Alain Robidoux
A fiery and unorthodox competitor from Quebec who became the top-ranked Canadian snooker player in the 1990s.
Born 1960 (age 66)·Canadian snooker player·Birthday: July 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Alain Robidoux carved out a distinctive place in the polished world of professional snooker with his gritty, determined style. Hailing from Montreal, the left-hander turned professional in 1987 and brought a fiercely competitive edge to the table. His career peak came in the mid-1990s when he broke into the world's top 16, becoming the highest-ranked Canadian player of his era. Robidoux is perhaps best remembered for his intense matches and unwavering self-belief, qualities that propelled him to the final of the 1996 German Open. Though he lost to a young Ronnie O'Sullivan, his run cemented his reputation as a formidable and passionate opponent. His career spanned nearly two decades on the main tour, representing Canada with a tenacity that made him a standout figure from a nation not traditionally known for producing snooker stars.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Alain was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alain Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Alain's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the final of the 1996 German Open, losing 7–9 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
- Achieved a career-high world ranking of number 11 during the 1996–97 season.
- Was the highest-ranked Canadian snooker player for much of the 1990s.
Did You Know?
He was known for his unique, very upright stance and bridge hand technique at the table.
He once insisted his opponent, Ronnie O'Sullivan, play left-handed during a contentious match, believing O'Sullivan was disrespecting him.
He worked as a taxi driver in Montreal after retiring from the professional tour.
“You don't win frames by hoping; you win by taking your shot.”
