Wu Yize and Mark Allen produced a session of spellbinding snooker and finished locked at 11-11 to perfectly set up the final session of their World Championship semi-final at the Crucible Theatre.
Resuming at 7-7 on Saturday, the third session of the match was a complete contrast to their epic slugfest on Friday, which produced the longest frame ever played at the famous venue.
China's Wu set the tone, opening with a sublime 142 and also constructing breaks of 76 and 121 to lead 10-8 at the mid-session interval.
However, Allen, who is attempting to become the first player from Northern Ireland to reach the final since Dennis Taylor in 1985, showed he had also thrown off the shackles of negativity. The 40-year-old enjoyed a run of 56, and well-crafted breaks of 85 and 99 enabled him to draw level at 10-10.
Wu, 22, who defeated Lei Peifan, Mark Selby and Hossein Vafaei to reach the last four, responded with 140, his third century of the day. But as the tension increased, in what felt like an important concluding frame to the session, Wu was unable to capitalise after getting the first opportunity. That allowed Allen, who could become the oldest first-time winner at the Crucible, to make a couple of useful contributions and ensure there was nothing to divide the pair.
They return to play the final session of their best-of-33 encounter at 19:00 BST on Saturday, with a possible 11 frames still to get through, as they attempt to set up a title match against John Higgins or Shaun Murphy.
Analysis - 'It's who blinks first'
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, speaking on BBC Two:
Mark Allen has had everything thrown at him from Wu Yize. The interval maybe halted Wu's momentum, but 4-4 [for the session] is perfect.
Mark's going to win the majority of the tactical frames, no doubt about it, but if Wu can just keep attacking, the balls are going to have to go in for him to win the match.
I think Mark can win in many different ways; Wu's got to pot them off the lampshades.
As soon as a player gets in, you think the frame's over. Especially with Wu, because the breaks he's knocking in are phenomenal. You expect the players to peak at this part of the tournament. Getting through the early rounds is important but nobody really plays their best in the early rounds.
The longer you're in this, you've got more sessions to settle in and for players to find their very best form. It's who blinks first or last wins or loses, and that's what you want to watch.
John Parrott, 1991 world champion on BBC Two:
With what Wu Yize's thrown at him this morning, Mark Allen will be delighted.
He's played well himself, don't get me wrong, but his opponent's been magnificent. What a final session this is going to be. They'll come back for what will be an enthralling evening session.