Joe Perry
Former World Championship semi-finalist on BBC Two

Wu Yize refuses to leave the table and not many players would take these shots on - he is fearless.

This is why we all love snooker, this is why we all tune in and watch it at every opportunity. This has been one of the best sessions of the Championship so far.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

The sheer confidence and exuberance of him. It's wonderful to see.

That was no gimme, the plant. It had to be made, totally off line.

Another wonderful century from Wu Yize as he retakes the lead.

That is breaks of 142, 76, 121 and now 140 for the 22-year-old on his way to frame wins.

The entire visit from Wu is worth watching for some of the shots produced.

What an outstanding semi-final we have on our hands.

Joe Perry said Mark Allen looked unflappable - well how about this for a bit of steel from Wu Yize?

What a visit to start this frame.

Some incredibly difficult shots and he's made them look routine. The plant he has just produced was outstanding.

Wu is over the half-century mark now with a lovely looking table in front of him.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

There have been two centuries and four breaks of over 50 so far today and that has meant the longest frame in this session has been just 21 minutes.

Much more of an advertisement for the game than Friday's epic slugfest.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

I say it all the time in these multi-session matches - players can win bunches of frames and then the interval halts that and the other player has his turn.

I love watching Mark Allen play when he's like this.

Through the season he's been quite painful to watch: refusing balls, playing slow, playing negative safety, everything.

But he's playing proper snooker here and it's brilliant to watch.

Joe Perry
Former World Championship semi-finalist on BBC Two

Mark Allen is looking really good now. He has had everything thrown at him from Wu Yize and it's 10-10 so he is looking really good to me.

He looks unflappable. He is very in control of his emotions, in control of his game and I think they are really good signs for Mark Allen and his supporters.

Build something, Mark Allen indeed did.

Although not all in one visit, Allen manages to claw back level with Wu Yize thanks to a break of 99,

"A proper grafting break," says John Parrott.

The Pistol has gone up a gear since the interval.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

I think that visit to the practice room did Mark Allen a bit of good.

A tough start to the frame for Wu Yize who looks to have been done no favours by the interval.

He tries to rest the cue ball into the pack of reds but gets too much on it and leaves one loose for Mark Allen.

A good opportunity for Allen here to build something.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

It's turning into an absolute cracking semi-final.

The players are in great form, great safety play, and when they're getting in they're making some wonderful breaks.

Shame there's no century, but it's a wonderful break.

You bet he can.

A break of 85 allows Mark Allen to take the first frame following the interval and after spending most of the first mini session in his chair, that will make him feel much better.

What a shot that is from Mark Allen. A long plant onto the red looks to set him up on the black.. or does it?

There's just not enough room there to go for the shot and he plays for the safety shot instead.

He gets a second chance though as he gets back on the table and pots another long red and this time he is on a colour.

Can he clear up from here?

The players are back from their cup of tea, seeking to strike a first decisive blow after the interval.

"It's a very important mini session before their final session tonight, particularly for Mark Allen," says 1997 world champion Ken Doherty on BBC Two.

Wu and Allen are searching for a first World Championship title, and one of them will have a crack at the big one on Sunday and Monday.

In the other semi-final, John Higgins has his eyes on a fifth victory and is established as an all-time great already.

These are the big winners in snooker's modern era.

Image source, BBC Sport

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

We has stepped up this morning.

I thought he looked bang on it when he came into the arena. There were no smiles, it was just a cursory wave to the crowd.

It might be he's just not a morning person, but to me he looked on it.

I thought he had a different vibe about him and from the first frame his intent has been to just go out and pot all the balls. It's brilliant to watch.

Mark Allen, tapping his leg [in appreciation], I don't know about that because you're here to win the World Championship semi-final, not applaud your opponent, but it shows you how good he's playing that his opponent's appreciating it.

His strength is to attack and pot the balls, so that's how you play, you don't change your game just because you're playing someone like Mark Allen who's very good at the tactical side.

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Allen was born in 1986, four years after Alex Higgins won his second World Championship title and hugged toddler daughter Lauren as tightly as the trophy.

Allen was a boy of just eight when Higgins last featured at the Crucible in a World Championship.

So Allen's views about his fellow Northern Ireland cue star have mostly been shaped by watching video clips of the Hurricane, and from Allen's father's own memories.

Allen, who hails from Antrim, has spoken in the past about how Higgins had an influence on his career.

He said: "He was before my time, but it was probably watching Alex that got my dad interested, and that led to my dad taking me to the club, so there's the knock-on effect.

"I only see him on videos, but you hear all the stories from some of the players back home, from the amateur ranks, of how Alex was and it would have been great to have been around him then."

To follow in the footsteps of Higgins and Dennis Taylor by becoming a champion for Northern Ireland in Sheffield has always been Allen's aim.

"I got a small taste of that when I won the Masters," he said.

"The reception I got for that was beyond anything I'd had before and I imagine if I won the Worlds it would be on an entirely other level, so it's up to me to try and do it. We'd have open-top buses - I'd hire one myself."

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

The way he's gone about himself this morning really is exceptional.

What a session of snooker we've been treated to this morning and hopefully there's be a lot more coming.

Brilliant break from Wu Yize. He's back on the horse. He fell off it yesterday but he's well and truly back on it now.