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Stuart Bingham won the final frame of the second session to leave him level with Jak Jones at 8-8 in their World Championship semi-final.
Bingham won the opening two frames, only to see Jones produce a superb passage of play to take the lead on a couple of occasions.
Jones looked set to open up a two-frame lead overnight against a wilting Bingham, but the Basildon man dug deep in in the final frame to share the session.
The pair will return for the third session on Saturday morning before playing to a conclusion later in the evening.
Bingham won a safety battle in the first frame of the second session and made a statement of intent by opening the cluster at an early juncture. The move paid off as he picked off a break of 79 to edge in front at 5-4.
Bingham makes first century of semi-final against Jones
Jones took time to settle in and needed six scoring opportunities to secure the 11th frame.
On the back of that nerve-settling frame, Jones made 67 in the 12th to go into the mid-session interval on level terms at 6-6.
Bingham went into the break with a frustrated look on his face after being the better player for swathes of the match and possibly reflecting on a missed black in the 12th.
His mood would not have improved after the interval, as Jones got in with a superb long red after a poor Bingham safety and made a nervy 68 – with a host of balls wiping their feet before dropping – to take the lead for the first time in the match.
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‘Great shot’ – Jones pots long red into the green pocket
Bingham steadied the ship by taking the 14th, but was put through the wringer by a dogged Jones. A break of 48 looked like being enough to secure the frame in comfortable fashion with Jones needing three snookers.
He got two of them and forced Bingham to make a number of good escapes on the brown, before the ball was potted to level the scores at 7-7.
Bingham fell over the line in the 14th, but it appeared to take a toll as he missed a red by a distance in the 15th.
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‘Snooker gods for you having their fun’ – Bingham pots red and goes in-off
Jones’ cue-ball control was not great, but he kept picking off pots and a run of 68 was enough to take him back in front.
The 16th was snooker’s equivalent of Groundhog Day for Jones, as he missed an escape from a snooker on seven occasions. He made the escape at the eighth attempt, but left a chance for Bingham.
Bingham did not approach the table with any confidence and missed the chance, only for Jones to gift him another opportunity.
The body language of Bingham was not positive and he crafted 22 before breaking down – but the foul penalties left him with a 61-point lead.
As well as his body language giving off negativity, Bingham’s brain looked scrambled.
He made a couple of questionable shot choices to invite a counter from Jones, but potted the final red to fall over the line and secure a share of the session.