Fourth Round: Day One UK Snooker Championship Highlights

Good evening. There were a few sharp intakes of that this time last night

as Judd Trump was waving goodbye and so was Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, after

missing the black on a maximum break. Would there be any seismic

events like that today? As the last 16 men standing in this year's

United Kingdom Championship got under way in round four, there were

a few tremors but none involving the world number

a few tremors but none involving the world number one. Mark Selby, who

might have gone out to Jenny Jones in the previous round, was taking no

chances against Dechawat Poomjaeng. A barrage of breaks. 6-1, emphatic

doesn't even cover it. That is probably as good as I have played

for a long time, especially consistently, frame after frame. I

came out thinking I was on a lifeline and had no right to still

be in the tournament. I should have been going home and here I am in the

last 16. I relaxed and played my own game and I seemed to play really

well. And upset on the other table. David Grace had not won a match for

a while but a victory over the former UK champion, the world number

one the lowest ranked player from the UK left. The number of times he

missed and got away with it was incredible. It is very difficult to

take. That is the way the game goes sometimes but really disappointing.

Definitely, obviously down to the stage it was on. A massive crowd and

a lot of people from Yorkshire. Just can't believe it. David into his

first ever major quarterfinal. He puts his good form into the fact

that he is happy away from the table as well. He is getting hitched next

year on the last weekend in April. A significant year, the last weekend

of the World Championships. Will he get there? A good problem to have,

isn't it? It is hard to believe it is fully seven years ago that we

were watching a classic championship final between Shaun Murphy and Marco

Foo, which ultimately turned on a fluke. It is hard to believe that

tonight is the 15th time these two have met since that epic night.

Tricky character, Marco Foo. One of the game's test players. Probably a

little bit underrated, with his game and visibility -- Marco Fu. Perhaps

underachieved a little bit, if truth be told. Should have one more

tournaments than he has? In the last five seasons also has become one of

the most astute tactical players on tour. If you put those two things

together, you've got a very good match on your hands. And of course

we played each other in the final here seven years ago, which I came

through the winner in the last frame. I salute the match ball to

win on the pink, missed it, went around the house and into the middle

pocket. Last year he beat me in another decider, I played a black

the yellow and finished the Hind blew, it was a shot that wasn't on.

If you tried to put the white hair, it would be very difficult --

If you tried to put the white hair, finished behind blue. It is a match

to forget -- tried to put the white there. I hope the number before mine

has a six next to it. I don't there. I hope the number before mine

what Marco gets, as long as it is not a six. Marco is extremely good,

I think tonight will be a close game. Two classy guys on and away

from the table and it will surely produce some quality snooker. We are

into the second, no score so far and commentary this evening from Stephen

Hendry and Willie Thorne. He hid it quite well. The first opportunity

for Shaun Murphy. That was a little bit careless, that

from Shaun Murphy. He is two or three inches short with that cue

ball. The position is not straightforward.

Still a couple of loose threads. If he feels there is a way of getting

into the pack you will do but it is not a good angle to go into the

pack. Finishing anywhere above the pink spot. No problem, but still the

two loose reds available. If he is going to play into the

bunch he has to hit the joint. He is not going to push through the pack

if he catches one. It is almost as if he is going to play at the pink.

That is the direction is going to take the cue ball. Interesting in a

couple of shots' time if he does play that shot because that is what

Stephen as saying. That is the gap he needs. That is the gap he wants,

because that will push reds out into open play normally very proficient

with the wrist. Perfect here. That does surprise me.

I thought it was perfect. He is going to do it this time.

I don't think there are any plants available, so there is still that

gap between the first two reds above the gap. The gap in those two, and

he is bound to be on something. APPLAUSE House suite was the gap

there. Absolutely plumb. Absolutely right in the middle of them. Very

unlucky, as Stephen Mansion, to push away to the side. But he is

right-handed so if he pushes through it shouldn't be too much a problem

as Stephen -- as Stephen mentioned. Well, last night, if you were

watching, maximum break was missed at the very last shot. You have to

say, that red on the right-hand cushion is another chance. Last year

he could have had four, he made one and missed on the colours. That is

how well he was playing in the German Masters last year. He now

knows he is playing for the 147. That is what you need to do when you

break for the maximum, always finish higher.

The two reds to the right of the pink, if you could count on those it

would be perfect. He will play the red into the same pocket as the

black. He is playing more conservative break-building at the

moment. There is going to have to be a cannon played at some stage. It is

a big target, you would say. He has the one in the middle, and

that is what he would need. He would need to be on at three quarters ball

rather than straight. It may even, because it is frame over, he could

take the risk of bringing the red into play. He probably won't play

that. He will just play for the one in the middle.

This red puts the frame safe. So now, after that he will definitely

100% be going for the 147. APPLAUSE It is a little bit risky, I

don't think he can generate enough pace. He took the risk, he took the

risk, and that may have turned out to be perfect. The key thing there

was getting the white away from the cushion and he has done that. What a

was getting the white away from the horrible kick. What a shame, the

fantastic rate of 80. Marco Fu wants to carry on for a little bit. But

barring snookers, he would have levelled. The world number one

pushed on there to win the next frame as well. As we go into the

last four interval, 20 points to the good. Decided to play the thickest

edge. Hoping to make contact with the black, but look where the white

has finished. He played the shot absolutely perfect. If Shaun Murphy

can't see this, he will put it back in again. I'm just looking down the

line, and I think there's a little bit of this red sticking out. It is

one of those. If you hit as much as you can see, you pot it. And also,

it is one of those who dare not let your opponent play. That's exactly

what I was thinking, it's horrible. Does it pot? If you say you refuse

it and it does go, your opponent will step in and potted and win the

frame, how would you feel? -- pot it. It is one of those, if the white

was a few inches off you could guarantee of potting it but it is

too near the cushion. You play with a little left-hand, but he has to

hit this claim ball and just missed the red by an absolute cigarette

paper -- plain ball. I don't know whether we can get directly down the

line, it looks on from that angle. Shaun Murphy doesn't believe so.

Shaun Murphy covering his eyes because he knows this is a possible

pot for Marco. He has come around to see of the black goes, so he must

think it pops. Interesting to see Shaun Murphy's reaction of this goes

in. APPLAUSE

Well, that is a very bad misjudgement from Shaun Murphy.

Because Marco did not have any hesitation. Shaun Murphy had two or

three good looks at that. Marco Fu got in and went for the black. That

time, when we weren't sure, he got down straightaway. What an

opportunity this is. Certainly the more pleased of the two players will

be Marco Fu, because Shaun Murphy has really dominated this first

session. Also relieved, Marco Fu, having

missed the black off this spot in this frame. It is nice to get a

reprieve. He is asking the cue ball to be

cleaned, so we can give him the benefit of the doubt there was a bad

contact. It did stop the pace of the cue ball. And if he is dead straight

in this yellow, it is no good. The pink to the left centre, as to

avoid cannon. Well played. Playing to get on to the blue, but I

don't think he has the angle to get to the next red.

But now, the brown. To leave Shaun Murphy with sneakers. -- snookers.

The amount of players who pot that ball and then forget about it,

leaving their opponent with snookers. Making sure they don't

come back, and that is perfect. It is a good match so far. Shaun Murphy

will be disappointed not to have taken that long read on. And 49 and

counting coming from that red he refused to take on. -- long red.

Hindsight is obviously a wonderful thing. And this was the red again.

He missed the red by a quarter of an inch and almost potted it too

thick. The game is all about fractions. But yes, it is strange

how two different players can see a shot so different league. Another

fine mess. This is fabulous, it doesn't get

much better than theirs. This packed auditorium. -- than this.

The four colours for a century. That is the only thing that has been

missing in this opening frame, is a century. An extra ?20 on top of the

?11,000 we have already given. Excellent, 104 from nowhere. Shaun

Murphy refusing to take the long one, Marco Fu deciding to take it on

and it proved decisive. We are level at two -2. They shared the next two.

Murphy with his highest break so far of 83 along the way before the Hong

Kong player regained the lead at four -3 with a 68 contribution. Here

we are in the eighth. Murphy at the table, 11 points behind.

Didn't want to kiss the green, but it has a good cue ball.

not about teaching it, it is getting it safe. He did not kiss the black

on the right-hand side. -- hitting it.

Nice pot, a lovely angle on the pink.

It looks like, for the first time in this match, someone is going to have

an advantage and what a good time to do it. Worrying times for Shaun

Murphy. It was not the most comfortable of pots. Just the

green, as said before, make sure you pot the brown and blue to stop Shaun

coming back to the table. This will be very disappointing for

Shaun because he has had a couple of chances in this round. As Stephen

just mentioned, it is to frame deficit for the first time in this

match. A bit of a trick shot there. Nothing of any significance in that

frame but Marco Fu will be deleted. There is daylight now. --

delighted. Back into the frame we go. Marco Fu has been very

fortunate. I did not see that coming at all.

That is twice that he has had the opportunity. Marco Fu is usually the

best at closing matches but not tonight. One lifeline for Shaun

Murphy supporters. Here you can see Shaun Murphy in

full flow. The last three or four frames, he has not been in the

rhythm. It is a big ask to win the frame at this visit. Where the reds

are, he can certainly get great and it. If he puts his remaining four

reds. -- pots. He could do with a slight pain on

this red. -- hang. The problems start after this red

and black. He would like to be level with the

black on the other side of it, he would like to point the black in the

left corner. It is a matter of stunning the left cue ball from the

other pocket. He cannot get there from this angle so he needs to play

this little bit off-pace. Deadweight, that is in.

Well, that is good news for Marco through the fact that he has pushed

the pink safe. -- Marco Fu. Slightly more difficult, the fact that he is

at this angle. I can't believe I can going to say this, but he needs to

play a safety of the pink. I hadn't thought of that, where did you come

up with that from? That is what happens when you are a commentator.

You are very negative, aren't you? Excellent safety shot. This is not

straightforward, this safety. You need to miss the kiss the yellow if

you are playing the read up -- the red up and down.

where he is now. How he plays get, that is the problem. It is the

slide. It is a free ball that will take the pink into the pocket. No

pressure on the pink. All he could even take the black. Black is

certainly be easier shot. Just a matter of whether you want to roll

it in deadweight. Well played, Marco. Just the red

needed. Shaun will be disappointed because he is killing the ball as

well as can be. -- queueing. That should reframe and match ball. The

first half of the match, the standard was very high. It dipped a

little bit towards the latter stages but still very good performance from

Marco Fu. He will be very disappointed going

into the Christmas period, he would have wanted to get into the later

stages of this tournament. Marco Fu is playing better than I have ever

seen him. He is a little scrappy but he is playing as well as he was a

few years ago. A break of 50 daily on from Marco.

Marco Fu goes into the quarter finals. He wins five frames to four.

I had a chance in the second frame and I was very happy in the into

bowl. Somewhere in the middle of the game I kept losing the cue ball but

Marco won a couple of friends that I didn't think he would and that makes

the difference. We played really well at the beginning. A very

high-quality match, especially at the beginning. The first half of the

match. Towards the end I saw the winning light and I felt a little

nervous and Shaun was under a bit of pressure as well. I think the game

went a little bit scrappy, we missed a few too many towards the end. Over

all I am quite happy with the way I was playing. Marco is now the world

's number 14 and is now the top ranked player. It is really open in

the top half of the draw. What other match also brought back some

interesting memories because it is where players were thumped. Since

then, he is one of the most improved players on the circuit. He is up

against a 20-year-old player and there is a lot of talent. What a

topsy-turvy game this was. Selt did four in a row.

17 ahead but 22 remaining. A good shot, a very good shot. He has got

the snooker or he is very close to it. He has made that mistake before,

knocking the pink safe. It will make difficult for Luca.

He doesn't really want to knock the brown anywhere near the pink for

obvious reasons. Well then, because of that, he

obvious reasons. Well then, because shot. His long pot has not been

obvious reasons. Well then, because he find one? He did and he has

finished perfectly on the blue to run this pink away from the

cushion. Well, here we go. There will be wondering, as Luca pots the

pink, in goes the pink and this looks absolutely inch perfect for

the black. That is absolutely superb. And in goes the black! He

was unlucky to knock the yellow in. We have a game again. The more late

night tension tonight. In frame ten it is Luca who has it all to do. 52

points behind. That was the most ridiculous plot. -- pot. There is no

other reason sometimes. It was certainly all or nothing. Now what

an opportunity. Not a straightforward cannon. There

is a loose thread available in the left corner. Obviously one of the

bottom reds will go. There are two reds on the bottom side. I can still

stunned that first shot. He felt he could not get a good safety and went

for it. This could level the match and take us into a decider. I did

not see this coming. As he pots this red, they all become available. Just

one awkward red which you could possibly play to cannon of the black

here and now. Is it too risky? He decided he didn't have the right

angle. The fact that he just had the one on the right to play for, is

going to leave it till a bit later. Of course, he is going to accrue

more points and get himself back into the frame this way. That is not

the best shot. No, he has played that carelessly he is not want that

angle on the pink. As we said before, he has a lot of ability and

he has played that absolutely superbly. Well, can he avoid the

cannon here? I don't think he can. He has taken these remarkably well

under the circumstances but it is all point to boil down to the last

red, I think. It is a funny game, it has always been the same. You can't

drop your guard for a minute. He has got a nice big leaves, he has got

his opponent in trouble. The only problem with that as he does not

have any angle on the black. -- a nice big lead. Crossing the black

like that, is he thinking of eight -- double. Has it good sleeper? --

has he got a snooker? Just when he needed so as precision to cope with

the last awkward red, he could not find it. Marco one can get through

to this red, but can he? -- Selt. Not a guaranteed safety.

He got the double kiss. Where is the Red going? I think he can get past

the green. Well, unbelievable. When you do that, you wish you had gone

for it. There is always that danger when you are playing the double

kiss. Whatever he needs and including the double pink. Just over

hit back -- back slightly. That will be the end. What is at way this will

be to finish. I'm sure that when Selt left that last red over the

middle he thought he was going into a decider. Now he has got a 5-point

lead and he needs up to and including the blue. I bet he can not

believe he has got this chance. Sitting in this chair, looking at

the red in the pocket, he must have thought this was it. It has been

that the above match. Everytime you think you can predict what is going

to, it goes the other way. No excuse now. Brown and blue, a place in the

quarter-final. It is a formality. He is on the blue and he will be mighty

relieved. It can every credit. He looked a little bit tentative, a bit

negative in this play. He came back after the midsession interval all

guns blazing. It was a match of the Mac harps. -- two halves. Max is

into the quarter-final. Tomorrow, we are going to complete the

quarter-final line up in a championship that has forced lower

French players into the championship. It is new territory

for Tom Ford. Australian Open runner up Martin Gold is now the outlaw,

the comeback kid. That is the championship. We are live at one

o'clock. It is a bruiser of a contest. Robinson against Maguire.

Until then it is good night. Who is this dangerous renegade,

this maverick,