Welsh Open 2024 snooker quarter-finals live – Mark Allen takes on John Higgins in blockbuster first match

• Mark Allen 2-2 John Higgins 12pm
• Dominic Dale v Elliot Slessor 2pm
• Gary Wilson v Anthony McGill 7pm
• Martin O'Donnell v Luca Brecel 7pm

Higgins puts two good snookers behind the black, but Allen responds strongly to escape twice. So the long shot in blue is still under control of this law. A mistake by Higgins on Blue and Allen rolls it home. And that's it. It was 2-2 at the break. Higgins' lead disappears.

Higgins takes brown. So it took a snooker in blue to build this frame. Will he get the chance to bring the snooker he needs?

I feel like Higgins missed a trick in this match. Suddenly two snookers were needed after missing a thin edge on the green. It looked like it would be 2-2 at the mid-session break.

Another chance comes and goes for John, who fails to snooker his opponent behind the yellow and misses the red over the top pocket, trying to get it down. Allen made a glorious chance to level the match. Higgins would not put this frame between the balls.

It looks like a good chance for John, but we were in the previous frame. What is Alan going to do in response to his mistake?

Alan Higgins welds the ball cushion from the break-off shot, but in return he comes up with a brilliant long red. Trying to open the pack, but with a severe red color from the middle to the right. No less. And Higgins offered to put his hand on the table.

Not convinced by Mark, but he manages to stumble over the line with some great pots at the end of the third frame. One more frame before the mid-session break.

Higgins goes for a long red, but it spins in the jaws. Had a chance to regain access to the table, but he stuck the red to Allen, who headed to right-center. Every opportunity to complete this act. Nothing is safe. Should really be 2-1.

Amazing shot by Mark to open the bag as he crumples into the red. Another fine red drop from right center, this is a great chance to beat the frame on this visit. But then he was nothing in black. It was a shock. And Mark knows it. Against a red. A safety shot is coming. Rest for John.

Well, just when you thought the Scotsman was going to speed off into the distance, he misses a black from the spot. Didn't see that coming. And John is angry with himself. Allan handed an easy opener after 25 minutes of last-ditch possession.

Another very decent opening here for Higgins to take a nice lead in this third frame. Four or five reds in the beginning. So expect him to put some points on the board.

The third frame of the day is underway at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Allen breaks and Higgins sees a pop at a long red here. He pushes it right down the middle of the hole. What a piece it is.

Higgins' total clearance is 131 unblemished and he moves to 988 centuries. Became the second man in history to reach 1,000 centuries behind Ronnie O'Sullivan.

John is looking for his 988th century on this visit. As can be seen now. One mistake Mark made and he was forced to sit back and watch this spell from Higgins. Exceptional stuff.

Higgins has every chance to take this frame in one win. Before the break reaches 67, the red required by the frame sinks into right center. Yellow ends Alan's hopes of returning to the table. A chance for a century here for Higgins.

Super shot by John to clip the home blue in left center. Opens up a few more reds and it's really a chance to crack here. This visit is to get closer to claiming this second frame.

John's brilliant recovery pot on red after losing the white ball to blue. He certainly looks to build some momentum out of the early gates as another red bins in the center left. He showed ease. Like snooker when he's on top form.

Higgins breaks for the second frame out of a possible nine. Allen quickly leaves Higgins for a pot of yellow pie. But he cannot tickle red at the bottom of the pocket. And Allen can't take home the mid-red in response. No males are fully settled. But John then cuts to a beautiful red to land nicely on the blue. He goes first on these balls.

A last red from Higgins goes in and that's enough for a 1-0 lead. The Scotsman is edging a very tight opener.

Allen moves to a hard brown from right center as he tries to raise the table on the next red, but misses the pot. And Higgins takes on the red and black and looks strictly on the frame. Alan chases three snookers.

A decent cut on the black to stay on the table after drilling a putt, but he misses the red of the legal ball. A 62 gap, but not over the line in this first frame. Will there be a counterattack from Allen?

Higgins was out with a tricky red on the side cushion with an extended rest to continue the break. He does it quite easily. Good shot to roll it. Potting is required. Black moves in and he sweeps another red from right middle. A cluster of four more reds must be sorted.

Table above and below green, next red. Here he tries to work his cut hand in red to land back on black. Reds should open at some point.

Higgins drives home a long red but loses the cue ball and snookers behind the pink. Suggests Blue on the baulk but misses a cushion before being caught again. Again chooses blue, but this time ends up with brown. Mark misses a trip on a long red and sticks the red for John. A good opportunity to put a hand on the table.

We go to the quarter-finals on Friday. Under a table. The venue for this blockbuster battle is a full house inside Cymru. Higgins left a long red in the early going, but the batting angle came out well. Not much time to settle for a best nine frame match. Although there is a mid-session break today after four frames per Kabba.

Graeme Dodd, the 2006 world champion, suffered a 4-1 loss to reigning world champion Luca Brezel yesterday. „I've never seen a better break,” said Dodd after losing in the last 32. Enjoy this admission from Luca ahead of his quarter-final meeting with Martin O'Donnell this evening.

The final home nations series of the season is the quarter-final day. John Higgins and Mark Allen get us up and running. At noon they will see the boys on the bus. The two have already met three times this season, with Allen winning 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Champions of Champions and 6-5 in the last 16 of the Masters, before Higgins secured a 5-2 victory in the last 16 of Germany earlier this month. Masters. Allen led 12-10. There was nothing much between them. So today could be a close battle.

• Mark Allen v John Higgins 12pm
• Dominic Dale v Elliot Slessor 2pm
• Gary Wilson v Anthony McGill 7pm
• Martin O'Donnell v Luca Brecel 7pm