Ronnie O'Sullivan compiled a historic maximum break in Sheffield tonight but his Embassy World Championship title hopes hang in the balance.
O'Sullivan became the first player to notch two 147 breaks at the Crucible to earn himself a bumper pay day of Stg£169,000.
The Rocket's sixth maximum of his career came in the seventh frame of his first-round match against Hong Kong's Marco Fu.
It took him only six minutes 30 seconds and John Higgins and Ian McCulloch - playing on the adjoining table - both halted their opening match at a crucial stage to offer their congratulations.
Higgins eventually came through a testing first match (10-7) of his own to beat Lancastrian McCulloch.
But the night belonged to O'Sullivan even though his record-breaking century failed to inspire him to end the session in front of his Hong Kong-born rival.
Asian ace Fu, who had to qualify for the Crucible, was inscrutable as he calmly took the remaining two frames to claim a 6-3 lead after the pandemonium had died down.
O'Sullivan refused to discuss his brilliant break after the session and disappeared into the night with his coach and mentor Derek Hill.
To clinch a last-16 meeting against Alan McManus or Nigel Bond - the duo waiting in the wings to complete their marathon match - O'Sullivan needs seven of the remaining 10 frames.
O'Sullivan was never in front during an entertaining session that also contained a century from 25-year-old Fu, now on the verge of his first-ever Crucible victory.
PA