he has

nudged to the left of the back, he would like to play on that this time

around, keep the black available into both corners. Otherwise you

restrict your positional side of the shot.

Looks to have got his focus back. That's what he needed, a few easy

shots. Doesn't want to be just off straight

on this lack, if he is dead straight he can screw back, just off

straight. I think he is OK. Just a touch of left-hand side.

Control Bardwell. -- controlled that well.

Street again, so might just play for the red to the right centre. That is

good. Played that really well. Dead straight again. Same shot. This

time he has played for the gap, the red to the right corner again.

Risky, very risky. He has landed on it plumb.

Look at that, points scored in the match, 912 - all. This needs a

bounce. But one, 49 points the lead, still looking for red, colour, red.

Not perfect on this rent. Looked short of pace when he hit that, and

a pink is in an annoying place. Will not make this positional shot easy.

The yellow is the easiest pot, not guaranteed to get position of the

year low, not guarantee to get position off the blue. -- of the

blue. Colour and one more red required.

He will settle for a red in the middle, he will settle for a red in

the middle and that is what he has got. This red will put him 53 points

in front, 51 the meaning, little chick of the head from Stuart Binny

and -- little shake of the head from Stuart Binny. And maybe the fact we

are going to go into a decider. Fairplay to Ali. He has needed a

couple of chances in this frame but he stuck at it. I agree, I have to

admit he had the look of a beaten man coming into this frame, he

didn't look able to focus himself. It has been a great performance,

this visit to the table. Just one snooker needed at the

moment, if he pots the colour, it is frame over. The cut on the black is

the right shot to play. It is gone. We have got other side are now.

Opening day, opening match. It is going all the way. Can we see two

centuries in a row? It is a straight plant to the corner. That would be

incredible. I thought we would have a few twists

and turns. More like thrusts and parries. As you say, Stephen, his

first shot in this frame seemed the shot of a man who says I will go for

them and if they don't go on, I will leave them, but he got a third

opportunity and he certainly made the most of it. I take my hat off to

him. We source Stuart Bingham make his

20th century, this will be Ali Carter's 30th. And it goes, superb.

It doesn't matter about the blue, it was a tremendous century and Ali

Carter is leading the arena, I don't know why Stuart Bingham is going to

set there, he will win for him to come back because we have got a

decider, it is 9-9. Utterly brilliant, what a match, final frame

decider on the opening day and the defending champion is up against it.

Ali Carter had a chance to play a similar type of shot awhile ago but

rather than plainly snooker he made the blue safe. It is all about

opinions. And that is not close. These are valuable points for Stuart

Bingham. Now. He is so conscious of leaving

the cue ball to lead a pot mag on. As you see, these are valuable

points for Stuart Bingham. Absolutely. If he misses it going,

it is off the cushion and leaves it to the middle and that is what he

has done. 28 points behind now, Stuart Bingham.

APPLAUSE It was always difficult with the cue

ball and the object ball being so close together to get the real run

through that was required to be nicely on the pink. They like a push

shot. If I was Stuart now, I would be making sure of these six points.

What a shot he has played here. Does he get the case on the red. Unlucky.

Great effort. 21 points behind now. Suddenly, this frame is back in the

balance. But once again, that is a poor

safety shot from Stewart. He has played so many that are just

tentative. You have got to get that ball cushion -- baulk cushion. Where

is this red going? It has gone in the pocket? A bit of luck involved

in that, but Stuart Bingham only has himself to blame, he should have

found all cushion -- baulk cushion. Taking that opportunity to put

another ball see. Not certain whether Stuart Bingham can get past

the pink to make contact with this red, I think he can. Ali Carter

assuming that the yellow is now said, the blue is safe, so two balls

that are nice insurance policies for him. He could send this red pretty

close to the yellow here. APPLAUSE Didn't fancy it was a lot of pace.

Has he got the snooker? He can't, can he? Looking at Ali Carter's

phase, he has. -- face. A picture paints a thousand words. We talked

previously about Stuart only having himself to blame, but Ali Carter

only has his self to blame, he had an easy yellow and an easy snooker

in the previous shot. He could have nestled up to the green, only had to

hit the green full ball, would have been a very difficult snooker to get

out of. Was easy enough swear but he had to

judge the pace of it -- easy enough swear of swerve. Could play the pot

and can in the yellow away from the site cushion. -- this side cushion.

But he knows he is at the point of no return.

In the end he played it trying to get on the green. Ali Carter comes

to the table 22 points in front. Red and a pink will do. But can he pot

this slow enough to play the pink, if he goes up to the green he needs

that yellow that he has put safe he could play this to screw off the

side cushion. That is what he has done. Great shot.

The crown is slipping. This pink to go 29 points in front with 27

remaining. And it is end. If Stuart Bingham is

going to stay in the tournament he has got to get a snooker.

Has to be said, it has been a great performance by Ali Carter from 9-8

down, I thought he was a beaten man, his body language, looked like he

had nothing left in the tank. I was of exactly the same opinion.

Ali Carter went down and played as if that was it. But for a snooker he

is going to be in the second round. This is tense and Bingham is still

very much in this one. And it looks like he may have got

the snooker here. And if he has, Stuart Bingham has got to hit it and

has got to get it safe. Otherwise his title defence is over. And he

could just get through to it. Getting the ball to run hard.

Could that be Stuart's last shot. He has been a great ambassador in the

last 12 months. It could be coming to an end. The title of world

champion. Right here. Right now. He put up a great defence in the

first session of this match. And he has flipped the blue. That does end

any hope Stuart Bingham had of staying in this championship that he

so gloriously won last year. Stuart Bingham won the first frame went 9-8

in front and a great response from Ali Carter to come back and win B

match -- win the match 10-9. Great sportsmen to the end, you will be

back, no doubt about that, but Ali Carter advances to the second round.

Unbelievable, so difficult to get over the line. It was just always

good to be a really tight game, you could sense the was going, 5-1, 5-5,

9-8. I played a very good decider, Stuart Mr couple of balls but a

couple of balls here and there that made the difference. The table was

really playing difficult, loads of things, one-cushion escape and it

flew off the cushion. We were getting loads of kicks and loads of

bounces. I'm delighted to get through, it is hard out there, I

don't feel like I am a qualifier, feel fresh as a daisy, got a few

days off and I will be back. Well done the captain, in the past few

minutes, Joe Bingham gave us his reaction. I beat Hendry my first MP

when he was reigning champion. It is not nice to get beaten first round

after winning it. It was as tough draw, I made too many mistakes and

fair play to Ali Carter. Stuart Bingham out and the Crucible curse

strikes again and another former champion is out, Peter Ebdon won it

in 2002 has been knocked out I Marco Fu. Easter Road and followed the

first round stage for the 12th round in his 23 career appearances in

Sheffield. -- Peter Ebdon has fallen other first-round stage for the 12th

time in his 23 career appearances at Sheffield. Winning frames in one

visit sometimes, Peter did not need to make a mistake to lose a friend,

I was winning frames with half chances, so it was going to give me

confidence. Was absolutely magnificent. He played brilliance

and Agger, some of the best snooker that anybody has played against me

in the 23 years I have been here. It was outstanding performance, he

played like a world champion and I wish him the best of luck, and

incredible performance. Very nice to be here, it is the dream to win the

tournament for snooker players. I enjoyed playing at the Crucible and

the last few years I have been feeling more confident and

comfortable playing at the Crucible and it is nice to be back.

Stephen Maguire could exit at the first round stage for the third

consecutive year. Both matches will resume at ten o'clock in the

morning. Snooker extra follows on BBC One followed by classic matches

at the Crucible Theatre and we are back at ten o'clock on BBC Two of

the worlds literature project. Good night from us good night, Stuart

Bingham -- the World Snooker Championship.