Scottish Open snooker LIVE – Mark Allen in action before John Higgins, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump

Allen 1-0 Gould (10-29)

It’s Martin in first again and he sends a terrific red long to the yellow pocket … then digs into the pack off the black, only to miss the pot! How often do we see that? Mark duly chips a starter into left middle, and he’s away again, a brown rolling along the cushion, dithering on the edge, and finally dropping. When it’s going for you, it’s going for you.

Around the tables

• Chen Zifan 0-0 Jamie Jones
• Kyren Wilson 0-1 Matthew Stevens
• Stephen Maguire 1-0 Ashley Hugill
• Xu Si 3-4 Xiao Guodong

Allen 1-0 Gould

A fine shot on the blue, after finishing low, allows him to clear up and that was a great frame from him showcasing all his new presence at the table. He’s won the last two ranking tournaments, and if he keeps playing like this he’s a serious shot at a third.

Allen 0-0 Gould (46-42)

Mark eliminates all of the aforementioned tricky reds, plays safe, and is immediately back in. He was always a fine player, but he’s so confident and settled now that you don’t doubt for a second his ability to remove the colours and go in front.

Allen 0-0 Gould (22-42)

Mark’s new-found patience allows him to outlast Martin in a protracted safety exchange, but he doesn’t play an especially good red, so has to snooker behind the broon; Martin escapes well and Mark taps the table in appreciation. He does, though, get in, and now he’s reaping the rewards – but the last three reds are tricky, gathered on or close to black cush.

Allen 0-0 Gould (6-42)

But shortly afterwards he runs into what’s left of the cluster and plays safe off the yellow … then Mark spanks a marvellous starter to left corner. He can’t parlay it into much and ends up foul-missing – my computer crashes so I’m not sure how and why. So Martin extends his lead and snookers Mark behind the brown; he plays an excellent escape.

Allen 0-0 Gould (0-30)

Neal concurs that Martin is a proper player, and he can’t understand why he’s not been at it of late. But he’s in immediately and this is a very nice start from him.

Away we go!

Morning results

• Ryan Day 4-2 Lyu Haotian
• Xu Si 3-3 Xiao Guodong
• Chang Bingyu v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Walkover for Un-Nooh)
• Liam Highfield 3-4 Yan Bingtao

To begin with

We’ve got the UK champ and general world form-player Mark Allen in action. But Martin Gould is no mug – no mug whatsoever – and plays a similarly attacking game, so our first match should get us going in suitable style.

Afternoon all!

It’s hotting up in Edinburgh – figuratively speaking. We’ve got loads for you this afternoon and evening, so let’s dive in!

Today’s schedule

10:00

• Ryan Day v Lyu Haotian
• Xu Si v Xiao Guodong
• Chang Bingyu v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Walkover for Un-Nooh)
• Liam Highfield v Yan Bingtao

13:00

• Martin Gould v Mark Allen
• Chen Zifan v Jame Jones
• Kyren Wilson v Matthew Stevens
• Stephen Maguire v Ashley Hugill

14:00

• Cao Yupeng v John Higgins
• Fraser Patrick v Sam Craigie
• Jack Lisowski v Allan Taylor
• Zak Surety v Tian Pengfei

19:00

• Gary Wilson v Ronnie O’Sullivan
• Mark Selby v Robert Milkins
• Anthony McGill v Scott Donaldson
• Barry Hawkins v Zhou Yuelong

20:00

• Judd Trump v Jamie Clarke
• Jimmy Robertson v Mark Williams
• Ding Junhui v Joe O’Connor
• Joe Perry v Neil Robertson

Trump ‘interested to see’ if O’Sullivan goes for 147s ‘now I’m catching him’

Trump hit the eighth maximum of his career on Tuesday afternoon with a stunning break of 147 against Mitchell Mann in the opening frame of their second-round clash, which he ended up winning 4-0.

It is the third 147 of 2022 for the Bristolian after his magnificent maximums at the Champion of Champions and Turkish Masters.

Trump is now just seven competitive maximum breaks away from levelling O’Sullivan’s career tally of 15, something not lost on the 33-year-old.

While the Rocket has expressed his lack of interest in attempting 147s due to the lack of prize money on the line for the feat at top events, Trump wondered out loud if he might start to care more than he says he does.

“I’ll be trying my best to make them as often as possible. It will be interesting to see, now that I’m catching him [O’Sullivan] up a little bit if he will start really going for them again.

“Any time when someone else is playing and on a maximum, you always tune into the live scores – if someone’s on 72 or 80, you always try to find the TV to watch it.

“It’s always a special feeling, and for my brother and my family there is a lot of hard work that has paid off during the years when it does happen.”

What is the format at the 2022 Scottish Open?

Monday kicks off with the first-round matches still to be played, featuring the top 16 seeds.

After that, there is a straight-knockout format, with games decided on a best-of-seven basis.

The quarter-finals are best of nine, the semi-finals best of 11, and the final is a best-of-17 decider.

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