World Snooker Championship 2026 recap – Dazzling Wu Yize lights up the Crucible to charge clear of Mark Allen in semi-final
Updated 30/04/2026 at 22:07 GMT+1
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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates from the first session of the second semi-final between Mark Allen and Wu Yize at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The other semi-final is a battle of former champions, with Shaun Murphy and John Higgins facing off over the best of 33 frames.
'So, so clever' - Robertson pots amazing red off another ball
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wu dazzles to leave Allen facing uphill task
Wu Yize's potting wowed the Crucible crowd as he opened up a four-frame lead in the first session of his World Championship semi-final against Mark Allen.
The Chinese wonderkid refused to take a backward step in a mesmerising, aggressive display of snooker.
The pair had been all-square at 2-2 after four frames, with each registering a pair of 50+ breaks.
But the 22-year-old ran away with things after the interval, putting safety to the back of his mind as he showed an ice-cool temperament and clinical potting in breaks of 57, 78 and 64 to go 5-2 up.
Wu's cue ball control was not quite there, but it did not bother him, as running out of position was merely a minor inconvenience, rectified by sinking shot after shot.
Allen had his chance in the final frame of the night though, with a missed black off its spot paving the way for his opponent to clean up for a 6-2 advantage.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 6-2 Allen (91-42)
And down yellow and green go. As down the brown, blue, pink and black.
What an absolutely magnificent display of snooker from Wu Yize, who wins four on the bounce and has a commanding lead going into tomorrow afternoon.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (*64-42)
Allen misses with his first attempt at an escape, before hitting with his second, but he leaves it in a pottable position near the left middle.
Down it goes, as does the black. Then another red and black.
We're onto the colours now. Yellow cand green needed for the frame.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (44-42)
A black accompanies that red, off which he attempts to screw back of the two remaining reds.
A nasty kiss doesn't help him, but there is a chance of a pot to the right corner.
Wu takes it on and misses, only for the cue ball to snooker Allen behind the blue!
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (*37-42)
So, a chance for Wu. There's an easy enough red to start, into the left corner, but he finishes the wrong side of the blue with the cue ball.
He rolls that home, before a terrific pot on a red that is drilled into the pocket.
He will need a good positional play off the blue to open up a pair of reds below the pink spot.
The contact on them is nothing more than a gentle kiss, but that's all that is needed.
The extended rest will be required for this one. Another deft flick into the right corner. And he plays it perfectly.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (24-42)
This has been brilliant from Allen. So cool and calm.
Each pot has been in the heart of the pocket and his positional play has been excellent.
Ah. Hold that thought. He tries to clatter a black off its spot and misses.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (24-19*)
A poor shot from Wu next time, though, catching the red too thick and sticking it over the right corner.
Allen converts it and adds the black.
The table actually looks pretty hand for him here. The big scoring colours are all free and there's enough reds out in the open.
It will also settle him down that after two frames without potting a ball, he's back in amongst them here.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (24-4)
Some minor thinking for Wu to do, as he's left with a tough safety due to the cue ball's proximity to the yellow.
He misses the reds altogether, but escapes second time with a good shot.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (24-0)
This frame feels like a huge one in the context of the match, and therefore you feel Allen needs to take it.
Wu is the first man with hand on table though, starting with another glorious pot, a long red to the left corner that leaves the commentary team purring.
After taking a baulk colour with it, he can gain position around the reds, and nudges the black into play too.
This next shot is tricky though. The white is near the top cushion. The black is a cut back into the left corner.
He tries to hold the cue ball up for a red near the pink, but he runs too close to the blue and has to play safe.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 5-2 Allen (64-0)
No century, as he misses a red with the rest, but the job is well and truly done for the frame.
Wu stretches his advantage to three frames and will lead tonight.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen (*64-0)
A further red and blue given him a 54 points lead. If he wins this frame in one visit it would be ridiculous.
Joe Johnson, on commentary, calls it "one of the best breaks I've seen."
One more red and blue take him 60 in front. Snookers are already required.
He adds another red into the left corner. That's his insurance. A beautiful green into the pocket is even better. This is sublime.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen (*48-0)
He will have to go into those reds at some point, and rejects one opportunity off the blue.
A second comes along, and he gently catches the black before running into two of them.
That has not gone to plan. He might - whisper it quietly - have to play a safety here.
Or, he could try and outrageous cut back, using the rest, into the right corner.
This is Wu Yize. Of course he takes the second option.
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'Nerves of steel' - Wu sinks brilliant black
Video credit: TNT Sports
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen (*39-0)
This has been another superb break. There's a lovely touch of control shown with a blue to the left middle, deftly holding the cue ball for a red to the right corner.
Scoring isn't as heavy as it could be, with pink and black tied up, but they may well be freed soon.
The lead he's building is also very handy. Six of the remaining reds are below the black spot and currently out of commission.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen (*21-0)
Wu's potting this evening has been outrageous, it really has, and he continues that with a thumping opening red in frame seven that rattles into the left corner.
The cue ball cannons into the pink, which isn't idea, as that ball's now tied up, as is the black, so a lot of work is having to be done to go up for the blue or baulk colours.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen
So, with six frames of eight down for the evening, Wu knows if he wins one more tonight, he will be leading going into tomorrow.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 4-2 Allen (78-0)
No, in short.
In more depth, he misses a pink to the left middle, again catching the knuckle, but the damage is already done.
Allen stays in his chair. Wu opens up a two-frame cushion for a second time.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen (*77-0)
And with potting so clinically, he quickly passes the snookers required stage. Now, can he get a century?
World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen (*54-0)
This break is one of those Wu Yize specials where, no matter how tough the pot looks, he's going to take it on. Playing a safety is at the back of his mind.
There's a delightful red into the green pocket, played from near the pink spot, then a blue, which he has again finished the wrong side of, but manages to get the cue ball up and down.
He has never really had control of the cue ball here, but reaches 54 with a long blue to the green pocket again.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen (*29-0)
Wu is on the march again at the start of frame six. A poor safety from Allen leaves a red over the right corner, which the 22-year-old gently pots, playing the cue ball cushion first.
Two reds and blacks to start, but he then has to go up for the blue, which he finishes the wrong side of.
He makes the same mistake a second time, leaving a very tough red to the right corner, but this time pots it perfectly and gets a perfect cue ball on the black.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen
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World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen
That was the longest frame of the night, by the way, at a little over 25 minutes.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 3-2 Allen (91-40)
And that may be end of frame. A double kiss on the yellow leaves it too close to the green pocket for comfort.
Using the rest, Wu converts, then adds the green. A glorious double on the brown keeps him going, before impressively adding blue and pink.
He's back in front.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (71-40)
But that encounter ends when Allen is snookered, and his escape sees him leave the red near the middle pocket.
It's a very, very thin cut back for Wu, but he plays it brilliantly, safe in the knowledge that he doesn't need the cue ball.
He only takes the one point, instead pushing the brown safe. Allen requires a four-point snooker to tie.
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Wu pots superb thin red to leave Allen needing snookers
Video credit: TNT Sports
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (70-40)
The snooker isn't a great one though, as the cue ball isn't tight enough to the green.
Allen easily escapes, responding with a snooker of his own, only for Wu to hit off one cushion.
In fact, it's time for the first proper tactical battle of the match, with both players manoeuvring the red around the table.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (70-40)
After a mini safety battle, Wu plays a safety that sees the white rock up against the green. It's a huge stroke of luck.
Allen is massively hampered as he attempts his shot, and goes in-off.
Four points to Wu, but also a free ball, as he can't see the final red.
He takes the brown as his additional red, then adds the brown before running through off the cushion for the red, which is near the baulk cushion.
The potting angle on it isn't great, so he goes in behind the green with a snooker.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (61-40)
Two reds left. 27 behind.
He sinks the first of them, using the rest, while also attempting to bring the pink into play, but fails to do so.
Blue added with a positional shot that comes up just short of prime position on the remaining red.
Cue ball near the middle pocket, he tries to cut into the right corner, but misses. Fortunately, it goes safe, tight on the top cushion.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (61-34*)
To the naked eye, it looks like there's nothing on for Wu as he returns to the table.
He thinks there's a plant on two reds just below the pink spot, but it's nowhere near.
Now another chance for Allen. He takes the first red, and gets a handy kiss on the pink to hold for the blue!
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (61-28)
A slight issue is when the pink gets respotted, it means he can't get to the red he wanted to, the easier one, to the right corner.
There's one more left in the open, a deft cut back to the left corner, and it goes into the heart of the pocket.
He's not quite content, a little wry smile at the cue ball finishing the wrong side of the pink, so he can only hold for a red which requires the rest.
And he pushes that onto the knuckle. Break over.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (61-21*)
Wu pulled off a huge steal in frame two, when Allen was set to win it, only to fall down.
Could the Northern Irishman return the favour now? There's every chance of it.
He takes pinks with his first two reds.
Five of them are left on the table, and when he pots on, it releases another.
His issue is that the cue ball falls the wrong side of the blue. He's got to think about a tough pink to the left corner instead.
This could be make or break for the frame. In it goes.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (61-0)
Six reds and blacks now, with the cue ball jumping up in the air off the last of them, such is the power Wu puts into it.
He doesn't lose position though, far from it. In fact, he's just coolly plotting his way around the table.
Eight reds, and it should be eight blacks, but he misses a straight forward black, cutting it high.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (*44-0)
Four reds and blacks, and now a look at a plant to the right corner. It's dead set and goes right in the heart of the pocket, opening up another on too.
He accompanies that with another black, which he impressively cuts home left handed.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (*28-0)
An easy started is also pushed over the middle pocket for Wu to get underway, while he can roll the cue ball on for the black.
Quite a few balls have come away from the pack here, and there is an opportunity for the 22-year-old to score very heavily and very quickly.
He goes into the pack off the third black, and they split even more sweetly.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (4-0)
And we are back underway, albeit Wu maybe catches the referee off guard, given he is breaking off as some instructions are being order to the auditorium.
Eitherway, it's a good start, leaving the cue ball behind the green and near the baulk cushion.
There's one red for Allen to attempt a pot on, to the left corner. It's a long one, and he completely miscues. It misses the pocket by around six inches, and worse still the white drops in.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen
Jimmy White and Alan McManus are doing the studio analysis for TNT Sports on this one.
They're both thoroughly enjoying the entertainment on view, as are we.
But there's some interesting chat about the speed of play.
Allen is averaging around 27 seconds per shot, compared to Wu's 18.
White suggests the Pistol is at his best when he's working around the balls at 22 seconds per shot.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-2 Allen (1-76)
There isn't quite enough left on the table for a century, and the last two reds are tight on the cushion.
He tries to double the penultimate one, but it catches the knuckle and stays up.
Job done, though. We are all square going into the mid-session interval. The quality so far has been superb.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (1-68*)
Such a lead means we are not far away from frame blame. He takes two reds, accompanied by a blue and then at last a black.
That means Wu will not be coming back to the table.
Another red is the insurance, and he cuts it nicely back into the left corner. Yellow added. Now, can he finish with a flourish?
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (1-51*)
Off his next red, Allen opens up the cluster below the pink, and that shot goes really well for him.
They spread nicely, while he's also on the blue.
One more red, and another blue, give him a 50-point lead with six reds left on the table.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (1-39*)
That gives Allen a chance to come back to the table. He takes the first red, which is at the bottom of the pack, and then earns raptuous applause from the audience for a beautiful long red up into the green pocket.
That gives him position on another to the right corner. He's in a very handy position on the table now.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (1-27)
The break ends at 20, though, with Allen failing to cut a red back into the right corner, missing by quite a distance.
He leaves a mid-distance shot for Wu to get underway. He plays it left-handed, and pots.
The black is next, but - and how's your luck? - he sends one of the pack into the right corner!
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (0-20*)
We are back underway! Thankfully the power cut does not last too long, and the players return to the baize.
And Allen, keen to build on that frame, is quickly in among the balls after a miss from Wu.
He starts with an excellent red, adds a green and then gets position at the business end of the table.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen
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World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen
Speaking on TNT's coverage, presenter Radzi Chinyanganya says: "There has been a power cut. There is an issue with power.
"We don't know when that will be resolved. We don't really know what the situation is."
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen
We've got a pause in play now. The broadcast cameras inside the Crucible have gone down, so the players have been taken off the table for the time being.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-1 Allen (0-103)
Allen eventually cleans up the rest of the table, up to and including the brown, in double-quick time.
He misses out on the first century of the match after failing to sink the blue, meaning he ends up on 91.
However, it's an excellent visit, and an important one, that will surely settle any nerves after going 2-0 down.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-0 Allen (0-85*)
A little shake of the head from Allen as he finishes slightly straight on the blue. But he's still undeterred.
He rumbles on, finding better position and scoring heavily to move past the snookers required stage.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-0 Allen (0-30*)
Wu's safety leaves a pot on a red to the right middle, which Allen takes nicely.
He adds a green, but again loses position on the cue ball, which is above the pack.
What will he do from here? The answer is to not take a step back. A beautiful pot with the rest, cutting into the left corner from a difficult angle.
It looks like he'll have to play safe again after the cue ball ends up on the left cushion just north of the blue line.
However, another aggressive shot comes out, on the blue. Position is finally found with his next red, which is taken with a black.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-0 Allen (0-12)
It doesn't go in, though. Now it's a question of how his luck is, because he screwed into the pack off the red, spreading them slightly and leaving the cue ball on the blue spot.
Wu is an attacking player. There's one red sticking out. But he isn't attempting a pot. A safety of his own.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-0 Allen (0-12*)
So; how will Mark Allen responds? He will be keen to get at least one frame on the board before the mid-session interval, and probably feels he should have taken the last one.
He starts frame three in superb fashion with a long red to the right corner, while leaving the cue ball above the baulk line, meaning he has a choice of colours.
Green is his preference, and that, followed by a red, gives him position around the black spot.
He does finish a little straight on that, so screws back across the table for a loose ball to the right corner, which will require the rest.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 2-0 Allen (75-59)
Wu clears up all the remaining reds, taking a green off the final one to leave him 14 behind with 27 left on the table.
If he steals from here, it would be a hammer blow for Allen, and he does just that. He doubles his lead.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (*36-59)
Wu puts Allen in a spot of bother with a snooker behind the yellow.
The Northern Irishman, coming off three cushions, misses with his first attempt, but gets a nice hit on the second.
Wu is now left considering a double, but instead opts for a safety.
Allen plans a safety of his own, but sticks a red over the right corner. It's not a great shot, and his opponent takes full advantage, before sinking the black that was over the left corner. He's back in.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (16-59)
This is a really calm and composed visit from Allen. There's a particularly lovely red across the top cushion, although he comes up a little short on the cue ball.
A black and another red and colour from here will leave Wu needing snookers, but he undercuts the black.
43 he leads with four reds remaining.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (16-34*)
Allen does lose position off his second colour. The result is a tough red into the green pocket, and it goes down nicely.
That is followed by a blue, off which he brings the cue ball back to the business end of the table for a loose red at the bottom of the pack.
That one going leaves him on the black, off which he takes the white off the side cushion and into a cluster of four below the pink spot.
A decliate cut back into the left corner is his best option, and it beautifully drops in.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (16-15*)
The red that Wu leaves for Allen is a bit easier this time too; a pot into the right middle that goes right in the heart of the pocket.
That's his first point of the match, and another six follows with the pink, which was on the blue spot.
That shot gives him position around the reds. Perhaps he can now put up a big score of his own.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (16-0)
Wu goes into the pack off his second black. He gets plenty of power behind it, but his luck is out.
The cue ball is left just an inch or two away from a red. He feels his way out is to pot into the right corner, but it hits the knuckle.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (*8-0)
Allen slumps back to his chair as he sticks a red over the left corner. It's a routine pot for Wu, but he over-cuts it.
There is a chance for the Pistol to respond, with a long red to the same pocket, but it misses by some distance.
Even worse, there's a chance for his opponent, who bounces back to the table to send a red into the right corner, before quickly adding the black.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 1-0 Allen (77-0)
Wu won't start the night with a century though. He tries to flick the reds below the pink spot into position, but a gentle kiss means he loses position.
77, more than enough to win the frame, and leaving Allen, already, with some thinking to do.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 0-0 Allen (*69-0)
It does not all go swimmingly well, as a Wu marginally loses position, finishing high on a red to the right corner, but it does not bother him whatsoever.
On he strides, with a further split on the four reds below the pink spot to bring a couple more into the open.
Blue, red, black and Allen already needs snookers.
World Championship LIVE - Wu 0-0 Allen (*47-0)
The big shot is the split, which he does off the black, and he catches the bottom of the pack nicely.
One red comes up to just to the left of the middle pocket, and he can sink that, while coming in and out of baulk for the blue.
He's scoring quickly and heavily, although did we really expect anything else?
World Championship LIVE - Wu 0-0 Allen (*20-0)
What a way to start for Wu. He has a red to the right corner, but instead plays a superb double, that allows him to just about hold for the black.
That goes down, with the cue ball going up the table for a long red to the right corner, which also disappears.
A subsequent blue and a further blue shows his positional play is on point. He's well underway.
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'Very attacking shot' - Wu opens up semi-final with dazzling double
Video credit: TNT Sports
World Championship LIVE - Wu 0-0 Allen (0-0)
An incredible ovation meets both players as they enter the auditorium, and after that, we are underway, with Wu breaking off and then Allen attempting a long red to the left corner.
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
Jimmy is also predicting a high-scoring match. "I think there'll be at least eight centuries," he says, with both players getting "four each."
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
"It's a spin of coin," says TNT Sports' Jimmy White with regards to who might win this one.
"I don't think Wu Yize will crumble. First time in the semi-final, I think he's full of confidence.
"Mark Allen's got experience, he's got plenty of bottle, he believes his A-Game is the best in the world, he believes he should be World Champion.
"It's going to be a real tough match for both players."
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
Mark Allen has been speaking to TNT Sports ahead of his semi-final.
"It's just great for me to be back in that one-table set-up. I'm going to try and enjoy every moment."
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
In case you missed it, the other semi-final got underway this afternoon, when four-time champion John Higgins took on the 2005 winner Shaun Murphy.
They'll resume tomorrow, but are locked at 4-4 after the opening eight frames.
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
Good evening and welcome to tonight's coverage from Sheffield, where the second semi-final will get underway shortly.
Wu Yize, who stormed past Hossein Vafaei last night, takes on Mark Allen, who reached the last four after beating Barry Hawkins.
World Championship LIVE - Wu v Allen
Play will get underway at 19:00 UK time.
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'That is beautiful' - Higgins slides red past pink to make pot
Video credit: TNT Sports
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