Good evening
Hello again - who is ready for another evening of world class snooker?
On table one we've got the conclusion of our final first round match, with fourth seed and 2010 world champion Neil Robertson leading Pang Junxu 5-4.
Over on table two, 2024 world champion Kyren Wilson begins his second round match against two-time semi-finalist Mark Allen.
Click the 'Watch & Listen' tab for streaming options for both matches.
Recap: Vafaei progresses and Murphy in control
That's a wrap for the afternoon session.
Hossein Vafaei was in scintillating form as he finished the job against Si Jiahui with a 10-3 victory to book his place in the second round.
In doing so, he became the first qualifier to progress from the first round this year, while the wait for all 16 seeds to reach the second round of a World Championship goes on.
Vafaei will face world number one Judd Trump in round two, with that match beginning on Saturday (14:30 BST).
On table one, Shaun Murphy raced into a 4-0 lead against Xiao Guodong, but let his opponent back into the match and leads 6-2.
That second round match will resume tomorrow morning (10:00 BST).
Murphy back in control
Murphy 6-2 Xiao
Shaun Murphy stops the rot to end the session with a four-frame lead.
Murphy begins by potting the cue ball off the break, allowing Xiao to go 15 points ahead. The pair trade safeties, and Murphy recovers with a break of 61.
The Magician misses a red that gives Xiao a sniff - albeit requiring a snooker - but the Wuhan champion misses a great opportunity on pink.
Xiao keeps failing to snooker Murphy and Murphy keeps failing to pot, until he finally cracks Xiao and finishes with a trick shot on pink to take the frame 79-33.
Vafaei relishing 'best match' against world number one Trump
Si 3-10 Vafaei
Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible
Iran's Hossein Vafaei's 10-3 win earlier today over China's Si Jiahui sets up a last-16 tie with world number one Judd Trump.
In his post-match news conference, Vafaei said: "He is one of my friends and a nice guy on and off the table. He is the world number one so it's the best match. I'm getting a lot of support from back home and they would love me to do very good in this tournament.
"Si is one of the best players China has so was a tough opponent for me, I respect his game and I'm one of his fans, he is such a great player."
All of the opening 14 matches in the tournament were won by the seeded player, although Vafaei's victory ensures there cannot be a round one clean sweep.
However, the record of 15 out of the 16 seeds winning in the first round, set in 1983 and matched in 1993, could be equaled, but only if fourth seed Neil Robertson defeats China's Pang Junxu.
The Australian, the 2010 world champion, holds a 5-4 lead, with that match played to a finish in Thursday's evening session from 19:00 BST.
Post
Murphy 5-2 Xiao
John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two
Shaun Murphy's concentration has gone into hibernation.
You have your man at 5-0, you've got to keep pressing on. Every ball is important. Keep that level of concentration up.
It's not intentional, it's just something that creeps in now and again.
If he gets out of this session and it's only 5-3, after the way he was completely dominant earlier in this match, it will turn out to be a disappointing lead.
Xiao finds rhythm
Murphy 5-2 Xiao
Xiao Guodong has a great early opportunity to take control of the frame, but he carelessly canons the cue ball off the yellow while potting a red. He then looks to edge in the brown, but he overcuts it.
He recovers his composure to build a break of 30, but that yellow comes back to haunt him as it covers all potable options.
Murphy plays an extraordinary plant from distance on a free shot, but then misses a relatively straightforward black.
Xiao takes the frame 71-10. Has Murphy gone off the boil?
'Amazing achievement for me and my country'
Si 3-10 Vafaei
Hossein Vafaei speaking to BBC Sport after reaching the second round with a 10-3 victory against Si Jiahui: "I'm pleased with my performance, I played well and managed the game very well.
"As everyone knows Si Jiahui is a great talent, one of the stars of Chinese snooker. I respect him a lot, he is a tough opponent, he was playing very attacking and it was hard to control. I did really well.
"The Crucible is the dream of every young snooker player. To have a win in the first round is an amazing achievement for me and my country."
On facing Judd Trump next, who has twice eliminated him at the World Championship: "I'm a totally different player now, who knows what is going to happen. No one knows what kind of form I will come with.
"It's a fascinating match. Hopefully I can make a good performance for people to enjoy.
"On and off the table we are friends. I hope he [Trump] shows a good performance for the fans."
When the lights came on mid-frame
Murphy 4-0 Xiao
Michael Emons
BBC Sport at the Crucible
There was a bizarre incident during Shaun Murphy's opening game against Fan Zhengyi, in frame 17 when it was 8-8.
Murphy was taking a shot and the light from the other table, which had been turned off as the match between Judd Trump and Gary Wilson had finished, was switched on.
Murphy made the pot on the blue, but after a brief delay, then potted his next effort while using the rest but instantly ran out of position and had to play safe, although he still won the frame. He also won the match 10-9 thanks to a superb break of 50 in the final frame when trailing 53-17.
Despite the victory, Murphy was unhappy with the incident and said afterwards: "That was a new one, I've never had that before. We don't ask for much as snooker players, but leave the lights off.
"As soon as I got to pot the blue, I saw the reflection and it affected the way I hit the ball, it affected the shot.
"I came off the table straight after and saw the tournament director and said 'whether I win or lose, you've got to look at it'. I won that frame to go 9-8, but that should not happen - it was poor."
A World Snooker Tour spokesman said: "This unfortunate incident was caused by a technical issue and we are taking steps to prevent it from happening again."
