Yan's first attempt comes up a little short but his next, which has a touch more pace, still drifts by his intended target.

He's left Higgins with a red along the bottom cushion. The Scot will not be asking for the white to be put back this time around.

Coming into the final John Higgins said he was a little bit "envious" watching the UK Championship final between Neil Robertson and Judd Trump.

And when you've not been at the business end of a tournament for a while that's pretty understandable but I'd imagine that he will not want to still be at the table come midnight.

Greg: Could be a midnight finish here, I think it’ll go to a decider but not sure who will get over the line.

Higgins sends the ball up the table but with a red perched over the bottom right bag both players are having to try and stay left and keep it covered.

Yan eventually leaves Higgins with a snick into the pocket but he decides that there is no value in taking on a pot next and tucks his opponent up behind the brown.

Five reds are in the open. Yan's got a bit of thinking to do.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

I can't believe this.

A brilliant swerve shot from Yan gets him up and running as he taps in a long red and holds for position on the black.

It's not a frame-winning chance though. His break ends abruptly on 41, with the white in the middle of five reds that don't pot.

Remarkable. Both players foul under-hitting the white the inch or so it needs to move to rest safely on a red.

The players are back. Here we go again. Can John Higgins prevail?

The four-time world champion, has 30 ranking titles to his name but last won a Triple Crown event at the 2011 World Championship.

His most recent individual title came at the 2018 Welsh Open. So far so good here though.

Image source, World Snooker

Before we get down to business again also just a quick round-up on Shot of the Championship.

The Shaun Murphy pot really is something else.

Image source, BBC Sport

Chris: I really miss Paul Hunter. Always breaks my heart when he's mentioned. One of Leeds' best, taken far too young. He would've gone on to be one of the greatest players of all time.

Snap Chris. Great player.

BBC Two

If you haven't already, tune in to the BBC Two coverage, which you can also do by clicking play at the top of this page.

Absolutely belting feature on the history of the Masters and all its iconic moments, currently being shown.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

You'd be hard-pressed to find four better frames of matchplay snooker than that. Yan Bingtao has played brilliantly to win the first two frames but Higgins has shown if you're not as hard as nails you need not apply to play this game.

He's shown grit and tenacity after sitting in his chair for two frames, but then he has come back and gone bang, bang have a bit of that.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

I don't think after the first couple of frames you'd have expected to have found us sitting here praising John Higgins to the hilt.

After those two frames, he looks like he is ready to win.

First century sees Higgins regain two-frame leadpublished at 20:49 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2021

20:49 GMT 17 January 2021

Frame 12: Higgins 7-5 Yan

S.E.N.S.A.T.I.O.N.A.L

What a session, what a break of 116 from Higgins, who clears up to regain his two-frame lead.

Yan has asked questions of Higgins but the Scot has come up with the answers.

And this is an emphatic one. He's on course for a first century of the match.

How good is this?

Brilliant from Higgins, who opens up the reds further with an aggressive pot on the black.

Looks well on course to restore his two-frame lead here. Who would have thought it at 5-5, with Yan on top?

First blood Higgins, after Yan gets a nasty cannon to leave a red over the right middle.

He can only make 11 before he gets another chance courtesy of a missed long red by his 20-year-old opponent.

In goes a mid-range red but the brown to follow is something else, smashing into the pack and leaving a red to the bottom left corner.

That safety exchange was going nowhere quick so a re-rack was a very decent option.

Dennis Taylor
1985 world champion on BBC Two

It's like John has thrown down the gauntlet to Yan with that last frame. It's like he is saying 'have a go at a long pot but you better get it, otherwise you will leave me in'.

Higgins knocks in a long red but can't hold for position. He and Yan look determined to keep it tight here.

Both have a whiff of a long red but neither flinches, instead safety comes first.