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1. On arrival at the table, check that the spots are in line by looking down the line of the balls after setting up. Also check that all the equipment is present. The ancillary items that should be checked are (when looking from the baulk end of the table)- Long Butts on the right side and Half Butts to the left. Other items, which in the Professional Tournaments are kept under the table, are the cue and rest extensions, spider, swan neck (sometimes also called the goose) and the extended spider. If this equipment is not kept under the table, find out where they are so that you can get them as and when required. If you are refereeing at a multi-table event where equipment is shared by a number of tables, replace them after use so that other officials don't have to search around for them. There should also be cross rests at both the baulk and black end of the table. At this point, check that the heads of the rests are secure. If they aren't, get them fixed. Check the lighting canopy for any defective light bulbs. If there is any problem with the lighting, report it to the club staff or organisers for attention.
2. When preparing the table for play, always wear gloves. This also applies to the end of a match when replacing the balls into their box.
3. Normally, where players are seeded, the higher seed is seated on the yellow side of the table.
4. At most events, organisers provide a jug of water and tumbler for each player. They may also provide wet and dry cloths. If so, make sure they are at the players' tables before the match begins.
5. When setting the table before every frame, keep the white at the black end of the table so that a player does not break off before you are ready. Remember, you, the referee, are in charge. In most cases, although this is up to the individual referee, the order in which they spot the balls is up to them but, personally, I spot the baulk and blue colour's first (not in any particular order) then I rack the reds, the black then finally the pink.
6. Before the match starts, find your players and introduce yourself to them. Arrange a location to meet at a specified time before the match is due to start. This should also be the case during intervals - always know where your players will be. On the subject of intervals, check beforehand how long they will be.
7. Have you got everything? Famous last words!!! I carry in my pockets - a pen, coin, one or two ball-markers and just as important, a couple of lozenges or a small sweet in case of a dry throat or cough. Two ball markers are useful if several balls need to be moved in order to re-spot another colour. Each referee has a favorite ball marker, here's mine. It's quite heavy and not easily moved accidentally.
8. Where a frame ends and some colour's appear to be on their spots, I always check the brown and blue in particular by rolling them off and then back on their spots. They may be fractionally off their spots. This is not as important with the green and yellow as you can see where the 'D' line intersects the baulk line. Please please please - a pet hate of mine is the spotting of the pink after positioning the reds. DO NOT reach over the reds to spot it. Move around to the side and roll it on - it is only from there that you can see it's spotted correctly and that it is a near as possible to the apex red without touching. Whilst on the subject of setting the balls up, when it comes to racking the reds, when you empty the pockets and place them on the table, don't get into the bad habit of dropping them into the triangle frame. Gather and pull the reds together against the top cushion rail in the triangle form, then roll them slightly off the rail, then place the triangle frame over them. If you have what we call the tournament triangle, which most Professional referees use, and which are mounted on rollers, you just need to push and guide the reds into position and lift the frame away. If, however, you are using the basic triangular frame, you should place them over the reds as earlier described, and lift the frame slightly off the cloth and carefully move them toward the pink spot. Lifting the triangle stops the cloth being dragged and marked. Where to stop moving the triangle forward will come with experience. Check this picture out so that you can see how to check that the triangle of reds are correctly set with its' base parallel to the top cushion. The three temporarily replaced reds within the triangle should be in line with the blue and brown.
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