Джон Вирго: 1979 жылғы Ұлыбритания чемпионы және снукер шебері

English former professional snooker player, 1979 UK champion

John Virgo (born 4 March 1946) is an English snooker commentator and former professional snooker player. Virgo won four professional titles, including the 1979 UK Championship, the 1980 Bombay International and the 1984 Premiere League. A member of the sport's elite Top 16 for seven seasons, Virgo is also a former British Open and World Championship semi finalist and was runner up of the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters.

Virgo's first notable appearance in a major tournament was during the 1973 American Pool Tournament for The Indoor League where he lost in the semi final. He turned professional in 1976, at a time when players such as Ray Reardon, John Spencer and Eddie Charlton were at the forefront of the sport. Although he had just turned 30 upon turning pro, Virgo was still among the youngest players on the circuit at the time. In 1977, he reached the semi finals of the 1977 UK Championship losing to eventual winner Patsy Fagan by a single frame 8–9.

Virgo's snooker playing fortunes peaked in 1979 when he reached the semi final of the World Championship, and went on to win the 1979 UK Championship (though this was not a ranking event at the time). En route to the final, he beat Tony Meo, Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. He overcame the reigning world champion Terry Griffiths in the final, despite being controversially docked two frames because of a miscommunication regarding the start time of the next session of play. He reached his highest ranking, world number 10, during the 1979–80 season. In 1986, Virgo reached the semi finals of the British Open, losing 4–9 to Willie Thorne. He ended the 1989–90 season as world number 14, but dropped out of the elite top 16 the following season.

In 1993, Virgo entered the qualifying stages of the Grand Prix and the UK Championship but failed to qualify for the main events, losing both times in round seven. Virgo retired from professional play in 1994. On 27 April 2022, Virgo announced that he and his colleague Dennis Taylor had been axed by the BBC, and that the 2022–23 snooker season would be their last as commentators for the broadcaster. In late 2022, however, the BBC production team informed Virgo that he will in fact stay on for the "foreseeable future".

Virgo's tribute book to Alex Higgins, Let Me Tell You About Alex, was published in February 2011 and described as "explosive". In April 2012, his book Amazing Snooker Trick Shots was published. In 2012, Virgo featured as himself in Nicholas Gleaves' debut radio play Sunk, in which he guides a young man in his dream of becoming a snooker champion to avoid a life of crime. This was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Virgo worked with a pool and snooker table company called Liberty Games to create a web based series of trick shot videos known as the Trick Shot Academy. In 2014, Virgo released a trick shot app, John Virgo's Snooker Trick Shots, available on Apple and Android devices.

Virgo has two children, a son from his first marriage and a daughter from his second marriage. He separated from his first wife Avril, in 1991, after eight years together.

Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreRunner up 1. 1975 Pontins Spring Open Ray Reardon1–7