Michaela Tabb never planned to become a professional referee. In fact, her extraordinary career began when husband Ross McInnes told a tournament organizer that Scotland already had a referee—and Michaela suddenly needed to become one.

In Part 2 of Legends of the Cue, Michaela tells the remarkable story of creating a referee CV despite never having officiated American pool, studying two pages of nine-ball rules and arriving at Matchroom’s St Andrews Cup hoping she knew enough to survive.

She did—and soon found herself refereeing some of the biggest personalities in professional pool.

Michaela recalls being thrown almost immediately into matches involving Earl Strickland, learning how to manage his volatile personality and discovering the difference between appearing calm and actually feeling calm. She describes the Mosconi Cup as a “Colosseum of Death,” remembers referees being caught between Team Europe, Team USA and passionate fans, and explains why the Mosconi Cup remains her favorite event.

She also talks about the player she most loved refereeing: the incomparable Efren Reyes, whose creativity left even Michaela unable to predict what shot was coming next.

Her success in televised pool eventually caught the attention of World Snooker. But being recruited directly into professional snooker—without the traditional referee training or examinations—created an entirely new challenge.

This episode ends with Michaela recounting her painfully difficult first ranking-event assignment and the act of kindness from Ken Doherty that helped convince her to keep going.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

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