Stephen Hendry fired in a thrilling 147 maximum break on day one of the Betfred.com World Championship as Ken Doherty struggled in his match with Neil Robertson.
The maximum came in the seventh frame and was the third Hendry has managed at the Sheffield venue, after previous efforts in 1995 and 2009. Ronnie O'Sullivan is the only other player with three Crucible maximums.
The signs were good for Hendry as he raced 3-0 in front, helped by breaks of 100 and 89.
Bingham took his chance in the next to put his first frame on the scoreboard, but Hendry was back to clean-potting ways with a 78 in the fifth frame, and 61 in the sixth made it 5-1.
Then came the maximum, which looked a realistic prospect from a very early stage.
He held his nerve as the anticipation built, and left himself an easy black to complete the perfect break, the 11th 147 of his career.
As Bingham kept presenting Hendry with chances, so Hendry kept inflicting punishment. Further breaks of 75 and 65 followed in the closing two frames of the session.
Elsewhere, Robertson, champion two years ago, sped to a 7-2 lead over 1997 winner Doherty.
In the second frame Doherty threatened a 147 but missed the 14th red, breaking down on 104. Doherty was 3-2 behind at one stage, but Robertson stepped up the pace and surged clear with centuries in each of the final three frames - 106, 108 and 100. Both games resume at 7pm on Sunday.
