Welshman Matthew Stevens needs to win two frames to book his place in this year's 888.com World Championship semi-finals.
Twice a beaten Crucible finalist, the 2000 and 2005 runner-up was in sparkling form against local hope Shaun Murphy as he surged into a 11-5 lead in Sheffield.
Playing for the first time since the 2005 Crucible final which Murphy won 18-16, the pair resumed to play the second session of their best-of-25 frame quarter-final.
And it was world number 14 Stevens who dominated proceedings, winning seven of a possible eight frames to take himself within touching distance of a place in the next round.
Victory for Stevens would go some way to repairing the hurt caused when Rotherham's Murphy battled back from 10-6 to beat him two years ago in a thrilling final.
A break of 61 gave Stevens the early initiative before he pinched a scrappy tenth frame which lasted over 40 minutes to lead 6-4.
Murphy hit back to win his only frame of the evening, a run of 30 enough to win the frame on points 75-47.
But from there on it was Stevens who controlled matters.
A run of 62 saw the former Masters and UK champion restore his two-frame cushion, before Murphy looked to have pulled back to 7-6.
However, this season's Malta Cup winner broke down on a break of 52, missing the blue off its spot and Stevens snatched the frame.
The best was still to come as further breaks of 52, 57 and 81 saw Stevens power six frames ahead to put himself close to the winning line.
Former UK and European champion Stephen Maguire leads Nottingham's Anthony Hamilton 9-7 after the second session of their quarter-final match.
Maguire resumed 5-3 ahead after the morning, but could not shake Hamilton, a four-time Crucible quarter-finalist.
He now requires four frames to earn a semi-final showdown with either Ronnie O'Sullivan or countryman John Higgins.
Hamilton started the better and pulled back to 5-4 down with a 64 break, but a tournament high break of 143 and then a 58 made it 7-4 for the world number nine.
If the former break is not bettered Maguire will pocket £10,000 in additional prize-money.
However, Hamilton dug deep and won the next two frames to make it 7-6, although he did so without making a break over 38.
Maguire won the next with a 68 before Hamilton looked to have reduced his arrears again with a 56 run.
But Maguire won 70-56, although Hamilton stayed within touching distance with a 50 break in the final frame of the evening to give himself hope for the pair's concluding session.
