Jimmy White

James Warren White Template:Post-nominals (born 2 May 1962) is an English professional snooker player who has won ten ranking events. Nicknamed "The Whirlwind" because of his swift and attacking style of play, White has reached six World Snooker Championship finals during his career but finished runner-up on each occasion. He has won two of snooker's Triple Crown events, the 1984 Masters and the 1992 UK Championship. White is a record four-time World Seniors Champion, winning in 2010, 2019, 2020 and 2023.

White won the English Amateur Championship in 1979 and he turned professional in 1980. He reached his first World Championship final in 1984 and won his first ranking event at The Classic in 1986. White reached five consecutive world finals from 1990Template:Nbnd94, losing all of them, including four to Stephen Hendry. His form then began to decline, and his last ranking event victory came at the 2004 Players Championship. His last appearance at the World Championship was in 2006 and he has unsuccessfully attempted to qualify each year since. After dropping out of the top 64 in 2017, White was given invitational tour cards for a place on the World Snooker Tour up until 2023. White regained his card on merit at the end of the [[2022–23 snooker season|2022Template:Nbnd23 season]], before being given a new invitational card in 2025 to run until the end of the 2026Template:Nbnd27 season.

White's ten ranking event titles currently place him twelfth on the all-time list of ranking event winners. A mainstay in snooker's top 16 for much of the 1980's and 90's, White has a career high ranking of second. He has made over 300 century breaks in professional competition, and was also the first left-handed player, and the second player overall, to record a maximum break at the World Championship. White is a member of the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame.

Early life and influences

James Warren White was born on 2 May 1962 in Tooting, London, England, and studied at Ernest Bevin School.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He never achieved academic success, as he was often truant from school from the age of eight or nine, spending more and more time at Ted Zanincelli's snooker hall, Zan's.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn It was around this time that White met Tony Meo, with whom he would compete in money matches at different venues,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn with stakes put up by taxi driver "Dodgy Bob" Davis, who also drove them to the venues.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn White played his "hero" and future friend Alex Higgins for the first time, aged 13, in an exhibition in Balham.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Speaking much later about Higgins' influence on his career, White said that watching Higgins play in the 1970's was "the reason I started to play the game".<ref name=burrows>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White has also acknowledged the influence that Higgins had on his playing style saying "I modelled my game on him...I was only the whirlwind because he was the hurricane".<ref name=jwtelegraph>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1976, club owner Henry West, who managed leading snooker prospect Patsy Fagan, met White at Zan's and became the manager for him and Meo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

1977–1991

White lost 2Template:Nbnd3 to Meo in the final of the 1977 Pontins Junior Championship,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and defeated David Bonney 3Template:Nbnd2 in the final of the British Under-16s Championship the same year.<ref name="U-16">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He won the 1979 English Amateur Championship a month before his 17th birthday, becoming the youngest champion at the event.Template:Sfn He won the London Section of the tournament by defeating Danny Adds 4–1 in the final,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and then secured victory in the Southern Area section, culminating with an 8Template:Nbnd5 win over Cliff Wilson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White then defeated Northern Section winner Dave Martin 13–10 in the grand final.<ref name="ENGAM">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White reached the final of the Pontins Spring Open (out of 1034 entries), beating Doug Mountjoy, Neville Suthers, John Howell and Paul Medati before losing 3Template:Nbnd7 to Steve Davis, despite Davis giving White a thirty points start per frame and White having led 3Template:Nbnd1.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Billiards and Snooker Control Council decided to exclude White from the 1980 World Amateur Snooker Championship as a punishment because he appeared to have been impaired by drinking alcohol during a Home International match against Steve Newbury, but reversed that decision the following week.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="CE9OCT80">Template:Cite news</ref> White was the top seed for the championship, and won all six matches in his qualifying group.<ref name="CE9OCT80"/>Template:Sfn In the quarter-finals, from 2Template:Nbnd4 against Newbury, he won 5Template:Nbnd4, and then eliminated Paul Mifsud 8Template:Nbnd6 in the semi-finals after trailing 0Template:Nbnd3 and 4Template:Nbnd6.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He sealed victory with an 11Template:Nbnd2 win against Ron Atkins and became the youngest winner of the title.<ref name="CE10NOV80">Template:Cite news</ref>

White had already been accepted as a professional by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) before the World Amateur Championship, to take effect after the tournament.<ref name="CE10NOV80"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In his debut season, he defeated Bernie Mikkelsen and Jim Meadowcroft in the qualifying competition for the 1981 World Championship but then lost 8–10 to Davis in the first round.Template:Sfn Around April 1981, White changed his management to Sportsworld, set up by Harvey Lisberg and Geoff Lomas, which paid West £10,000 for the transfer.Template:Sfn Lisberg arranged for White's teeth to be straightened, his hair to be permed, and encouraged him to wear good suits.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A photoshoot with Patrick Lichfield was arranaged to provide press pictures.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White's makeover was featured on the BBC TV news and current affairs programme Newsnight.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

At the start of the 1981–82 snooker season, White won his first professional title, the non-ranking Scottish Masters, having defeated Ray Reardon and Davis in matches that went to a Template:Cuegloss before beating Cliff Thorburn 9–4 in the final.Template:Sfn White trailed 0–3 and 1–4 but then won eight frames in succession to win the title and the £8,000 first prize.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Later in the year he also won the invitational Northern Ireland Classic, defeating Davis 11Template:Nbnd9, but Davis whitewashed him 0Template:Nbnd9 in their semi-final at the 1981 UK Championship.<ref name="HQ8182">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His performances led to him being given an invitation to the 1982 Masters,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> where he lost 4Template:Nbnd5 to Eddie Charlton in the first round.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the 1982 World Snooker Championship, he eliminated world number one Thorburn, then Perrie Mans and Kirk Stevens, to reach the semi-finals.Template:Sfn He led Alex Higgins 15–14 in their semi-final, and was 59 points ahead in the penultimate Template:Cuegloss. After missing a red with the rest, he could only watch as Higgins compiled a frame-winning 69 break. Higgins won the deciding frame that followed to reach the final. Reflecting on the match many years later, White said "facing him (Alex Higgins) at the Crucible in Sheffield is what I had dreamt about from when I was 10 years old".<ref name=burrows/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> When the professional rankings were updated at the end of the season, he moved from 21st place to 10th.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The 1982–83 snooker season was the first in which two tournaments outside the World Snooker Championship counted towards the ranking list.<ref name="CTH">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White reached the final of the second of these, the 1982 Professional Players Tournament where he was defeated 8Template:Nbnd10 by Reardon.<ref name="CTH"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also lost to Reardon in the final of the non-ranking 1983 International Masters.<ref name="IM83">Template:Cite news</ref> At the 1983 World Championship, he suffered a first round exit to Meo, 8Template:Nbnd10.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Terry Griffith 1991 (cropped).jpg

White's first Triple Crown victory was against Terry Griffiths (pictured in 1991) at the 1984 Masters

In 1984, White won his first Triple Crown event at the Masters, although the concept of the triple crown (winning the World Championship, UK Championship and Masters) did not exist in snooker at the time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White beat Charlton, Reardon and Kirk Stevens to reach the final where he triumphed over Terry Griffiths 9Template:Nbnd5.<ref name="MASTERS84">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He followed this success by reaching his first World Championship final.Template:Sfn<ref name="DUG84">Template:Cite news</ref> Trailing Davis 4–12 after the first two sessions, White responded by reducing the deficit to 15–16.<ref name="DUG84"/> He later made a clearance of 65 to take the score to 16–17, but was unable to build upon a 40-point lead in the following frame, and lost 16–18.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White did, however, become a World Doubles Champion later that year when he and Alex Higgins defeated Willie Thorne and Thorburn 10–2 in the final of the World Doubles Championship.<ref name=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In February 1985, White successfully won a court case against Lisberg, who had sought to prevent him changing management to Golden Leisure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After winning the 1985 Irish Masters with a 9Template:Nbnd5 victory against Alex Higgins,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White reached the quarter-finals at the 1985 World Championship in April, but exited the tournament with a 10Template:Nbnd13 loss to Tony Knowles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White took a 7–0 lead against Thorburn in the 1985 Matchroom Trophy final, but was beaten 10–12.<ref name="MCC86">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 1986, he reached his second Masters final, but was defeated by Thorburn 5Template:Nbnd9.<ref name="MASTERS86">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Sfn However, he defeated Thorburn in a final-frame decider to win his first ranking title, the Classic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Having won the first four frames and leading 4–3 after the first Template:Cuegloss, White forfeited a frame for arriving late at the second session, and finished that session one frame beind at 7–8.<ref name="MCC86"/> In the deciding frame during the third session, White Template:Cuegloss; he Template:Cuegloss Thorburn on the final Template:Cuegloss and after Thorburn failed to hit the pink, White potted pink and black for victory.<ref name="MCC86"/> Later that season, he retained the Irish Masters title with a 9Template:Nbnd5 victory over Thorne.Template:Sfn

White changed his management again in September 1986, joining Barry Hearn's Matchroom stable; the addition of White meant that Matchroom managed seven of the top 13 players.<ref name="HGWH"/> White reportedly paid £50,000 to Golden Leisure's successor company to buy himself out, while still paying a proportion of his earnings to Sportsworld under the terms of the earlier court ruling.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="HGWH">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He played future rival Stephen Hendry for the first time professionally at the 1986 Scottish Masters, with White winning their clash 5Template:Nbnd1.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later in the year, he overcame veteran Rex Williams 10–6 to win his first Grand Prix title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He lost in the deciding frame to Davis, 12–13, at the 1987 Classic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White's third ranking event win came at the 1987 British Open, where he lifted the trophy after a 13Template:Nbnd9 victory over Neal Foulds. This helped him to end the 1986–87 season as world number two, behind Davis who defeated him 11–16 in the semi-finals of the 1987 World Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Later in 1987, White and Davis contested the UK Championship final which Davis won 16–14 after they had been level at 7–7 and 12–12.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White was part of the England team that were crowned the 1988 Snooker World Cup winners. Playing alongside Davis and Foulds, the trio secured a 9–7 victory over Australia in the final.Template:Sfn In 1988, he defeated John Campbell, Hendry and Knowles to reach his fourth World Championship semi-final. He played Griffiths and, trailing 11–13, lost a tied frame on a re-spotted black. Griffiths went on to reach the final courtesy of an 11–16 win.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White played John Virgo in the second round of the 1989 World Championship and won 13–12. The reprieve was short-lived as White was beaten 7–13 by eventual finalist John Parrott in the quarter-finals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White avenged this defeat later in the year by beating Parrott 18–9 in the final of the invitational World Matchplay.<ref name=matchplay>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1990, White recorded a 16–14 victory over Davis in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Championship.Template:Sfn It was Davis's first defeat in the event in four years.Template:Sfn White subsequently lost his second World Championship final 12–18 to Hendry.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, White beat Hendry 18–9 to retain his World Matchplay title later in the year and that win was followed by a 10–4 victory over Hendry (after leading 9–0) in the final of the 1991 Classic.<ref name=91classic>Template:Cite news</ref> White continued his run of success by beating Tony Drago 10–6 in the final of the 1991 World Masters for his third successive tournament win.<ref name="cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.ukg">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He played Parrott in the final of the 1991 World Championship and was whitewashed in the first session 0–7. Although White managed to close the gap to 7–11, Parrott was able to seal an 11–18 victory.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was defeated by Parrott again, 13–16 in the final of the 1991 UK Championship.<ref name="HOLMES91">Template:Cite news</ref> It was White's fifth defeat in five UK and World Championship finals.<ref name="HOLMES91"/>

1992–2002

In 1992. White collected his second British Open title, beating Davis in the semi-finals and James Wattana in the final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He won another ranking title, the European Open, shortly after, clinching victory with a 9Template:Nbnd3 win over Mark Johnston-Allen.<ref name=euroopen>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was drawn against Drago in the first round of the 1992 World Championship. After opening up an 8–4 lead, White made history in the 13th frame by becoming only the second player to make a maximum break in the World Championship. He won £100,000 in prize money for this feat.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Wins over Alain Robidoux, Jim Wych and Alan McManus then followed. He played Hendry in the final and won each of the first two sessions to open up a 10–6 lead, which he extended to 14–8. Hendry fought back and won ten consecutive frames to lift the trophy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Reflecting back on the game in 2025, White said " I was 14–8 up against Hendry in the World Championship final. It went 14–10. I was completely gone, I was done. Pockets were moving all over the place. Your brain just gets fuzzled".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the early part of the 1992–93 season, he defeated Ken Doherty 10–9 to claim his second Grand Prix title<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and followed this with victory in the 1992 UK Championship. White defeated Wattana in the quarter-finals and McManus in the semi-finals to set up a clash with Parrott in the final, whom he overcame to secure a 16–9 win.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White has stated that this was among the best matches he has ever played.Template:Sfn

At the 1993 World Championship, he overcame Joe Swail, Doug Mountjoy and Dennis Taylor to reach the semi-finals. White won twelve successive frames during his match against Wattana en route to a 16–9 victory.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the final he lost heavily to Hendry, as White was beaten 5–18 with a session to spare.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White did, however, beat McManus 10Template:Nbnd7 to win the Matchroom League final.<ref name=give>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Stephen Hendry PHC 2011 (retouched).jpg

Stephen Hendry (pictured in 2011) defeated White in four World Snooker Championship finals

At the 1994 World Championship, White defeated Darren Morgan in the semi-finals 16Template:Nbnd8 to reach the final for a fifth successive year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For the fourth time in five years, White's opponent in the final was Hendry and the defending champion opened up a 1–5 lead. White recovered well to lead 13–12 and made a break of 75 to take the match into a decider. In the final frame, White was on a break of 29 and leading by 37 points to 24 when he missed a black off its spot. Hendry made a break of 58 to win the title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the match, White, speaking about Hendry, said "He's beginning to annoy me".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During the [[1994–95 snooker season|1994Template:Nbnd95 season]], White was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He recovered after receiving treatment.Template:Sfn<ref name=guard>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the 1995 World Championship, White was involved in a controversial first-round match against Peter Francisco. From 2–2, White was able to pull away and win convincingly by 10 frames to 2. Shortly after it emerged that large sums of money had been placed on White to win the match by the eventual scoreline. The ensuing investigation found Francisco guilty of misconduct and banned him for five years. However no evidence was found against White, and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White overcame David Roe and Parrott to reach his tenth World Championship semi-final, in which the defending champion Hendry made a 147 break and White lost 12–16.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Along with Davis and Alex Higgins, White was a member of Europe's victorious Mosconi Cup pool team of 1995, and won the deciding match against Lou Butera.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was beaten 12–13 in a second-round encounter with Peter Ebdon in the 1996 World Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White was world ranked thirteen in the 1996–97 season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He lost his first eleven matches of the season and a first round defeat at the 1997 World Championship against Anthony Hamilton (9–10, after leading 8–4) saw him drop out of the top 16 in the world rankings for the first time in 15 years. It also marked just the third time since his debut in 1981 that White had been knocked out of the first round of the competition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Sfn

In the 1997–98 season, White advanced to the semi-finals of the 1997 Grand Prix (where he was defeated 2Template:Nbnd6 by Dominic Dale)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the quarter-finals at the 1998 World Championship. After qualifying to play Hendry in the first round at the Crucible, White opened with a century break and built up a 7–0 lead. Despite losing the next three frames, White was able to seal a 10–4 success. After the match, White said "I've laid a few ghosts to rest tonight".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White followed this with a 13–3 win over Morgan which included a break of 144. In his quarter-final against Ronnie O'Sullivan, however, White lost the first session 1–7,Template:Sfn and although he fought back to 6–9, White succumbed to a 7–13 exit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White's wait for an elusive world crown continued as he was knocked out of the first round of the 1999 World Championship by McManus 7Template:Nbnd10.<ref name=mcmanus/> White entered the 1999 World Pool Championship where he was knocked out of the tournament by Efren Reyes in a final-frame decider in their last 32 clash.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After regaining his top 16 ranking in the 1999–2000 season, White started 2000 by reaching the semi-finals of the Welsh Open, where he lost 5–6 to Stephen Lee.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then defeated Marco Fu and John Higgins to reach the quarter-finals of the Masters,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he followed this up with a run to the quarter-finals of the 2000 World Snooker Championship. On both occasions, however, he was beaten by Matthew Stevens.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the following season, he reached the final of the 2000 British Open (losing 6–9 to Ebdon) and the semi-finals of the 2000 Grand Prix (losing 2Template:Nbnd6 to Mark Williams) in the early part of the campaign.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White defeated O'Sullivan 6–2 in the 2001 Masters,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but he failed to qualify for the 2001 World Championship after a defeat to Michael Judge.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the invitational 2002 Masters, White beat Matthew Stevens 6–1 and came back from 2–5 behind to defeat O'Sullivan 6–5 in the quarter-finals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then lost his semi-final with Mark Williams 5–6.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White lost 3–13 in his second round match with Matthew Stevens at the 2002 World Championship and issued an immediate apology after hitting the cue ball off the table in frustration when trailing 2–5. The result left him provisionally ranked world number ten.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2003–2009

At the invitational 2003 Masters, White secured a first round win against Ebdon, coming back from 1Template:Nbnd5 down to win 6Template:Nbnd5. He could not progress any further as he exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage with a 4Template:Nbnd6 loss to Hendry.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the first round of the 2003 World Championship, White recorded just his second match win in a ranking event of the 2002–03 season with a 10Template:Nbnd6 win over Wattana, but was then defeated 11Template:Nbnd13 by Lee in his next match. Despite his second round exit, White retained his place in the top 16.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the 2003–04 season, White showed some return to form. After reaching the semi-finals of the 2003 UK Championship in November 2003 (where he lost 7Template:Nbnd9 to Matthew Stevens),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White defeated Neil Robertson, Hendry and Ebdon to reach the semi-finals of the 2004 Masters – where he lost a tight match against O'Sullivan 4Template:Nbnd6.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White followed this up with further victories over Hendry and Robertson en route to the final of the European Open in Malta, but was beaten 3–9 by Stephen Maguire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His tenth ranking event title came in April 2004, when White defeated Shaun Murphy, Parrott, Ian McCulloch, Ebdon and Paul Hunter to win the Players Championship in Glasgow. This sealed his first ranking title since 1992<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and pushed White back into the top 10 of the world rankings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His season concluded in the first round at the 2004 World Championship, where he was knocked out of the tournament by qualifier Barry Pinches 8Template:Nbnd10.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White was eleventh in the world rankings for the 2004–05 season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before the invitational 2005 Masters, White temporarily changed his name by deed poll to James Brown, due to a sponsorship deal with HP Sauce.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He trailed Matthew Stevens 2–5 in their first round encounter but pulled back to 4–5 after needing two snookers in the ninth frame. He completed the comeback by winning the two remaining frames to clinch a 6–5 victory and then edged past Williams by the same score in the quarter-finals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His run in the tournament ended with a 1–6 loss to O'Sullivan in the semi-finals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White played Matthew Stevens again at the 2005 World Championship but was unable to repeat his comeback at the Masters as he lost heavily in their second round contest 5Template:Nbnd13.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White lost in the first round of the 2006 World Championship to David Gray 5Template:Nbnd10.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As a result, he fell out of the top 32 at the end of the 2005–06 season, having been ranked eighth one year earlier.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2006–07 season, he reached the final of the 2006 Premier League with wins against Hendry and Ding Junhui, but he was then whitewashed 0Template:Nbnd7 by O'Sullivan.<ref name="premierronnie">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He failed to qualify for the 2007 World Championship after losing 4Template:Nbnd10 to Jamie Burnett, resulting in him missing the main event for just the second time in twenty seven years. White said he was "devastated" by the defeat.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White was ranked 60th in the 2007–08 season,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he exited in qualifying for the 2008 World Championship with a 3Template:Nbnd10 defeat by Mark King. This result contributed to his drop down to number 75 in the provisional world rankings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2008–09 season, White suffered several first round defeats, including at the Northern Ireland Trophy, the Shanghai Masters, and the Welsh Open.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He exited qualifying for the 2009 World Championship with an 8–10 loss against Andy Hicks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2009–2016

At the start of the 2009–10 season, White reached the final of the Champion of Champions Challenge in Killarney, where he lost 1–5 to Murphy.<ref name="GSWS">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White then won the Sangsom 6-red World Grand Prix in Bangkok, Thailand, putting an end to his five-year title drought. On his way to the final he defeated Murphy, Ricky Walden, Mark King, and Mark Williams, eventually beating Barry Hawkins in the final 8–6.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> One month later, in the Paul Hunter Classic, White again reached the final but this time he lost to Murphy 0–4.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October, he reached the final of the invitational World Series of Snooker in Prague, his fourth final of the season. White claimed his second title of the season by defeating Graeme Dott 5–3.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the 2010 Masters, White played King in the wild card round, but lost the match 2–6.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Prior to the 2010 World Championship, White failed to qualify for both the Welsh Open and China Open. Due to this, and skipping the UK Championship for I'm a Celebrity...Get Me out of Here!, he came close to losing his tour card for the following season, but saved it with a win over Mark Boyle during an ultimately unsuccessful bid to qualify for the World Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White started the 2010–11 season by entering the Players Tour Championship, his best performance coming in the first European event and at the sixth event in Sheffield, where he reached the quarter-finals each time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After 12 out of 12 events White was ranked 34th in the Order of Merit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White won the 2010 World Seniors Championship, defeating Thorburn and Parrott to reach the final where he triumphed over Steve Davis 4–1 to secure his first world seniors title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the 2010 UK Championship in December, White lost 8–9 to Hendry in the first-round, after he had come through three qualifying rounds. It was only the fifth time in 24 years that White and Hendry had taken each other to the final frame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> White lost his first qualifying match for the 2011 World Championship 9–10 against Jimmy Robertson.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Jimmy White PHC 2011-1.jpg

White at the 2011 Paul Hunter Classic

White began the 2011–12 season ranked number 55.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At a Legends Tour event in June 2011, White compiled a maximum break, unusual for the fact that he potted the first ball off the Template:Cuegloss, meaning his opponent never played a shot in the frame.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was unable to defend his World Seniors Championship title, as he lost in the semi-finals 0–2 against eventual champion Morgan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White also failed to qualify for the 2011 UK Championship, losing 5–6 against Jamie Jones.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the FFB Snooker Open, White was ranked number 47.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At the 2013 World Seniors Championship, White lost to Hendry in the quarter-final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White finished the 2013–14 season ranked world number 61, almost losing his place on the professional World Snooker circuit. His final game of the season was a 4Template:Nbnd10 defeat to Ian Burns in qualifying for the 2014 World Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In November 2014, while speaking about the World Championship, White said, "I'm not finished yet...I still have very strong belief I can win it".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite this optimism, both the 2014–15 season and [[2015–16 snooker season|2015Template:Nbnd16 season]] ended in disappointment when White lost in qualifying for the World Championship, to Matthew Selt and Gerard Greene respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2016–present

File:Jimmy White PHC 2016-4.JPG

White at the 2016 Paul Hunter Classic

White made it to the quarter-finals of a ranking event for the first time in over a decade at the 2016 Paul Hunter Classic in Germany, but he exited the tournament with a 2Template:Nbnd4 defeat against Dale.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He finished the [[2016-17 snooker season|2016Template:Nbnd17 season]] outside the top 64 and lost his tour card after 37 years as a professional, but World Snooker Tour decided to give White a two-year invitational tour card.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="invite">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White won his first professional title in seven years after winning the inaugural 2017 UK Seniors Championship, part of the World Seniors Tour. In the competition, he defeated qualifier Jonathan Bagley to set up a final with Doherty which he won 4–2.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White later played in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Snooker Championship, losing to Joe Perry 5Template:Nbnd10.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White won the World Seniors Championship in August 2019 with a 5Template:Nbnd3 victory over Morgan in the final at the Crucible.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This meant White qualified for the 2019 Champion of Champions, where despite taking a three frame lead, he narrowly lost 3–4 to O'Sullivan in the first round.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2020 World Seniors Championship, White fought back from four frames behind to beat Doherty 5–4 and retain his title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After a 3Template:Nbnd6 defeat to long-time rival Hendry during an attempt to qualify for the 2021 World Championship,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was given a new two-year invitational tour card in recognition of "his outstanding contribution to the sport".<ref name="invite"/> White finished runner-up at both the 2021 and 2022 World Seniors Championships, losing to David Lilley 3Template:Nbnd5 and Lee Walker 4–5 respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In November 2022, White, aged 60, reached the televised stages of the 2022 UK Championship, becoming the oldest player to reach the last 32 since Eddie Charlton in 1993. White lost his match to Ryan Day 2Template:Nbnd6. Afterwards, White said of the occasion "That's why I still play snooker, for their support on nights like this...It was magical, mind blowing, I will never forget it".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the 2023 German Masters in February, White became the first player aged over 60 to reach the last 16 of a ranking event since Charlton in 1992.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White then proceeded to reach the last 16 of the WST Classic in March, beating Judd Trump 4Template:Nbnd2 along the way.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite this upturn in form, White suffered more disappointment in qualifying for the 2023 World Championship, exiting 4Template:Nbnd10 to Martin O'Donnell. His performances over the season earned him a new two-year tour card.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White won a record fourth World Senior's Championship in May 2023. After defeating Drago in the semi-final, he beat Alfie Burden 5Template:Nbnd3 in the final to secure the title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In April 2025, he failed to qualify for the World Championship for the 19th consecutive year after he suffered a 5Template:Nbnd10 loss to Ashley Carty in qualifying.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White's run to the last 32 of the Northern Ireland Open was his best result of the [[2024–25 snooker season|2024Template:Nbnd25 season]] and his ranking subsequently dropped to 93, thus relegating him from the World Snooker Tour.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was then awarded with an invitational tour card for the next two seasons by the sport's governing body.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legacy

As a six-time runner-up at the World Snooker Championship, White has been labelled 'The People's Champion' by the media,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=mcmanus>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he is widely regarded as one of the best snooker players to have never been crowned world champion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Sfn White's ten ranking event titles place him twelfth on the all time list of ranking event winners,<ref name=list>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he has compiled more than 300 century breaks during his career.<ref name="Jimmy White on Ronnie">Template:Cite news</ref> White is the most successful player ever at the World Seniors Championship having won a record four titles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was inducted into the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Brendan Cooper wrote in his 2023 book Deep Pockets: Snooker and the Meaning of Life that White "remains, probably, the most popular player in the history of the sport."Template:Sfn Cooper attributed this to White combining charisma and humbleness with a fearless style of play and a lack of wins.Template:Sfn The snooker historian Clive Everton concluded in 2012 that White's career had been defined not by winning over twenty titles, but by losing six world championship finals, and that White's life "encompassed innumerable pleasures of the moment but not the true fulfilment of his talent."Template:Sfn

Personal life

File:German Masters 2015-Venue-Misc-11 (LezFraniak).jpg

Neal Foulds and Jimmy White (left) in an interview with Shaun Murphy after his victory against Mark Allen at the 2015 German Masters

White has five children with his ex-wife Maureen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Chelsea">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2018, White began a relationship with beauty queen Jade Slusarczyk, over 20 years his junior.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

His brother Martin died in October 1995 and his mother Lil died just over a year later.Template:Sfn In Behind the White Ball: My Autobiography (1998), written with Rosemary Kingsland, White recalled going with friends to retrieve his brother's body from a coffin before the funeral, and bringing it to a table where the group played cards and drank.Template:Sfn

In his second autobiography, Second Wind (2014), White revealed that he had been a long-term user of cocaine and had been addicted to crack cocaine during a three-month spell of his career.Template:Sfn He said that he went from taking cocaine to crack following his defeat by Davis in the 1984 World Snooker Championship final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White has also shared his experiences with alcohol and gambling issues, claiming he believes that he lost around £2m to gambling alone.<ref name=2m>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the late 1990s, White's Bull Terrier, Splinter, was dognapped and held for ransom. Splinter became the first dog to have a colour poster on the front page of The Times. White paid the ransom, and Splinter was returned to him. Splinter went on to live for another three years.<ref name="McRae (2003, 1 December)">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2017, White's apartment in Epsom, England was damaged by a fire with White saying that he had lost "everything" bar his snooker cue which was in his car.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White won the second Poker Million tournament, held in 2003, which also had Steve Davis at the final table.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Ladbrokes1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was good friends with professional poker player, Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White is good friends with the Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood. The two met as their daughters attended the same school,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and White has said that the Rolling Stones performed at his 50th birthday party.<ref name=rolling/>

In 2025, White revealed that he had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a year or two previously. White wished that he had known about it sooner as he felt it may have impacted his performances.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the media

In 1986, Jimmy White, Alex Higgins, Kirk Stevens, and Tony Knowles, with Status Quo, released a cover of "The Wanderer" by Dion.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The single failed to chart.Template:Sfn The following year, after he had signed to Matchroom, White was one of the players who recorded "Romford Rap" with Chas & Dave.Template:Sfn It reached number 91 in the charts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His instructional book Jimmy White's Snooker Masterclass (1988), co-written with coach Charles Poole, was aimed at players who had already grasped the basics of the game.Template:Sfn

White played himself (as the World Billiards Champion) in Stephen Chow's 1990 kung fu and billiards comedy film, Legend of the Dragon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was a subject of This Is Your Life in 1993.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the British film Jack Said (2009) (a prequel to Jack Says) White played the part of Vic Lee, a snooker club owner.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White appeared in the 9th series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2009) and he finished in third place.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> White was portrayed by James Bailey in the BBC film The Rack Pack (2016), which focused on the rivalry between Alex Higgins and Steve Davis in the 1980s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was featured in the 2021 BBC documentary series Gods of Snooker, and was the main focus of the last of the three episodes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 23 September 2019, White published an apology on his official Facebook page to Kirk Stevens, stating that in his autobiography Second Wind he misremembered a few stories as occurring with Kirk Stevens that in fact did not. These events were widely broadcast in the media and White wanted to make the apology public to prevent them from being repeated. White further stated that he did not intend his words to be interpreted as meaning that Kirk Stevens introduced him to crack cocaine<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> or that Stevens ever played WPBSA snooker under the influence of drugs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White has endorsed four computer games: Jimmy White's 'Whirlwind' Snooker, Jimmy White's 2: Cueball, Jimmy White's Cueball World and Pool Paradise. In Cueball World, White appeared in live-action scenes during the game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

White is currently a commentator for snooker coverage on TNT Sports.<ref name=rolling>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Performance and rankings timeline

Tournament	1979/ 80	1980/ 81	1981/ 82	1982/ 83	1983/ 84	1984/ 85	1985/ 86	1986/ 87	1987/ 88	1988/ 89	1989/ 90	1990/ 91	1991/ 92		1992/ 93	1993/ 94	1994/ 95	1995/ 96	1996/ 97	1997/ 98	1998/ 99	1999/ 00	2000/ 01	2001/ 02	2002/ 03	2003/ 04		2004/ 05	2005/ 06	2006/ 07	2007/ 08	2008/ 09	2009/ 10	2010/ 11	2011/ 12	2012/ 13	2013/ 14	2014/ 15	2015/ 16	2016/ 17	2017/ 18	2018/ 19	2019/ 20		2020/ 21	2021/ 22	2022/ 23	2023/ 24	2024/ 25
Ranking<ref name="Ranking history">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref group="nb">From the 2010/2011 season it shows the ranking at the beginning of the season</ref>	<ref group="nb" name="AMA">He was an amateur</ref>	<ref group="nb" name="UR">New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking</ref>	21	10	11	7	7	5	2	2	4	4	3		3	3	4	7	13	21	18	16	18	11	10	15		11	8	35	60	65	56	60	55	46	55	64	<ref group="nb" name="ET">Players qualified through European Tour Order of Merit started the season without prize money ranking points</ref>	90	<ref group="nb" name="INT">Players issued an invitational tour card began the season without ranking points</ref>	72	<ref group="nb" name="INT"/>		84	<ref group="nb" name="INT"/>	90	<ref group="nb" name="OR">Players qualified One Year Ranking List started the season without ranking points</ref>	88
Ranking tournaments
Championship League	Not Held																														Non-Ranking Event														RR	RR	WD	RR	A
Xi'an Grand Prix	Not Held																																																LQ
Saudi Arabia Masters	Not Held																																																3R
English Open	Not Held																																							1R	1R	2R	1R		1R	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ
British Open<ref group="nb" name="BRI">The event was called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), the Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and the International Masters (1981/1982-1983/1984)</ref>	Non-Ranking Event					2R	1R	W	QF	WD	3R	SF	W		SF	3R	3R	2R	1R	1R	2R	1R	F	2R	2R	1R		1R	Not Held																	2R	LQ	LQ	LQ
Wuhan Open	Not Held																																															LQ	1R
Northern Ireland Open	Not Held																																							2R	3R	1R	1R		1R	LQ	1R	LQ	2R
International Championship	Not Held																																			LQ	1R	1R	LQ	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ		Not Held			LQ	LQ
UK Championship	Non-Ranking Event					QF	SF	3R	F	1R	QF	QF	F		W	3R	2R	3R	1R	2R	3R	3R	1R	3R	2R	SF		2R	2R	LQ	LQ	LQ	A	1R	LQ	LQ	2R	2R	1R	1R	2R	1R	1R		2R	1R	1R	LQ	LQ
Shoot Out	Not Held											NR	Not Held																					Non-Ranking Event						3R	2R	3R	1R		2R	1R	1R	1R	1R
Scottish Open<ref group="nb" name="SCO">The event was also called the International Open (1981/1982-1984/1985, 1986/1987-1989/1990 and 1992/1993-1996/1997), the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986) and the Players Championship (2003/2004)</ref>	Not Held		NR	2R	1R	QF	F	1R	3R	F	QF	Not Held			A	SF	SF	1R	QF	3R	2R	1R	1R	QF	3R	W		Not Held								MR	Not Held			3R	2R	1R	1R		1R	LQ	LQ	2R	LQ
German Masters<ref group="nb">The event was called the German Open (1995/1996-1997/1998)</ref>	Not Held																	1R	1R	2R	NR	Not Held												LQ	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	LQ		LQ	LQ	2R	LQ	LQ
Welsh Open	Not Held												A		QF	QF	2R	2R	1R	2R	2R	SF	LQ	2R	1R	3R		2R	2R	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	2R	1R		2R	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ
World Open<ref group="nb">The event was called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/1983-1983/1984), the Grand Prix (1984/1985-2000/2001 and 2004/2005-2009/2010), and the LG Cup (2001/2002-2003/2004)</ref>	Not Held			F	2R	2R	3R	W	2R	QF	3R	SF	1R		W	3R	2R	QF	1R	SF	1R	2R	SF	2R	2R	3R		2R	3R	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	1R	Not Held		LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ		Not Held			LQ	LQ
World Grand Prix	Not Held																																					NR	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ
Players Championship<ref group="nb">The event was called the Players Tour Championship Grand Final (2010/2011-2015/2016)</ref>	Not Held																																	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ
Tour Championship	Not Held																																									DNQ	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ
World Championship	A	1R	SF	1R	F	QF	QF	SF	SF	QF	F	F	F		F	F	SF	2R	1R	QF	1R	QF	LQ	2R	2R	1R		2R	1R	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ		LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ
Non-ranking tournaments
Champion of Champions	NH	A	Not Held																																		A	A	A	A	A	A	1R		1R	A	A	1R	A
The Masters	A	A	1R	1R	W	SF	F	1R	QF	QF	SF	SF	SF		SF	1R	SF	QF	1R	WR	WR	QF	QF	SF	QF	SF		SF	1R	WR	LQ	LQ	WR	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A		A	A	A	A	A
Championship League	Not Held																														RR	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A		A	A	A	A	A
World Seniors Championship	Not Held												A		Not Held																			W	SF	QF	QF	1R	SF	A	Not Held		W	W	F	F	W	QF	1R
Former ranking tournaments
Canadian Masters<ref group="nb" name="CAN">The tournament was called the Canadian Open (1979/1980–1980/1981)</ref>	Non-Ranking		Not Held				Non-Ranking Event			W	Not Held
Classic	Non-Ranking Event				2R	2R	W	F	3R	1R	WD	W	3R		Not Held
Asian Classic<ref group="nb" name="DUB">The event was called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989), the Dubai Classic (1989/1990-1994/1995) and the Thailand Classic (1995/1996)</ref>	Not Held									NR	A	2R	2R		3R	2R	2R	2R	1R	Not Held
Malta Grand Prix	Not Held																Non-Ranking Event					2R	NR	Not Held
Thailand Masters<ref group="nb" name="THA">The event was called the Asian Open (1989/1990-1992/1993) and the Thailand Open (1993/1994-1996/1997)</ref>	Not Held				Non-Ranking Event				Not Held		1R	2R	1R		SF	SF	1R	2R	2R	1R	LQ	2R	1R	2R	NR	Not Held				NR	Not Held
Irish Masters	Non-Ranking Event																								1R	2R		2R	NH	NR	Not Held
Northern Ireland Trophy<ref group="nb" name="NIR">The tournament was called the Northern Ireland Classic (1981/1982)</ref>	Not Held		NR	Not Held																									NR	LQ	LQ	1R	Not Held
Bahrain Championship	Not Held																															LQ	Not Held
Wuxi Classic<ref group="nb" name="WUC">The event was called the Jiangsu Classic (2008/2009-2009/2010)</ref>	Not Held																															Non-Ranking Event				LQ	1R	LQ	Not Held
Australian Goldfields Open<ref group="nb" name="AUS">The event was also called the Australian Masters (1979/1980-1987/1988 and 1995/1996), the Hong Kong Open (1989/1990) and the Australian Open (1994/1995-1995/1996)</ref>	Non-Ranking Event									NH	SF	Not Held					Non-Ranking		Not Held																LQ	WD	LQ	LQ	LQ	Mot Held
Shanghai Masters	Not Held																														LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ	Non-Ranking			Not Held			Non-Ranking
Paul Hunter Classic<ref group="nb">The event was called the Grand Prix Fürth (2004/2005) and the Fürth German Open (2005/2006-2006/2007)</ref>	Not Held																											Pro-am Event						Minor-Ranking Event						QF	1R	A	NR		Not Held
Indian Open	Not Held																																				LQ	LQ	NH	1R	LQ	LQ	Not Held
China Open<ref group="nb" name="CHN">The event was called the China International (1997/1998-1998/1999)</ref>	Not Held																			NR	LQ	1R	2R	2R	Not Held			2R	1R	2R	LQ	LQ	LQ	WR	1R	LQ	3R	LQ	LQ	1R	LQ	LQ	Not Held
Riga Masters<ref group="nb">The event was called the Riga Open (2014/2015-2015/2016)</ref>	Not Held																																					Minor-Rank		A	3R	1R	LQ		Not Held
China Championship	Not Held																																							NR	LQ	LQ	LQ		Not Held
WST Pro Series	Not Held																																												RR	Not Held
Turkish Masters	Not Held																																													LQ	Not Held
Gibraltar Open	Not Held																																						MR	2R	2R	2R	WD		4R	2R	Not Held
WST Classic	Not Held																																														4R	Not Held
European Masters<ref group="nb">The event was called the European Open (1988/1989-1996/1997 and 2001/2002-2003/2004), the Irish Open (1998/1999), and the Malta Cup (2004/2005-2007/2008)</ref>	Not Held									SF	3R	1R	W		1R	SF	WD	1R	2R	NH	1R	Not Held		QF	1R	F		1R	2R	LQ	NR	Not Held								LQ	LQ	LQ	LQ		1R	LQ	1R	LQ	NH
Former non-ranking tournaments
Scottish Open<ref group="nb" name="SCO"/>	Not Held		LQ	Ranking Event								Not Held			Ranking Event													Not Held								MR	Not Held			Ranking Event
Classic	A	A	A	1R	Ranking Event										Not Held
Pontins Brean Sands	Not Held			RR	Not Held
UK Championship	A	LQ	SF	QF	SF	Ranking Event
British Open<ref group="nb" name="BRI"/>	A	RR	RR	F	RR	Ranking Event																							Not Held																	Ranking Event
Tolly Cobbold Classic	A	A	QF	QF	QF	Not Held
Belgian Classic	Not Held						QF	Not Held
Tokyo Masters	Not Held								SF	Not Held
Canadian Masters<ref group="nb" name="CAN"/>	2R	2R	Not Held				QF	QF	F	R	Not Held
English Professional Championship	NH	A	Not Held			QF	QF	2R	2R	A	Not Held
Dubai Masters<ref group="nb" name="DUB"/>	Not Held									QF	Ranking Event										Not Held
Template:Nowrap	Not Held							A	2R	SF	Not Held
Carlsberg Challenge	Not Held					W	W	F	A	A	Not Held
Hong Kong Gold Cup	Not Held										RR	Not Held
International League	Not Held										F	Not Held
New Zealand Masters	Not Held					W	Not Held			A	A	Not Held
Norwich Union Grand Prix	Not Held									F	A	QF	Not Held
World Masters	Not Held											W	Not Held
London Masters	Not Held									SF	QF	SF	Not Held
European Masters League	Not Held												RR		Not Held
Indian Challenge	Not Held												QF		Not Held
Belgian Challenge	Not Held												SF		Not Held
Kent Classic<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Kent Cup (1986/1987–1987/1988 & 1989/1990–1990/1991)</ref>	Not Held							F	A	A	A	A	NH		QF	Not Held
World Matchplay	Not Held									SF	W	W	SF		QF	Not Held
European Challenge	Not Held												W	QF	QF	Not Held
Belgian Masters	Not Held											F	SF		QF	Not Held		A	Not Held
Malaysian Masters	Not Held					A	NH	W	Not Held									A	Not Held
Australian Goldfields Open<ref group="nb" name="AUS"/>	A	A	A	A	QF	QF	SF	QF	A	NH	R	Not Held					A	A	Not Held																Ranking Event					Not Held
Superstar International	Not Held																			F	Not Held
China Open<ref group="nb" name="CHN"/>	Not Held																			F	Ranking Event				Not Held			Ranking Event															Not Held
Pontins Professional	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A		A	A	A	A	A	A	W	F	Not Held
Malta Grand Prix	Not Held																A	A	A	A	QF	R	A	Not Held
Champions Cup<ref group="nb">The event was called the Charity Challenge (1994/1995–1998/1999)</ref>	Not Held																1R	QF	1R	QF	SF	RR	RR	RR	Not Held
Scottish Masters	Not Held		W	QF	QF	F	SF	SF	SF	NH	QF	SF	QF		QF	QF	QF	1R	1R	1R	QF	1R	1R	1R	QF	Not Held
Northern Ireland Trophy<ref group="nb" name="NIR"/>	Not Held		W	Not Held																									LQ	Ranking Event			Not Held
Thailand Masters<ref group="nb" name="THA"/>	Not Held				A	W	A	A	Not Held		Ranking		QF		Ranking Event										A	Not Held				A	Not Held
Irish Masters	A	A	A	QF	1R	W	W	QF	QF	QF	SF	SF	QF		QF	SF	QF	1R	QF	1R	SF	QF	1R	1R	Ranking Event				NH	RR	Not Held
Euro-Asia Masters Challenge	Not Held																									RR	SF	Not Held			A	Not Held
Pot Black	A	A	A	SF	SF	F	W	Not Held					SF		QF	A	Not Held												QF	A	A	Not Held
World Series Grand Final	Not Held																															2R	Not Held
World Series Killarney	Not Held																																F	Not Held
World Series Prague	Not Held																																W	Not Held
Legends of Snooker	Not Held																																QF	Not Held
Power Snooker	Not Held																																	QF	A	Not Held
Premier League<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Professional Snooker League (1983/1984), Matchroom League (1986/1987 to 1991/1992) and the European League (1992/1993 to 1996/1997)</ref>	Not Held				RR	Not Held		RR	RR	RR	RR	RR	SF		W	SF	SF	RR	RR	F	F	RR	RR	SF	RR	RR		RR	RR	F	RR	A	A	A	RR	A	Not Held
General Cup<ref group="nb">The event was called the General Cup International (2004/2005–2011/2012)</ref>	Not Held																											A	Not Held				A	NH	A	A	A	RR	A	Not Held
Shoot Out	Not Held											WD	Not Held																					1R	1R	1R	1R	2R	A	Ranking Event
Seniors Irish Masters	Not Held																																									W	Not Held
Seniors 6-Red World Championship	Not Held																																									W	Not Held
Seniors Masters	Not Held																																								A	QF	Not Held
UK Seniors Championship	Not Held																																								W	QF	F		Not Held
Hong Kong Masters<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Hong Kong Challenge (1990/1991–1991/1992)</ref>	Not Held				A	QF	A	QF	SF	W	NH	F	SF		Not Held																										A	Not Held					A	Not Held
Six-red World Championship<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Six-red Snooker International (2008/2009) and the Six-red World Grand Prix (2009/2010)</ref>	Not Held																															2R	W	2R	NH	2R	2R	RR	A	A	A	A	2R		Not Held		RR	Not Held

Performance Table Legend
LQ	lost in the qualifying draw	#R	lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)	QF	lost in the quarter-finals
SF	lost in the semi-finals	F	lost in the final	W	won the tournament
DNQ	did not qualify for the tournament	A	did not participate in the tournament	WD	withdrew from the tournament

NH / Not Held				means an event was not held.
NR / Non-Ranking Event				means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
R / Ranking Event				means an event is/was a ranking event.
MR / Minor-Ranking Event				means an event is/was a minor-ranking event.
PA / Pro-am Event				means an event is/was a pro-am event.

Career finals

Ranking finals: 24 (10 titles)

Legend
World Championship (0–6)
UK Championship (1–2)
Other (9–6)

Ranking finalsTemplate:Sfn

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	1982	Professional Players Tournament	Template:Flagathlete	5–10
Runner-up	2.	1984	World Snooker Championship	Template:Flagathlete	16–18
Runner-up	3.	1985	Template:Sort	Template:Flagathlete	10–12
Winner	1.	1986	The Classic	Template:Flagathlete	13–12
Winner	2.	1986	Grand Prix	Template:Flagathlete	10–6
Runner-up	4.	1987	The Classic	Template:Flagathlete	12–13
Winner	3.	1987	British Open	Template:Flagathlete	13–9
Runner-up	5.	1987	UK Championship	Template:Flagathlete	14–16
Runner-up	6.	1988	International Open Template:Tooltip	Template:Flagathlete	6–12
Winner	4.	1988	Canadian Masters	Template:Flagathlete	9–4
Runner-up	7.	1990	World Snooker Championship (2)	Template:Flagathlete	12–18
Winner	5.	1991	The Classic (2)	Template:Flagathlete	10–4
Runner-up	8.	1991	World Snooker Championship (3)	Template:Flagathlete	11–18
Runner-up	9.	1991	UK Championship (2)	Template:Flagathlete	13–16
Winner	6.	1992	European Open	Template:Flagathlete	9–3
Winner	7.	1992	British Open (2)	Template:Flagathlete	10–7
Runner-up	10.	1992	World Snooker Championship (4)	Template:Flagathlete	14–18
Winner	8.	1992	Grand Prix (2)	Template:Flagathlete	10–9
Winner	9.	1992	UK Championship	Template:Flagathlete	16–9
Runner-up	11.	1993	World Snooker Championship (5)	Template:Flagathlete	5–18
Runner-up	12.	1994	World Snooker Championship (6)	Template:Flagathlete	17–18
Runner-up	13.	2000	British Open	Template:Flagathlete	6–9
Runner-up	14.	2004	European Open	Template:Flagathlete	3–9
Winner	10.	2004	Players Championship	Template:Flagathlete	9–7

Non-ranking finals: 51 (27 titles)

Legend
The Masters (1–1)
Premier League (1–3)
Other (25–20)

Non-ranking finals contested by Jimmy White

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score	Template:Ref heading
Winner	1.	1981	Scottish Masters	Template:Flagathlete	9–4	Template:Sfn
Winner	2.	1981	Northern Ireland Classic	Template:Flagathlete	11–9	<ref name="HQ8182"/>
Runner-up	1.	1983	International Masters	Template:Flagathlete	6–9	<ref name="IM83"/>
Winner	3.	1984	The Masters	Template:Flagathlete	9–5	<ref name="MASTERS84"/>
Winner	4.	1984	New Zealand Masters	Template:Flagathlete	5–3	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	5.	1984	Thailand Masters	Template:Flagathlete	4–3	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	6.	1984	Carlsberg Challenge	Template:Flagathlete	9–7	<ref name=CT/>
Runner-up	2.	1984	Scottish Masters	Template:Flagathlete	4–9	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	3.	1985	Pot Black	Template:Flagathlete	0–2	<ref name=potblack/>
Winner	7.	1985	Irish Masters	Template:Flagathlete	9–5	Template:Sfn
Winner	8.	1985	Carlsberg Challenge (2)	Template:Flagathlete	8–3	<ref name=CT/>
Winner	9.	1986	Pot Black	Template:Flagathlete	2–0	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	4.	1986	The Masters	Template:Flagathlete	5–9	<ref name="MASTERS86"/>
Winner	10.	1986	Irish Masters (2)	Template:Flagathlete	9–5	Template:Sfn
Winner	11.	1986	Malaysian Masters	Template:Flagathlete	2–1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	5.	1986	Carlsberg Challenge	Template:Flagathlete	3–8	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	6.	1987	Kent Cup	Template:Flagathlete	2–5	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Runner-up	7.	1987	Canadian Masters	Template:Flagathlete	7–9	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	12.	1988	Hong Kong Masters	Template:Flagathlete	6–3	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	8.	1988	Norwich Union Grand Prix	Template:Flagathlete	4–5	Template:Sfn
Winner	13.	1989	World Matchplay	Template:Flagathlete	18–9	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	9.	1990	Matchroom International League	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Nowrap	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Runner-up	10.	1990	World Series Challenge	Template:Flagathlete	3–9	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	11.	1990	Belgian Masters	Template:Flagathlete	6–9	Template:Sfn
Winner	14.	1990	World Matchplay (2)	Template:Flagathlete	18–9	Template:Sfn
Winner	15.	1991	World Masters	Template:Flagathlete	10–6	Template:Sfn
Winner	16.	1991	European Challenge	Template:Flagathlete	4–1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	17.	1993	European League	Template:Flagathlete	10–7	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	12.	1997	Superstar International	Template:Flagathlete	3–5	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	13.	1997	China International	Template:Flagathlete	4–7	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	14.	1998	Premier League	Template:Flagathlete	2–10	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	15.	1999	Premier League (2)	Template:Flagathlete	4–9	<ref name=premier/>
Winner	18.	1999	Pontins Professional	Template:Flagathlete	9–5	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	16.	2000	Pontins Professional	Template:Flagathlete	2–9	<ref name="SCENE">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Runner-up	17.	2006	Premier League (3)	Template:Flagathlete	0–7	<ref name=premier/>
Runner-up	18.	2009	World Series of Snooker Killarney	Template:Flagathlete	1–5	<ref name="GSWS"/>
Winner	19.	2009	Six-red World Grand Prix	Template:Flagathlete	8–6	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	20.	2009	World Series of Snooker Prague	Template:Flagathlete	5–3	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Winner	21.	2010	World Seniors Championship	Template:Flagathlete	4–1	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Winner	22.	2017	UK Seniors Championship	Template:Flagathlete	4–2	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Winner	23.	2019	Seniors Irish Masters	Template:Flagathlete	4–1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	24.	2019	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagathlete	4–2	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	25.	2019	World Seniors Championship (2)	Template:Flagathlete	5–3	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	19.	2019	UK Seniors Championship	Template:Flagathlete	2–4	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	26.	2020	World Seniors Championship (3)	Template:Flagathlete	5–4	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	20.	2021	World Seniors Championship	Template:Flagathlete	3–5	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	21.	2022	World Seniors Championship (2)	Template:Flagathlete	4–5	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Winner	27.	2023	World Seniors Championship (4)	Template:Flagathlete	5–3	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	22.	2023	Seniors 900	Template:Flagathlete	0–1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	23.	2024	Seniors 900	Template:Flagathlete	1–2	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	24.	2024	Seniors 900	Template:Flagathlete	1–2	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Pro-am finals: 7 (1 title)

Pro-am finals contested by Jimmy White

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score	Template:Ref heading
Winner	1.	1978	Pontins Autumn Open	Template:Flagathlete	7–6	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	1.	1979	Pontins Spring Open	Template:Flagathlete	3–7	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	2.	1979	Warners Open	Template:Flagathlete	2–5	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	3.	2004	Swiss Open	Template:Flagathlete	1–5	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Runner-up	4.	2009	Paul Hunter Classic	Template:Flagathlete	0–4	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Runner-up	5.	2010	Pink Ribbon	Template:Flagathlete	5–6	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Runner-up	6.	2011	Cricket Club of India Open Invitational	Template:Flagathlete	7–10	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Team finals: 7 (4 titles)

Team finals contested by Jimmy White

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Team/partner	Opponent(s) in the final	Score	Template:Ref heading
Runner-up	1.	1982	World Team Classic	Template:Flagcountry	Template:Flagcountry	2–4	Template:Sfn
Runner-up	2.	1983	World Doubles Championship	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete	2–10	Template:Sfn
Winner	1.	1984	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete	10–2	Template:Sfn
Winner	2.	1988	World Cup	Template:Flagcountry	Template:Flagcountry	9–7	Template:Sfn
Winner	3.	1989	World Cup (2)	Template:Flagcountry	Rest of the world	9–8	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Runner-up	3.	1991	World Masters	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete	3–6	Template:Sfn
Winner	4.	2000	Nations Cup	Template:Flagcountry	Template:Flagcountry	6–4	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Amateur finals: 6 (5 titles)

Amateur finals contested by Jimmy White

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score	Template:Ref heading
Winner	1.	1977	British Under-16 Championship	Template:Flagathlete	3–2	<ref name="U-16"/>
Runner-up	1.	1977	Pontins Junior Championship	Template:Flagathlete	2–3	Template:Sfn
Winner	2.	1978	Pontins Junior Championship	Template:Flagathlete	3–2	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Winner	3.	1979	English Amateur Championship	Template:Flagathlete	13–10	<ref name="ENGAM"/>
Winner	4.	1980	World Amateur Championship	Template:Flagathlete	11–2	<ref name="CE10NOV80"/>
Winner	5.	1980	Indian Amateur Championship	Template:Flagathlete	9–7	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

References

Books

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:WST player
• Template:Snooker.org player