Veteran Jimmy White Survives Shocking Blunder to Win Thriller in World Snooker Qualifier
Snooker legend Jimmy White faced an unexpected hurdle in his World Championship qualifier, falling foul of a little-known rule in bizarre fashion—but ultimately mounting an incredible comeback to secure victory.
The 62-year-old, a ten-time ranking event winner and fan favorite, entered the qualifying rounds with hopes of booking a return to the Crucible Theatre for the prestigious World Snooker Championship, which begins April 19. However, his match against 20-year-old Ukrainian prospect Anton Kazakov took a dramatic turn early on due to a rare application of the “three-miss rule.”
White, who had taken a 1-0 lead, found himself trailing 2-1 after a sequence of uncharacteristic errors. The three-miss rule, seldom invoked at this level, penalizes a player who fails to hit the intended ball three consecutive times when the ball is fully visible and no snooker is in play. After a miscue on his second attempt, White tried a risky shot for his third—but failed to make contact yet again, resulting in the automatic loss of the frame.
“It’s a rare way to lose a frame,” said commentator Neal Foulds. “Jimmy White has missed three times, so the frame is over. What a way to lose a frame.”
Despite the blunder, White refused to be rattled. At the evening session, he trailed 7-3 and appeared headed for an early exit. But the veteran dug deep, summoning all his experience to win six consecutive frames in a breathtaking turnaround. Kazakov, to his credit, showed resilience of his own and forced a final-frame decider.
In a tense conclusion that extended past midnight, White kept his composure and clinched the deciding frame, sealing a dramatic 10-9 win at 1:20am.
Even former World Champion Neil Robertson was left surprised, tweeting: “I always wondered what happened after a third foul and a miss following a miscue. Jimmy has answered it for me.”
For White, the road to the Crucible remains open—though it’s a journey that’s already delivered a reminder that in snooker, experience doesn’t always shield one from the sport’s unforgiving rules.
