Snooker

I'm on the sofa, about to watch Trump v Wilson- should be a corker.

Then off to AllyPally this evening to see Selby Maguire.

Ahhhhh. Bliss.

ah, good I saw this thread pop up, thanks for the heads-up, I like 'em both. and have fun tonight!

I have a free ticket to tomorrow evening (Thursday 7pm)
The only price you have to pay is sitting next to me :)

What time did it finish last night?

Finished at about ten thirty, but could have gone a lot longer if Maguire had gathered himself.

I'm busy tonight otherwise I would become your friend!

Enjoy.

The food options are pathetic. Eat up before arriving if you can.

Will do.

Are you able to bale if it gets late? I've never been but I'm sure no one will like someone moving around during a frame.

John Virgo is a disgrace to commentary

Paying attention to the world championships a little earlier than usual this year.

This Bingham v Dott match is a bit special. Watching on eurosport and not convinced it's actually live, so no spoilers pls.

Yeah. It ended over an hour ago.

Amazing match.

I have my first refereeing gig tomorrow.

I'm pretty nervous, but also stoked.

If it goes badly you can use the outfit to be a waiter at the Dorchester.

This outfit?

1 Attachment

Good luck. Don't forget it's two shots on the black. Nominate pockets.

And you’re meant to tap your foot impatiently throughout. Maybe whistle, too.

Edit: Hope it goes successfully!

The blazer badge just screams authority.

Will you be taking bribes to chuck games?

I didn't know you did this--did you have to go on a lot of training courses?

Not really. You have to attend a day long rules seminar and then an hour long practical examination.

It's not as easy as it sounds though - the rules are obscure, byzantine and poorly drafted. They give rise to some hard to discern edge cases that nearly saw me failing the exam.

More information available at the EASB website:

http://www.easb.co.uk/how-to-become-a-referee

So do you get thrown into cold water by being the only referee at a local match, or is there usually more than one ref?

Well, I can only speak from my own experience:

I was called up a couple of weeks after qualifying and asked if I could ref at a Junior (U20) tournament, for the South of Englandd region, in Coulsdon on Sunday. I had only a few days notice, due to someone dropping out, I think.

There were ten competitors playing on four tables. I was the only referee present and acted, for the most part, in a roving capacity. I got involved when needed or when I seemed it necessary. This is quite a difficult balance to achieve and I found it quite a lot harder than when I was "properly" refereeing the final match.

Very disappointed. For a minute I thought you'd grown your golden locks into a mullet, only to realise it's the door knocker.

Eagle eyes!