All players interested in snooker dream of playing at Sheffield's Crucible but very few can ever raise their game to anywhere near the standard required.

However there is a way for these players to appear at the Crucible and that is as a referee.

The Worthington CIU League is offering the chance for players to take the first steps towards this goal by staging a Referees Course.

The qualifications for the course are that you have a good idea of how the game is played and are keen to know all the rules and how to apply them. Anyone matching those requirements can apply (no applicant under 14-years of age and anyone between 14 and 18 must be accompanied by a person over 18).

Perhaps you feel that you know all there is to know about snooker and don't need a course like this? Well just try yourself out on these 'Twelve Tricky Teasers'. (The answers will be provided at the course or in "Local Heroes" on Friday, January 25).

1. In hand, after a foul stroke, the striker finds he can strike the ball 'on' on one side only from one side of the 'D' and the other side from the other end of the 'D'. Can he claim a 'free ball'?

2. After being snookered following a foul, the striker nominated the black as a red and potted both black and red in one stroke. Decision?

3. After a foul stroke the striker has a free ball. He nominates pink as the free ball for the green. He mis-cues and hits the green and then cannons into the pink, pocketing both balls. Decision?

4. Player A commits a foul on the green, the ball 'on'. Player B is snookered and awarded a free ball, for which he nominates and hits the black. The cue ball becomes angled in the corner with the black touching the cushion (which is creating the angle) between the cue ball and the green, which is also touching the same cushion. Decision?

5. Player has potted a red and plays at the yellow, which he has nominated. The yellow is rolling towards a pocket when a red falls by vibration into another pocket. The yellow goes in. Decision?

6. A player pots a red and nominates black. He aims at the black but the cue ball jumps over it, hits the other side cushion and returns to hit the black, which goes into the corner pocket. Decision?

7. Which two balls can lawfully be potted three times in succession in one break? Explain how for each ball.

8. What is the highest possible scoring stroke at snooker? (i.e just one contact of cue tip on cue ball)

9. At the start of a match, a player breaks off with the yellow by mistake. Penalty?

10. The last two reds are on the table on the baulk line near opposite cushions with the green and yellow on their spots. Player A fouls on his attempt at hitting a red and leaves a free ball when the cue ball lands on the brown spot. Player B nominates green as his free ball and rolls up to touch it, leaving five balls along the baulk line (red, yellow, white, green, red). Decision?

11. Man in play has potted a red and walks round the table to assess the position of the colours. As he walks he touches a red. Decision?

12. On what two occasions can a player snooker his opponent behind the nominated ball?

Now you've read the Tricky Teasers no doubt you feel that you need to know more before you can answer all these queries. The Referees Course will be held at Tow Law Club on Monday, January 21, starting at 7.30p.m. prompt. The first hour will be spent on the theory behind the rules and the second hour at the table looking at match situations. The cost of the two-hour course is £2 per head for members with a handicap in the Worthington C.I.U. League or £3 for other interested people.

The Course Tutor will be Vera Selby, former Ladies World Snooker Champion, a professional referee and Chair of the Northern Referees Association. Bookings for the course can be made by telephoning the League secretary on 01388 730444 or Tow Law Club on 01388 730232 before 8pm on Sunday, 20 January.

Worthington CIU

Winter League

The Top Ten players in the First Division at the halfway stage: 1st Paul Biddle (Spennymoor A) played 9, won 9, lost 0, points scored 628; 2nd Michael Pratt (Old Shildon) 9, 8, 1, 560; 3rd Ian Renwick (Witton Gilbert) 9, 8, 1, 532; 4th Charlie Blake (Old Shildon) 9, 8, 1, 506; 5th John Griffin (Fishburn A) 9, 7, 2, 585; 6th John Armstrong (Shotton Palms) 9, 7, 2, 531; 7th Kevin Mordica (Cockton Hill) 9, 7, 2, 519; 8th Gordon Parkin (Willington) 9, 7, 2, 471; 9th Brian Graham (Brandon) 8, 6, 2, 436; 10th Steven Bennett (Old Shildon) 8, 6, 2, 426.

The Top Ten players in the Second Division: 1st Paul Atkinson (Hunwick A) 8, 7, 1, 577; 2nd Steven Armstrong (Belmont) 8, 7, 1, 505; 3rd Scott Mallaburn (Sherburn Village) 9, 7, 2, 496; 4th Keith McLauchlan (Crowtrees) 8, 6, 2, 460; 5th Dave Hammond (Wingate) 8, 6, 2, 383; 6th Sonny Hann (Crowtrees) 9, 6, 3, 500; 7th Peter Laverick (Crowtrees) 9, 6, 3, 486; 8th Jim Dufton (Stanley Central) 9, 6, 3, 469; 9th Terry Ellison (Wheatley Hill B) 9, 6, 3, 445; 10th Dave Blyth (Wheatley Hill B) 9, 6, 3, 432.

The Top Ten players in the Third Division: 1st Andrew Sugden (West Auckland) 9, 9, 0, 545; 2nd Paul Vickers (West Auckland) 8, 8, 0, 543; 3rd Andrew Dent (West Auckland) 8, 8, 0, 524; 4th Michael Pratt (Durham City) 9, 8, 1, 534; 5th George Whitelock (Fishburn B) 9, 7, 2, 509; 6th Frank Nicholson (Coundon) 9, 7, 2, 494; 7th Dave Geraty (West Auckland) 9, 7, 2, 484; 8th Dave Wilson (Fishburn B) 8, 6, 2, 443; 9th Willy Nixon (Sacriston) 9, 6, 3, 482; 10th Barry Shaw (Leeholme A) 9, 6, 3, 465.

The Top Five breaks in the First Division: 1st Paul Biddle (Spennymoor A) 71; 2 John Carter (Fishburn A) 60; 3 John Griffin (Fishburn A) 57; 4 Billy Goggins (Old Shildon) 56; 5 Ian Renwick (Witton Gilbert) 54.

The Top Five breaks in the Second Division: 1 Paul Atkinson (Hunwick A) 71; 2 Scott Mallaburn (Sherburn Village) 51; 3 Sonny Hann (Crowtrees) 50; 4 Steven Armstrong (Belmont) 48; 5 John Bower (Sherburn Village) 40.

The Top Five breaks in the Third Division: 1 Paul Vickers (West Auckland) 44; 2 Barry Shaw (Leeholme A) 40; 3 Alan Smith (Bearpark) 36; 4 Trevor Cook (Hunwick B) 34; 5th equal Glen Morton (Bearpark) and Gearge Whitelock (Fishburn B) 33 each.

Crook League

Crook Olde Horse Shoe A slipped to their third defeat of the season when they went down by the odd point at Crook Belle Vue but they still lead the table by 11 points. The home side had singles wins from John Warriner, Paul Knighton, Jeff Sneath and Ian Hodkinson with replies from David Stephenson and Gavin Witton. The Shoe took the doubles with a win from Les Scott and Richard Walker.

The best break of the New Year went to Neil Harker of Crook Queen's Head A when he knocked in 63 to clinch an odd point success for his team on their visit to Crook Royal Sun.

Crook Travellers Rest B only dropped one point at Crook Olde Horse Shoe B to stay in second place in the First Division, four points ahead of Crook Belle Vue.

Results: Crook Royal Sun 3 Crook Queen's Head A 4; Crook Surtees 4 Willington Market 3; Crook Queen's Head B 2 Crook Jelly's Bar 5; Crook Olde Horse Shoe B 1 Crook Travellers Rest B 6; Crook Travellers Rest A 1 Crook Mill House 6; Crook Belle Vue 4 Crook Olde Horse Shoe A 3.

Second Division

P W L Pts

Spitfire Club 10 10 0 53

White Swan 11 8 3 45

Golden Fleece 11 7 4 43

Jelly's Bar 12 4 8 40

Will'ton Market 10 6 4 39

Surtees 11 5 6 33

Queen's Head B 12 1 11 27

Coach & HorsesB 9 3 6 25

Crown Hotel 8 3 5 24

Worthington CIU

Singles Championship

Third Round draw: Brian Graham (Brandon) v Ian Renwick (Witton Gilbert); Frank Nicholson (Coundon) v Charlie Blake (Old Shildon); Gynn Toas (Ferryhill) v Gary Ward (Durham City); Alan Hall (Wheatley Hill A) v George Whitelock (Fishburn B); Mark Appleby (Witton Gilbert) v Owen Howarth (Brandon); Michael Pratt (Old Shildon) v Alan Greener (Sherburn Village); David Blyth (Wheatley Hill B) v Keith McLauchlan (Crowtrees); David Jackson (Bearpark) v Graeme Jackson (Brandon); Jeremy Martin (Willington) v Dean Bryden (Wheatley Hill A); David Geraty (West Auckland) v Eddie Rhodes (Spennymoor); Michael Pratt (Durham City) v Stephen Coates (Langley Park); John Hall (Brandon) v Scott Mallaburn (Sherburn Village); Andrew Aisbitt (Cockton Hill) v Malcolm Hughes (Meadowfield); David Walker (Wheatley Hill A) v Billy Goggins (Old Shildon); Kevin Sample (Brandon) v Sean Johnston (Crowtrees); Dennis Dodd (Spennymoor) v Barry Shaw (Leeholme A). Results to be into the secretary by 10.30p.m. on 28 January.

Worthington CIU Handicap Singles

Third round draw: Dean Bryden 21 (Wheatley Hill A) v Brian Quest 16 (Fishburn A); Ian Hodgson 20 (Meadowfield) v John Bower 18 (Sherburn Village); Paul Atkinson Sc (Hunwick) v Steven Bennett 14 (Old Shildon); David Taylor 30 (Crowtrees) v Andrew Sugden 14 (West Auckland); Stephen Coates 28 (Langley Park) v Ian Dinsdale 24 (Newhouse); Andrew Aisbitt Sc (Cockton Hill) v Mark Brown 50 (Leeholme B); Raymond Coates 24 (Langley Park) has a bye; Keith McLauchlan 18 (Crowtrees) v Mike Short 24 (Belmont); Alan Greener 24 (Sherburn Village) v David Blyth 20 (Wheatley Hill B); Dennis Dodd 26 (Spennymoor) v Michael Pratt Sc (Old Shildon); Eddie Rhodes 5 (Spennymoor) v Steven Armstrong 7 (Belmont); Kevin Sample 18 (Brandon) v Andrew Dent 21 (West Auckland); Vickers Bell 18 (Cockton Hill) v Lawrence Jones 24 (Witton Gilbert); Scott Mallaburn 14 (Sherburn Village) v John Hall 10 (Brandon); Anthony Forster 50 (Leeholme A) v Sean Johnston 24 (Crowtrees); Jimmy Evans 7 (Shotton Palms) v Graeme Jackson 18 (Brandon). Results to be in by 28 January.

Worthington CIU

Pairs Championship

Third round draw: Ronnie Bateman & Paul Biddle (Spennymoor) v George Chapman & Andrew Aisbitt (Cockton Hill); Arnold Fleming & Ken Rider (Crook Belle Vue) v David Blyth & Tony Ellison (Wheatley Hill B); George Whitelock & Wayne Oliver (Fishburn B) v John Maddox & Ian Dinsdale (Newhouse); Ray Coates & Paul Morgan (Langley Park) v Jeremy Martin & Arthur Goldsborough (Willington); Ian Hodgson & Malcolm Hughes (Meadowfield) v Michael Pratt & Jossie Aldworth (Old Shildon); Alan Buist & Peter Davison (Fishburn A) v Dave Walker & Alan Hall (Wheatley Hill A); Paul Atkinson & David Rusby (Hunwick A) v Lawrence Jones & Willis Joynes (Witton Gilbert); John Worthington & Jack Wright (Wheatley Hill A) v John Griffin & John Carter (Fishburn A). Matches to be played on or before 28 January