The Tempodrom was first used for snooker seven years ago – but the circumstances and conditions presented a serious challenge for all those involved, including six-time world champion Steve Davis. The visiting Holiday on Ice show had a day off mid-run, and a hastily-arranged ‘Snooker on Ice’ was scheduled with a table installed on top of a thin carpet to protect the surface. However the carpet was little protection against the extreme cold, and Davis, Matthew Stevens, Neil Robertson and Germany’s Lasse Munstermann battled on with noses streaming and according to the Nugget “frozen up to the waist”.

The decision was taken by senior referee Jan Verhaas at the German Masters to recognise the growing influence and strong performances from the host country’s officials this season at their flagship home tournament in Berlin. An all-German line-up therefore took to the floor for Friday night’s quarter-finals at the Tempodrom, featuring Ingo Schmidt, Thorsten Mueller, Theo Selbertinger and Maike Kesseler. Mueller had to work hardest for his money, with the Rod Lawler match against Mark Davis finishing at around 12.15am.

The growth in popularity of snooker in Germany is to a large extent rooted in its coverage on Eurosport Germany, and the broadcaster pronounced themselves very happy with the viewing figures over the first couple of days, even before the business end of the tournament. Audiences peaked at just under 500,000 in the evenings, despite being directly up against the hugely popular German version of jungle reality show ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’. Apparently the same camp in Australia that housed snooker legend Steve Davis last year is used by the Germans in January and early February, and then the Dutch have their turn, and it is at least reassuring that not more than one jungle is being desecrated for the celebrity antics. Don’t say we never bring you the really big news on Inside Snooker.

Rod Lawler was delighted after reaching his first quarter-final in a full ranking event for more than a decade, setting up a clash with Mark Davis after coming through a rollercoaster ride against China’s Tian Pengfei 5-4. Liverpool’s Lawler, 42, had led 4-0 before Tian hit top gear to level at 4-4 – but the world No50 edged through on the final blue. Lawler, a professional for 24 years, fell off the tour in 2012 but got straight back on via Qualifying School. Though a winner of a PTC later that year, the last time Lawler was in the final eight of a major event was the 2003 Welsh Open, staged at the Cardiff International Arena. He lost 5-2 to Stephen Hendry, who went on to win the title that year. After his last-16 victory in Berlin he was already describing it a “perfect week” following Liverpool’s derby demolition of Everton on Tuesday.

Almost inevitably the arrival of world champion and former German Masters winner Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Tempodrom caused one of the biggest stirs of the pre-weekend phase of the tournament. The Rocket failed to qualify after a defeat in Barnsley to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh that saw him accused of some reckless shots, and left organisers underwhelmed. A large quantity of O’Sullivan branded merchandise and copies of his recent autobiography ‘Running’ translated into German had been produced for this event and forthcoming exhibitions, and there was a danger of it not being shifted from the ‘Ronnie Shop’ and most being consigned to a Berlin lock-up garage or other place of rest. But after some wheeling and dealing O’Sullivan travelled out regardless and did three sets of book-signing and photos with wildly enthusiastic fans, two at the venue and one at the nearby players’ hotel.

It was a sign of the controversy generated by the Table Eight ‘Room of Doom’ that the order of play for Friday afternoon, the last-16 tie and final match due to be played in the separate area, was scanned as much for who had to be in there as for who was on the main table in the arena. With Shaun Murphy taking on Judd Trump the TV clash pretty much took care of itself, but with several of the field already having tasted the dubious delights of the ‘Buddha Lounge’ it was Xiao Guodong and Jamie Burnett who drew the short straw. A cynic might wonder if these were players least likely to throw their toys out of the pram on the issue, Inside Snooker couldn’t possibly comment.

It takes more than temperatures of minus 13 to stop legend and six-time world champion Steve Davis from promoting his sport, and the 56-year-old offered another reminder of why he is the game’s leading ambassador in Berlin.

Having agreed to do a photo-shoot in front of the iconic Brandenburg Gate in the German capital, Davis politely asked if he might be delayed, perhaps mindful of the bone-chilling cold. When the answer came back that this might present some difficulties Davis cheerily fulfilled the obligation, albeit well wrapped up, only hours before his match against Dominic Dale.

Happily there was a payback for the Nugget, battling to safeguard his tour place. Some of the photos of him in front of the famous edifice were so good he asked for one to include in the book of his snooker life he is currently working on.

Liang Wenbo was in action on Thursday evening – and due to miss the big night out for the Chinese players both left in the tournament, and already knocked out but still in Berlin. Friday marks the Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse), and a typical celebration on New Year’s Eve demands a huge party and the eating of dumplings by way of celebration. Ding Junhui, Xiao Guodong, Tian Pengfei, Li Hang, Liu Chuang and Cao Yupeng arranged to cast aside on-table rivalries and head off into the city for some revelry.