Kyren Wilson holds the halfway lead in Coventry as the Championship League resumed with the start of Group 3 on Monday.
The Englishman, twice a runner-up in ranking event finals this season, won three out of his first four encounters in the round-robin stage on day one to put himself in a strong position to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Wilson began the day with a deciding frame defeat of Tom Ford, a late replacement for Anthony McGill who was forced to withdraw due to medical reasons, before adding later 3-2 triumphs against Ryan Day and Ali Carter.
The 26 year-old compiled a 131, the highest break of the event so far, as he came from behind to pip Carter, with a 3-0 reverse to Barry Hawkins the only blip in an otherwise positive day.
Hawkins, meanwhile, is among a group of four competitors in the chasing pack with two points from their initial exchanges.
Carter, Anthony Hamilton, and Mark Allen also boasted two victories apiece and will be hoping to squeeze into the top four that makes the playoffs on day two.
Day, who has become somewhat of a Championship League specialist in the last year or so, and substitute Ford have work to do as they prop up the group with just one win between them.
Coverage will continue on selected betting websites with the champion set to join Zhou Yuelong and Mark Selby in March’s Winners’ Group.
