Shaun Murphy 4-6 Mark Allen
Defending champion Shaun Murphy forfeited a frame as he was beaten 6-4 by Mark Allen in the first round of the Masters at London's Alexandra Palace.
Northern Ireland's world number 11 Allen knocked in breaks of 137 and 91 to lead 3-2.
Murphy then forfeited the sixth after failing to hit the reds with three successive shots when not snookered.
Allen's 104 took him 5-2 up, and though Murphy pulled two back with runs of 67 and 100 he could not force a decider.
World number four Murphy denied the incident cost him the match, and said he could not see an alternative shot.
"All other options left him a guaranteed chance so I had to man up, take a deep breath and play the right shot. Unfortunately I got it completely wrong," he said.
"It was a cracking game. That match could have been the final of any tournament. Unfortunately for me it was the first round and I'm on my way home."
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