John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

He's got to be winning the frame from here.

Seven reds out in the open.

Oof, 10 consecutive frames, great stat Steve.

It might not be 11 though.

For perhaps the first time this afternoon, Mark Selby fails to punish a Trump error, making only seven and missing a black off the spot.

Huge chance for Judd to get on the board.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at York Barbican

After defeating Shaun Murphy last night Mark Selby spoke about having to play somewhere near his best to just be able to compete with Judd Trump today.

He was superb against Murphy but has found another gear, possibly even another two, today.

He has now won 10 consecutive frames against Judd Trump if you go back to his Champion of Champions triumph last month. Who does that?

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC One

You just have to remain faithful to the fact that possibly things don't stay the same and turn around.

The relentlessness that Mark Selby has been showing - can he continue that? If he can, brilliant.

You thought Mark Selby had lost what made him great before - once that bubble bursts it's hard to get it back, so this is even better because of that.

Fortune is deserting Judd Trump a bit.

He tries to smash into the pack of reds in potting the blue and lands on nothing. Safety shot the only option and the break is halted at 24.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC One

It's doing some air miles this cue ball.

First big chance in frame six goes to Judd Trump after Mark Selby misses a very tough long red with the cue ball tight on the baulk cushion.

He's struggling with his positional play though - having to pull out some superb pots to get the break even into double figures.

But so far, he's getting them...

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC One

When you're in the chair anger and frustration can turn to embarrassment.

You don't want to hear the crowd laughing and things like that, because Selby's enjoying yourself and you're in pain in your chair - it's horrible.

In a couple of frames Judd has potted long balls at the beginning but he's not been able to convert - the fourth frame was the worst one, but apart from that he can't get into the frames.

Selby has never played like this though, I can't remember him playing as well as this.

Image source, Getty Images

Once upon a time, a 147 break was snooker's golden goose.

Now, the once rarely seen maximum is happening with more and more regularity.

We've not had one in York yet - but Chang Bingyu's 147 during the qualifiers in Wigan was a record 16th of the season, with half the season still to go.

There have been an eye-watering 25 this calendar year - so why are they occurring with such regularity?

105 break by Selbypublished at 15:17 GMT 7 December 2025

15:17 GMT 7 December 2025

Trump 0-5 Selby

After that fluke, Mark Selby completes the century but not the clearance, running out of position on 105 but still taking the frame for a 5-0 lead.

We had a reader mention a 10-0 whitewash at the interval - I thought that was fanciful, but now...

Unbelievable. Mark Selby misses the cannon on the final red which is wedged next to the yellow.

Looks like break over - but Selby just smashes them, hoping for the best - and the red flies up and down the table and back in the yellow pocket.

The crowd goes absolutely wild.

Snookers required, frame over, can we get a first century of the final?

Well a simply wonderful thin cut on a red with the rest keeps those hopes alive... up to 87.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC One

You couldn't place the reds much better now.

We're back under way at the Barbican - and, well it's more of the same.

Judd Trump misses - narrowly, it must be said - a long red.

Mark Selby pots it, follows it with a brilliantly measured black up into the yellow pocket - and a couple of shots later he splits the pack open and this could be 5-0...

Steve Davis' victory in Preston in 1980 was the first of his six UK Championships and began a decade of dominance, which also including six World Championship titles at the Crucible.

"It [the 1980 UK win] stamped my name on the trophy but also on what was going to happen for the rest of the 1980s," said Davis. "That was me, all of a sudden, going 'here I am'.

"The game was starting to feel very easy for me. Any time I got left a long ball, I fancied it and I knocked it in. I made significant breaks and started to be scoring heavier than anyone else.

"Word was out among the players that this guy is starting to play some strong stuff, in the same way as when Stephen Hendry started to do in the 1990s.

"The place where it started for me was that UK Championship and I used that as a springboard. After that, I felt like I was unbeatable at the Guild Hall. I felt like that was my office, more so than the Worlds."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

It is 45 years since Steve Davis won the first of his six UK Championships and he spoke to the BBC's Framed podcast about his success in Preston in 1980, which was his first major title.

"I'd had a couple of years as a professional trying to learn my trade, and everybody telling the world I was going to be one of the best players in the world, but you've still got to prove it," said Davis, who is working as a BBC pundit in York this week.

"It was the first time I came of age as a player. I got to the semi-finals, I remember lying in the bath at the hotel and it dawning on me: 'I could win this'.

"I not only won it, I won it at a canter and beat Alex Higgins in the final ridiculously convincingly."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking of the Rocket, he might not be in today's final but Ronnie O'Sullivan is never far from snooker's headlines.

And, somewhat unbelievably, he turned 50 (FIFTY!) this week.

The BBC Sport website marked the occasion with a feature article looking at his most memorable moments in the game.

There's also a special episode of More Than the Score to listen to below, as they ask if snooker will ever see another player like him.