Advice to a Beginner at Billiards

This book is a reprint of a series of articles published in The Billiard Player magazine (May 1924 – June 1925) by an unknown author using the pseudonym Qui Hi.

Qui Hi is not a personal nickname, but rather an old Anglo-Indian term. This practice draws from the Hindustani tradition of addressing someone with the question “koī hai?” which translates to “Is anyone there?” This term was historically used to summon servants in British India. By the nineteenth century, it had become a label for the typical British resident of India that was half-humorous in nature: they were known for their tendency to frequent clubs, their worldliness, and their complacency.

In this context, the pseudonym employed in The Billiard Player can be seen as a deliberate device, representing the voice of an experienced Anglo-Indian individual, speaking with a blend of wit and authority.

The book was compiled and designed by the team at https://allaboutsnooker.info.

We would like to express our gratitude to Peter Ainsworth for providing the text.