HK 'snooker queen' Ng On-yee had to dodge police to practice as teen, father says

Veteran snooker player Ng Yam-shui has praised the government’s decision to relax entry restrictions for licensed billiard establishments, revealing that his daughter, renowned “snooker queen” Ng On-yee, had to dodge law enforcement as a teenager to find places to practice.

His remarks follow a government policy change that lowered the minimum entry age from 16 to eight years old, reduced the restricted entry hours for young patrons from 14 hours per day to eight, and now permits entry for persons wearing school uniforms.

Ng, who also represents World Snooker Club 147, stated that teenagers would benefit significantly from the extended practice time. He added that the relaxation of rules reflects a societal shift in which the negative stereotype of billiard halls has been overcome.

He shared that his daughter used to practice secretly after hours at his billiard hall before the authorities extended the permitted entry hours for young patrons to 11pm.

However, he reported that his own establishment in Sheung Wan has not yet seen a significant rise in young visitors, though he believed venues in Kowloon and the New Territories would likely attract more youth.

Ng also emphasized that the public perception of snooker has greatly improved, noting that participation in the U21 Snooker Championship has surged from 40 or 50 players to over 100.

He observed that many secondary school students now change into casual clothes after school to practice snooker, with some even being accompanied by supportive parents.

In addition, Ng acknowledged the difficulty of preventing all violations despite ongoing reminders to customers. His comment follows multiple reports concerning illegal smoking inside billiard rooms.