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2nd round - best of 25 frames
End of session: Si Jiahui 7-9 Jak Jones (resumes sat 14:30)
Robert Milkins 4-13 David Gilbert
End of session: Judd Trump 11-5 Tom Ford (resumes Sat 10:00)
End of session: Shaun Murphy 3-5 Stephen Maguire (resumes Sat 10:00)
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First time watching the snooker world champs and I'm hooked already! Not sure how I've missed this before
Bryony - Portsmouth
You've not lived, Bryony!
Image source, BBC SportMaguire v Murphy (14:30 BST)
Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre
Image source, PA MediaAny meeting between Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire leads to questions about the so-called 'Chalkgate' from their match at the 2004 Grand Prix when Maguire forgot his chalk, the first-round tie was delayed and he was docked a frame.
On Monday, Murphy insisted he had not caused the referee to dock a frame away from Maguire and said: "It was a massive piece of wrong time, wrong place and bad journalism.
"People still think I had him docked a frame for forgetting his chalk, which isn’t the case. The tournament director docked him a frame because he forced the match to start late. It wasn’t the referee, it wasn’t me, it wasn’t anyone else.
"People saw me and the referee talking and assumed I had him docked a frame. I perhaps should have sat in my chair and said nothing, I was guilty of talking to the referee. It looked as if I said A, B and C and led to X, Y and Z, but it’s not the case.
"If it was today with social media, I have my platform and could communicate to people. There are more cameras and microphones so it would have been much clearer what I did say and we wouldn’t have had this non-issue for 20 years.
"But it still gets brought up, he hasn't forgotten his chalk since and he will still have it when we play."
Maguire, who won the match 5-2, felt differently and said: "We can’t resolve it because he always says he never said to the referee. But he did. He knows he did. But I’m over it."
Image source, PA MediaTrump 6-2 Ford
World number two Judd Trump had breaks of 67, 52 and 69 as he took a 6-2 lead against 14th seed Tom Ford on Thursday evening.
Trump needs seven more frames to advance into the quarter-finals and that match continues this afternoon.
Image source, Getty ImagesMichael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre
Image source, Getty ImagesDavid Gilbert needs only one more frame to move into the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship as opponent Robert Milkins struggled, throwing his cue to the ground at one point.
Milkins, the 16th seed, missed a red when 7-4 down and showed his frustrations by chucking his cue down as Gilbert managed to build a large lead before the final session.
Gilbert defeated 2023 champion Luca Brecel in the first round on the opening day and holds a commanding 12-4 advantage, with that match resuming at 19:00 BST.
Gilbert held a 6-3 lead after the first session, although Milkins won the opening frame of the day. But Gilbert then raced clear with six in a row, including breaks of 67, 84, 136 and 123.
Wales' Jak Jones, the lowest-ranked player left in the tournament at 44th in the world, enjoyed a fine opening session to lead 6-2 against 2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui of China.
Si made breaks of 50 and 64 in the opening two frames, only to lose both frames on the black, although Si made it 2-2 following breaks of 62 and 84.
However, Jones, himself a quarter-finalist last year, won the last four frames of the session, aided by breaks of 66 and 71 to gain a four-frame advantage, before that match resumes at 19:00.
Read Michael Emons' full morning session report from the Crucible here
All today's matches are second-round ties now, of course, which means those involved are already assured at least a £30,000 pay day for their efforts.
There's another £20,000 jump in earnings for the eight players who reach the quarter-finals.
Image source, BBC Sport
Ken Doherty
1997 world champion
Q: When the format switches to one table, how is it decided which table will continue as the match table and are players made aware?
Richard Sollis
Ken: Feedback from the players would be good, that’s quite important and the table fitters take that into consideration but by and large both tables should be exactly the same. Whatever table they use, people would not really know if it’s table one or table two.
The table fitters are unsung heroes because the job they do, not just at the World Championship, but around the world and they never really get enough praise for it. They have a tough job and they need more table fitters, they don’t have enough to cover the circuit.
They are always overworked and they work hard but do a magnificent job. The tables this season have been magnificent so whatever table it is, it’s going to be perfect for a wonderful final.
Second round (best of 25). All times BST - seedings in brackets
14:30
Stephen Maguire v (8) Shaun Murphy
(3) Judd Trump 6-2 (14) Tom Ford
19:00
David Gilbert 12-4 (16) Robert Milkins *to a finish
Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui
Live coverage
Now-18:00 - BBC Two
19:00-21:00 - BBC Four
Highlights
23:15-00:05 - BBC Two (unavailable in Wales)
00:05-02:05 - World Championship Extra - BBC Two
Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two
Who's the greatest player never to win the world championship?
James Sullivan, Portsmouth
Ken: It will have to be Jimmy White. He was one of my heroes and he’s one of my friends now. To watch him lose six finals was devastating. He came so close but just came up against Steve Davis, John Parrott and four times Stephen Hendry, who was so hard to beat at the Crucible.
Jimmy was just a bit unlucky, he had his chance and six finals is hard to take, but like a man and the person he is he took it on the chin and is still going.
Of the current crop, Ding Junhui without a shadow of doubt. I would love to see him win it. It would be great for him and great for the game.
He deserves it and has given a lot to the game and a lot for the game in China and here in Sheffield with the Academy looking after young Chinese players. If anybody deserves to win it, he does it.
Si 2-6 Jones
Si Jiahui rattles a green in the jaws of the pocket when on a break of 45 and a rash attempt when snookered on the yellow allows his opponent in.
Jak Jones makes no mistake and clears up the colours to establish a four-frame advantage before the players return at 19:00 BST.
Image source, .Si 2-5 Jones
That is now three frames of the seven played that Jak Jones has come from behind to snatch on the black.
He's opened up a three-frame lead in doing so and looking set to gain a measure of revenge for compatriot Mark Williams, who Si Jiahui upset 10-9 in the first round.
One frame of this first session to go - and Si badly needs it to stay in touch.
Image source, BBC SportKen Doherty
1997 world champion
Q: Who are your top five players of the Crucible era and why?
Adam
Ken: My hero is Alex Higgins starting off so he would have to be the first one. 1982 was an iconic year for the World Championship.
Jimmy White would be second, Ronnie would have to be there, John Higgins and possibly the most iconic final has to be 1985 with Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis so I would have those two as well, so it’s a top six!
Milkins 4-12 Gilbert
Robert Milkins has struggled but take nothing away from David Gilbert, who has been simply sensational following the mid-session interval.
Runs of 67, 84, 136 and, to finish off, a 123, have helped the Tamworth potter extend his overnight 5-3 lead into a commanding 12-4 advantage.
He'll need just one frame to seal a quarter-final place when the players return at 19:00 BST.
Si 2-4 Jones
There's been a break of 50 or more in every frame in what is developing into a very high-quality contest between qualifiers Jak Jones and Si Jiahui.
Jones has just produced a contribution of 71 to again move two frames ahead of his Chinese opponent, having earlier led 2-0.
The winner of this one will meet Judd Trump or Tom Ford in the quarter-finals - that pair resume their last-16 match this afternoon with Trump holding a useful 6-2 lead.
Ken Doherty
1997 world champion
Q: What happens if a player has a situation of a white ball touching a red when going for a colour?
Mike R
Ken: It’s OK as long as the red does not move. If it’s touching ball you can play away from the red. If the red moves it’s a push shot and it’s a foul but if it doesn’t move it’s OK.
Milkins 4-11 Gilbert
Robert Milkins is clearly struggling with a neck issue, has been all morning.
He goes in-off with a poor attempt at a cut red to middle and David Gilbert shows no mercy, compiling a cracking 136 total clearance to move within two frames of victory.
One more frame in this session to come. Milkins needs to win it to have any chance of launching a fightback in the final session this evening.
Milkins 4-10 Gilbert
David Gilbert has his tail up. He bangs in a brilliant long red after the Robert Milkins break-off and keeps the Milkman in his seat with an 84 break.
Misses a red with a possible century on but Gilbert won't worry too much - he's three frames away from a quarter-final place and £50,000 prize money guaranteed.
Image source, Getty ImagesStereo 60+ breaks on both tables.
Jak Jones hits a 66 to nudge 3-2 ahead of Si Jiahui.
And David Gilbert goes a point better, with a run of 67 stretching his lead over Robert Milkins to 9-4. First to 13 in the second round, remember. That match will be played to a finish tonight.
Milkins 4-8 Gilbert, Jones 2-2 Si Jiahui
Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre
Robert Milkins is a heart-on-the-sleeve kind of guy, brutally honest in interviews and a hugely popular figure among fans and media alike.
After he scraped through the first round with a 10-9 win over Pang Junxu, Milkins described himself as "a dodgy horse" that doesn't want to stay in front.
Could the 16th seed be falling at the last-16 hurdle at the Crucible? He missed a red, flings his cue to the ground, only for opponent David Gilbert to then miss his next shot with Milkins quickly having to use his cue again.
Gilbert, a semi-finalist here five years ago, is the one keeping his cool at the moment and only needs five more frames to move into the quarter-finals.
Over on table two, nothing to split Jak Jones and Si Jiahui, a match-up between two non-seeded players and that's at 2-2 in the early stages with a long way to go in that one.
Ken Doherty
1997 world champion
Q: When it’s the two-table set up, is there enough room for proper cueing, when it's on the edge nearest the screen? How difficult is it?Laurence, Southampton
Ken: For me, because I’m not that tall it’s never a problem! Neil Robertson is quite tall and always found it a problem because he walks into the shot and needs a few more steps. But there’s plenty of room.
That’s one of the reasons why the atmosphere is so good, because of the screen and the noise when you’re at the table, because you’re sitting next to your opponent and the crowd are so close to you. They are all things that make the Crucible so very special. Yes, it’s a bit cramped, but it’s still fantastic.