WORLD champion John Higgins was woeful as he suffered a Pokerstars.com Masters first-round exit to Mark Allen at Wembley Arena yesterday afternoon.

The 34-year-old Scot, who is provisional world number one and won the Masters in 1999 and 2006, slipped 3-1 behind at the mid-session interval in the best-of-11 contest.

Allen, 23, made numerous errors but Higgins made even more as the Northern Irishman held on for a 6-3 triumph.

Allen conceded his performance was poor and he was surprised Higgins was even worse.

‘‘It wasn’t very good,’’ Allen said. ‘‘I missed too many balls.

‘‘It was an unusual John Higgins out there today.

‘‘Everyone has their off days, it’s just unexpected.’’ Higgins took the opening frame in an intriguing tactical battle, taking the initiative after Allen endured a run of four successive misses.

Allen pulled back in the second frame, taking advantage of indifferent form from his opponent.

The left hander’s positional play was far from perfect, but Higgins failed to capitalise and Allen forged further ahead with victory in the third frame.

Allen held a two-frame advantage at the mid-session interval.

The see-saw battle continued, with Allen taking the eighth frame and he built to 50 without response in the ninth before clinching the match as Higgins’ terrible display continued.

Allen will now face Mark Selby, who beat China’s Ding Junhui 6-1 on Sunday, in the last eight.