MARK Allen will take a 5-3 lead into Friday's second session of his best-of-25 second round match with Stuart Bingham at the Cazoo World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
The Antrim man scored heavy during Thursday night's opening session, going 3-0 up with breaks of 65, 91 and 85.
Bingham got on the board with a 134 clearance in frame four and reduced the deficit further after the mid-session interval, despite Allen having a break of 61 in frame five.
The Antrim man, seeking an elusive first world title which would crown the best season of his career so far, pulled two clear again with a break of 67 but Bingham replied with a run of 62.
The 2015 champion was first in in the last frame of the evening but couldn't capitalise and Allen's 72 put him 5-3 ahead.
The match resumes on Friday afternoon and finishes on Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, Shaun Murphy became the second major casualty as the first round matches concluded on Thursday.
Following Judd Trump's defeat to Anthony McGill on Wednesday, Murphy lost 10-9 to China's Si Juahui, who now faces Robert Milkins in round two.
Milkins came from 7-2 down in his match with Joe Perry to win a deciding frame on Thursday morning.
The other first-round match to finish on Thursday saw Mark Selby beat Matthew Selt 10-8. He now faces Gary Wilson.
LAST 16
Ronnie O"Sullivan (Eng) v Hossein Vafaei (Ira)
Luca Brecel (Bel) v Mark Williams (Wal)
** level at 4-4 after first session
Anthony McGill (Sco) v Jack Lisowski (Eng)
Si Juahui (Chn) v Robert Milkins (Eng)
Mark Allen (NI) v Stuart Bingham (Eng)
** Allen leads 5-3
Neil Robertson (Aus) v Jak Jones (Wal)
Kyren Wilson (Eng) v John Higgins (Sco)
Mark Selby (Eng) v Gary Wilson (Eng)
