Quotes from Jimmy White

I was introduced to the game by my father, Tommy, when I was 11.

I learnt the game as a kid hustling car dealers for cash.

I like the hypnosis. Nothing too deep - just enough to keep me clearer and more focused.

I think I should win every tournament I enter.

Snooker's only popular in China now. Well China's OK to go to once or twice a year but to go and play six or seven tournaments there is too much.

I mean what's the point of them becoming professional snooker players? If there's not much money in the game, if there's no guarantee of future tournaments, if no one knows what's going on.

Ronnie is the greatest player to have ever picked up a snooker cue. People have said that about me. But although I won 50 or so tournaments I never picked up the world championship. That was a little bit of a disappointment.

If Ding keeps performing the way he has been doing then it is inevitable the World Championship will go to his country.

I love playing in Ireland and I've had great support here, like I get everywhere.

The worst problem I've probably had was the gambling - you can do your money in the bookies a lot quicker than you can do it in the pub.

Talent, it can become a trap.

I have no regrets, I've had a fantastic life, travelled the world.

I don't drink. Don't smoke.

I've played 8-ball in Hong Kong and I'm more knowledgeable with that than 9-ball.

Testicular cancer occurs in young men, just the people who don't bother much about their health.

It meant so much to me lifting the Alex Higgins Trophy at Goffs.

To be honest, most of my troubles - bankruptcy, drinking, gambling - were self-inflicted.

Some people take the view that I'm too laid back. Yet it's how I feel.

If you've got to win ugly, do it.

I could be in Spain, spending my time playing bad golf; financially I don't need to play snooker. I play because I love it.

If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.

I've been gambling since the age of 12. Horses, dogs, dice, roulette, you name it.

That's the hardest part of the game. You've got to stay focused. With golf, make a mistake and you get another shot straight away; but with snooker you could be five minutes before you get another chance.

From having no money and coming from a very proud working class family, it was tough. But then all of a sudden we had loads and loads of cash. I realised that this was a great opportunity to do what I love for a living. I was going to tournaments up and down the country and I was able to win anything from five to seven thousand pounds.