Shaun Murphy should probably take most of the credit for his much-needed win over Ding Junhui at the Masters – but the former world champion was left wondering if other motivational forces had subtly contributed to his success, having chosen for the first time the ‘Superman’ film theme music for his entrance.

Murphy, 31, said: “It struck me over Christmas watching the darts here that walk-ons are your little opportunity to have a bit of fun and show a bit of your personality. I used to have ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ being the Magician, and the theme from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, because I liked it.

“Then it hit me that I have been the biggest Superman fan since I was six, so why don’t I use it? It’s a piece of music I really like, everyone else likes it, it is a bit of fun, and that’s it. It only puts extra pressure on myself walking in to Superman if my opponent has Kryptonite, and luckily Ding didn’t have any with him.”

The power cut a couple of minutes before the start of the Ding Junhui/Shaun Murphy match had officials for the tournament, broadcasters and venue scampering around the building desperately trying to establish the seriousness of the situation, and more importantly how long it would take to fix. In the end, the emergency response team all performed admirably, and a delay of 75 minutes was a result for all parties. It was originally feared it might take several hours to regain the electrics, something that would have impacted on the Ronnie O’Sullivan/Rob Milkins match and may well have resulted in one of the clashes being played very late or very early. But in the end none of that was necessary, and BBC cameraman Jim Cemlyn-Jones got his big moment, doing an impromptu acoustic guitar set in the manner of Cliff Richard - and not so much The Office’s David Brent, as he didn’t have to go home for his guitar. It was in the car.

All of the players both involved, in to practice, and former greats waiting around to commentate insisted they had never seen anything like it before. Murphy headed off to practice before rejoining the dimly-lit party in the arena led by MC Rob Walker, and Ding was taking pictures in the gloom while refuelling on an apple. No, not that one.

Dennis Taylor, the 1985 world champion, was taking it all in his stride. “I haven’t ever seen this happen in a big tournament, never,” he said. “But I do remember plenty of exhibitions during the strikes back in the 1970s which we had to do by candlelight.”

It is uncertain whether that solution would have got past the Ally Pally management on health and safety grounds.

In the build-up to the Shaun Murphy/Ding Junhui match no fewer than EIGHT former world champions were mingling and exchanging banter in the media centre at the same time. The cast list included Murphy himself as he prepared to go out into the arena, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Terry Griffiths, Joe Johnson, John Higgins and Ken Doherty, with a combined haul of 22 world titles won at the Crucible.

Johnson and Higgins were also quick to patch up their minor spat that hit the headlines during the UK Championship, initially sparked by a very strong headline placed on a piece the Yorkshireman had done for a Scottish newspaper discussing the Glaswegian’s recent spell of poor form and changes of cue this season.

John Parrott can hardly contain his excitement in the media centre over Everton’s strong showing in the Premier League this season, telling everyone who will listen that under manager Roberto Martinez his beloved Toffees are not only getting results but playing a more attractive style of football than was seen under David Moyes, something that has seen him attending most games. Parrott and the assembled hacks are in general agreement that after the sale of Belgium star Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United for an astonishing £28million and effectively swapping Moyes for Martinez, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright is the man you would want selling your house for you. Parrott's devotion has dropped him in hot water this season, though. Leaving Old Trafford with ardent Red Devils supporter Ken Doherty after watching Everton win 1-0 earlier in the campaign, an elderly woman United fan started throwing food at the Liverpudlian.

Terry Griffiths drops into the media centre during the Marco Fu/Judd Trump match glumly reflecting upon the fact that for the first time in the tournament’s 40-year history there is no player representing Wales in the 2014 Dafabet Masters. Over the years the distinguished cast list from the principality featuring in the event has included Ray Reardon, Griffiths himself, Doug Mountjoy, Cliff Wilson, Darren Morgan, Ryan Day, Matthew Stevens and Mark Williams. Reardon, Mountjoy, Griffiths, Stevens and Williams are all former winners. At least the 1979 world champion was present in his capacity as coach, and Paul Collier will be flying the flag in the arena in the final as referee for the showpiece.

MONDAY, JANUARY 13

There is usually an eclectic range of things to do and see at Alexandra Palace for players with downtime between matches at the Masters. The iconic and ornate building, originally built in 1873 and sitting on top of Muswell Hill, plays host to all manner of concerts and exhibitions, as well as boasting one of the finest views of the city from the south side. Bizarrely the snooker is sharing the premises with a model engineering exhibition which starts on Friday. And the ice rink on site is being used this week as a practice area for the current reality TV series of Dancing On Ice, with the likes of former X-Factor singer Ray Quinn and ex-Eastenders actor Todd Carty dreaming of triple Salchows and toe-loops. Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty may have missed the chance to get their skates on next year, though, with the series set to be scrapped.

Sunday 12th January

The media centre was greatly cheered on day one of the Dafabet Masters to receive a visit from MC Rob Walker, wife Becky and their new baby son Arthur. At just two weeks old, having been born on December 30, Arthur has not only visited the most prestigious invitation snooker event of them all, hob-nobbing with the likes of former world champion John Parrott, but also met darts legend Bobby George at the Lakeside in Frimley Green, where Walker has also been working early in the New Year. Perhaps fortunately, young Arthur remains too young to clearly remember that particular experience.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12 - LIVE FROM ALEXANDRA PALACE

So the 2014 Dafabet Masters gets underway here at Alexandra Palace today and we’ve donned our standard issue anoraks to look at some stats ahead of the game’s biggest invitation event.

The most popular scoreline since matches became best of 11 frames is 6-4, which has occurred 79 times. There have been 14 6-0 whitewashes and 70 6-5 deciders.

Stephen Hendry has won the most matches in the Masters with 42 but Jimmy White has played in more matches than anyone else, with 61.

Ronnie O’Sullivan leads the all-time Masters century tally on 51.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10

Neil Robertson will tomorrow be a guest on BT Sport’s Sports Panel programme, which airs live from 9.30-11.30am.

The show is a discussion of various sports, presented by Tim Lovejoy assisted by former England rugby union international and Question of Sport captain Matt Dawson.

Robertson will of course be talking about the Dafabet Masters but is a general sports fan and will doubtless have plenty to say about his beloved Chelsea as well, of course, as Australia’s recent capture of the Ashes.

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Speaking of football, ardent Liverpool fan Ricky Walden is a little happier with how things are going this season, with his side currently fourth in the Premier League, six points off top. 

He said: “I don’t think we can win the league but we’re much more competitive now. We can definitely have a crack at the Champions League and hopefully make a few more signings this month and keep kit ticking over. Brendan Rogers is doing a great job and putting us back on the map.”

But does Walden have any sympathy for the previously all-conquering Manchester United, currently languishing in seventh and already out of the FA Cup?

“No, definitely not! It’s been a long time coming, seeing them struggling so I’m getting a kick out of it. But I think they’ll be back. They’ll make a few signings and they’ll be back. It’s a competitive league this year. Man City are the team to beat."

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Inside Snooker couldn’t resist a smirk after reading the story about Scottish football manager Kenny Shiels, in charge of Championship side Greenock Morton. Shiels somehow managed to get a doctor’s note giving him permission to skip post-match press conferences for the good of his health, as according to the Northern Irishman he could never successfully plot a path through the minefield of questions laid down by the Scottish football journalists and always ended up getting in trouble. 

“You get emotionally unbalanced at that time and feel an urge to tell the truth,” said the 57-year-old Shiels. “You drop your guard. I am probably not intelligent enough to deal with that because these journalists can catch me. I am very susceptible to being controversialised.”

Answers on a postcard as to which snooker players should consider heading straight off to their local GP for some paperwork.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9

Stuart Bingham is truly a man in love with his sport. A couple of days at Crondon Park and then practice ahead of the Dafabet Masters were not enough to keep the recent Champion of Champions finalist away from the Snooker Legends event at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend, a short 20-minute drive down the A127 from his Basildon home.

The world No7 took a seat in the front row as a spectator to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White lock horns in front of a packed house of more than 1,000 fans, a contest edged 5-4 by the Whirlwind over the Rocket.

And the 37-year-old Bingham was, almost inevitably, summoned and roped in to compere John Virgo’s pre-match act, being royally stitched up and failing to pull off a trick shot five times before watching the BBC commentator manage it on the first occasion.

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Former England football captain John Terry has never come over as the type to scare easily – but the Chelsea defender admitted to being absolutely terrified walking out into the arena at the recent Snooker Legends event in Guildford to partner golfing buddy and seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry against Jimmy White and a member of the audience at G Live. 

Terry, 33, a huge snooker fan who used to have a full-size table in a £5million Surrey mansion, was persuaded by Hendry and long-time friend White to turn up and play his part and contributed to a an alternate-shot break of 45 together with the Scot.

He said: “It was a fantastic night going out there with Stephen and Jimmy, but that is as nervous as I have been for a very long time. My palms were all sweaty before we started, I was really scared and wanted to do well but it all went okay and I really enjoyed it.”

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Judd Trump took a real chance giving his £170,000 Ferrari a spin on the short trip to Crondon Park for the opening groups of the Championship League. The half-mile drive from the main road is notoriously littered with deep potholes as well as tight hairpin bends, and a test to negotiate at the best of times let alone in severe weather conditions. But the low-slung white F458 Italia made it to the Baronial Hall car park without incident or damage.

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Shaun Murphy made the second 147 of his career against Mark Davis at Crondon Park in the Championship League, 13 years after the first in the Benson & Hedges Championship. 

But the closest the former world champion came to breaking down in a superb total clearance was when world No1 Neil Robertson almost spilled his coffee walking in to the room with Barry Hawkins to begin their match on the adjacent table. With Murphy mid-break there was a loud cry of “Barry, wait!” from the Australian, blissfully unaware of proceedings inside, as Hawkins let a curtain fell on his hot drink. Luckily both the break and the drink were saved, and an apologetic Robertson was duly chastised albeit in good humour by Murphy afterwards.

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John Higgins admits that he can suffer from cabin fever at home in the leafy Glasgow suburb of Bothwell – because all the other Scottish players are constantly beating a path to his door for practice sessions.

The four-time world champion regularly hosts sparring sessions with fellow Scots Stephen Maguire, Alan McManus, Marcus Campbell and Anthony McGill rather than getting out to a club or other players’ houses.

World No12 Higgins has reached a stage in his career when he would be only too happy to help the younger Scottish players reach their potential, and preserve the proud snooker tradition north of the border – so the numbers could yet swell with the likes of Michael Leslie.

But it does all mean that the 38-year-old father-of-three can be a bit housebound.

“I would like to help other players coming through in Scotland if I can,” Higgins told Inside Snooker. “Everybody comes to my house anyway, it seems, so the youngsters may as well come too!

“Their tables are all rubbish so they tell me, so they all want to come in my house to play and it means I am there all the time. Sometimes it would be nice to get out for a wee while and away from the missus!

“Stephen Maguire, Alan McManus, Marcus Campbell, Anthony McGill, they all come round and maybe Michael Leslie will be next.” 

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The programme for the 2014 Dafabet Masters features an in-depth interview with former England and Tottenham goalkeeper Ian Walker, a huge snooker fan who attended many big tournaments during his time at White Hart Lane and at Leicester City, but now based in Shanghai as a coach.

The 42-year-old Walker, who attended the all-Chinese final of this season’s Shanghai Masters, had coached the goalkeepers at Shanghai Shenhua for two years – but in the first week of January this year, and after programme print deadlines, he made the switch to city rivals Shanghai East Asia.

Many top snooker players will be familiar with Shanghai East Asia, as it is the team and stadium that you can watch play from the luxurious surroundings of the VIP and business lounge on the top floor of the hotel complex normally used for the Shanghai Masters. Leeds fan Peter Lines and Middlesbrough supporter Mike Dunn were among those taking advantage this season, reclining with a beer to watch East Asia losing to Shandong Luneng from the lofty perch.

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Many of the tour’s players had already put in some hours on the table since January 1 but the relaxed surroundings of Crondon Park Golf and Country, as ever, provided the first opportunity of 2014 for more serious match practice. The Baronial Hall, with its oak beams and extravagant high-backed leather armchairs, give the playing arena the air of a smoking room in a Mayfair gentlemen’s club. It remains one of the more unusual settings in a busy calendar – but a welcome location for the Essex-based Ali Carter, Stuart Bingham and Judd Trump, all more used to travelling to Asia than half an hour down the road and in action in Group 1 for two days from January 6th. The terrible weather, though, was a deterrent for keen golfer Shaun Murphy from getting out on the course.

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The first groups of the Championship League also offer a perfect chance for the leading players qualified for the Masters tournament to road-test any new equipment before the more serious business at Alexandra Palace. Judd Trump, unhappy with his tip after the UK Championship, replaced it with another one over Christmas. But he decided after his opening match at Crondon Park, a 3-1 win over Shaun Murphy, that it was “a shocker”, far too hard and “coming straight off after this”, as it was not allowing him to get the same amount of power in his shots and deep screw on the cue ball. Emergency surgery to install a softer tip from a frequent cue doctor to the stars, John Parris, was required before the north London knees-up.