Billiards Terms

Billiard Terms

Need to make sure that you don't look like you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to pool. Here's some common billiard terms.

A

Above Snooker Used in Snooker referring to the position of the cue ball. When the cue ball is above the object ball if it is off-straight on the baulk cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot.

Aiming line General An imaginary line drawn from the desired path an object ball is to be sent (usually drawn to the center of a pocket) and the center of the object ball.

Angle of Incidence General The angle at which a ball approaches a rail, as measured from the perpendicular to the rail. This phrase has been known to be in use since as early as 1653.

Angle of Reflection General The angle from which a ball rebounds from a rail, as can be measured from the perpendicular to the rail


Arc General The arc of the cue ball is the extent to which it curves as a result of a semi-massé or massé shot.

B

Back Cut General A cut shot in which if a line were drawn from the cue ball to the rail behind the object ball parallel to the table's rail, the object ball would lie outside the line with respect to the pocket being targeted.

Baize General A cloth material used to cover billiard tables, usually green in color and sometimes called felt based on a similarity on appearance, though very different in makeup.

Balkline(1) Billiards A type of carom game created to eliminate very high runs in straight rail.

Balkline(2) General A line drawn horizontally from a point on the billiard table's long side to the corresponding point on the opposite long side, from which the game of balk line takes its name.

Ball-in-Hand General The option to place the cue ball anywhere on the table prior to hitting it. Usually only available to a player when the opposing player has committed a type of a foul under a particular game's rules.

Ball-On General, Pool, Snooker Any legally strike-able ball on the table in UK terminology. For example, in 8-ball, if a player is playing solids, any ball from 1 to 7 can be the "ball-on" until they are all potted, in which case the 8-ball is the ball-on. In snooker, at the beginning of a player's turn, unless all reds are already potted, any red ball can be the "ball-on".

Bank shot/Bank General A shot in which an object ball is driven to one or more rails prior to being pocketed. Sometimes "bank" is conflated to refer to kick shots as well, and in the UK it is often called a double.

Baulk Snooker In snooker, the area between the baulk line and the baulk cushion, which houses the D and is analogous to the kitchen in pool

Baulk Color Snooker In snooker, any of the three color balls that get spotted on the baulk line meaning: the yellow, green or brown ball.

Baulk Cushion Snooker In snooker, the cushion opposite to the top cushion and bounded by the yellow and green pockets.

Baulk Line Snooker In Snooker a straight line drawn 29″ from the face of the bottom cushion on a snooker table. Similar to the head string on a pool table.

Bed General The playing area of a table, exclusive of the cushions on the sides of the table.

Below Snooker In Snooker used in reference to the position of the cue ball. It is "below" the object ball if it is off-straight on the top cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot.

Break(1) Billiards Usually describes the first shot in most billiards games. In carom games it describes the first point attempt, as shot from an unvarying cue ball and object balls placement; In many pocket billiard games describes the first shot which is used to break open the balls which have been racked together.

Break(2) Snooker In Snooker it describes a series of consecutive pots by a player during a one inning. More typically applied in Snooker. The maximum break is 147 points.

Bridge General Either the player's hand or a mechanical bridge used to support the shaft end of the cue stick during a shot. Also the particular hand formation used for this purpose.

Bridge Hand General The hand used by a player as a bridge during a normal shot which doesn't involve a mechanical bridge. The bridge hand is usually the player's non-dominant hand.

Brown Ball Snooker In snooker, the highest-value baulk color ball, having a value of 4 points.

Bumper General The rubber bumper on the bottom of a cue.

Butt General The bottom portion of a pool cue which is gripped by the player's hand.

C

Call General Any instance of a player having to say what they are about to do, or have already done. For example, in eight ball a player must call the pocket in which a ball is intended to be potted.

Call Shot General Any game in which during normal play a player must call the ball to be hit and the intended pocket.

Cannon Billiards, General English/Canadian variant of carom.

Carom/Carombole Billiards 1.       A type of point-scoring shot in billiards where the player causes his/her cue ball to hit each of the other two (or more, e.g. in yostudama) balls on the table. Also called a cannon (British/Canadian variant).

  2.      To careen the cue ball off of an object ball to strike another object ball with the cue ball. Contrast with kiss shot.

Center Spot General The spot at the geographic center of the bed of a table.

Center Pocket Snooker In the UK, one of the two pockets one either side of a six-pocket table (Snooker or Pool) halfway up the long rails. They are cut shallower than corner pockets because they have a 180° opening, instead of 90°. Also commonly called a middle pocket. The term is not generally used in the US where "side pocket" is more common.

Century Snooker In snooker, a break of 100 points or more. It involves potting at least 26 balls consecutively.

Chalk General A powdered substance placed on a cue stick's tip to increase its friction and thereby decrease slippage between the tip and cue ball. See hand chalk.

Chinese Snooker Snooker A situation where the cue ball is directly in front of another ball in the line of the shot such that the player is hampered by it, having to bridge over it awkwardly. This term is most commonly used in the game of snooker.


Cling General An unnatural contact between two balls, usually the cue ball and an object ball, which can negatively affect an otherwise well-played shot. Cling occurs when some foreign material, often residual chalk on the cue ball's surface, contacts the object ball and throws the shot offline. Also sometimes known as skid, or in the UK, kick.

Cloth General The cloth covering the tables playing surface and rails, usually made from wool or a wool-nylon blend. Sometimes cloth is improperly referred to as "felt."

Color Ball Snooker In snooker, any of the object balls which are not red. A color ball must be potted after each red in the continuation of a break, and are re-spotted until the reds run out, after which the colors must be potted in their order: yellow (2 points); green (3 points); brown (4 points); blue (5 points); pink (6 points); black (7 points).

Corner Pocket Snooker Any of the four pockets in each corner of a pool or snooker table. They have a 90° aperture and as such are cut deeper than center pockets, which have 180° apertures. On an American table, a corner pocket is cut to be able to accept two balls abreast simultaneously.

Creep General Deviation of a ball from its initial direction of travel. Often the result of a poor-quality table and may be an artifact of the cloth, the bed, a ball with uneven weight distribution, or simply the floor the table stands on being uneven. It should not be confused with the nap of the cloth.

Cue General A stick, usually around 45-50″ in length with a leather tip on the end and sometimes with a joint in the middle, which is used to propel billiard balls.

Cue Action General A UK term describing the posture and timing used by players on their shots, often indicative of how they play in their shot selection. A fast, natural player would tend to be more aggressive whereas a less naturally-gifted player might have a slow action and tend to be more conservative on the table. It is widely accepted that the better players get lower to the table with their chins on the cue, have a straight back leg, their elbow hinging in line with the shot, and a straight follow-through after the cue ball has been struck.

Cue Ball General The ball in a billiards game, typically white in color, which a player strikes with a cue stick. It is variably spelled cue ball, and is sometimes referred to as the white ball, whitey and the rock.

Cue Tip General A material, usually leather, placed on the end of a cue stick that comes in contact with the cue ball.

Cushion General The elastic bumpers mounted on all rails of a billiards table, usually made from rubber or synthetic rubber, from which the balls rebound.

Cut Shot General Technically, any shot that is not a center-to-center hit, but almost always used to describe a shot that has more than a slight degree of angle.

Cutthroat General A three person game. Each player claims a set of 5 balls, choosing between sets of the 1 through 5 balls, the 6 through 10 balls and the 11 through 15. The goal is to sink all the balls of both of your opponents while keeping yours on the table. If a player scratches, one previously sank ball of each opponent are brought back into play.

D

"D" the Snooker An 11½″ radius semicircle, drawn behind a snooker table's baulk line, centerd on the middle of the line, and resembling the upper case letter "D" in shape.

Deliberate Foul Pool A shot, especially common in straight pool and in UK 8-ball, in which a player intentionally commits a foul with the object in mind of either leaving the opponent with little chance of running out or simply to avoid shooting where no good shot is presented and to do anything else would give the opponent an advantage. It is often referred to in straight pool also as a "back scratch".

Double Hit General An illegal shot in which the cue stick's tip contacts the cue ball twice during a single stroke. Double hits often occur when a player shoots the cue ball when it is very close to another ball or rail.

Double Kiss General A situation in which a ball strikes another ball which is close to a rail and the struck ball rebounds back into the ball it was hit by; usually but not always unintended.

Double Shimmed General A pool table where two shims have been placed on the sides of each pocket (in the jaws beneath the cloth), making the pockets "tighter" (smaller). Such tables are "tougher" than unshimmed or single-shimmed tables, but not as tough as a triple-shimmed table. Top players often prefer shimmed tables, whereas beginners find them frustrating.

Double the Rail General A three cushion billiards shot where the cue ball is shot with reverse English at a relatively shallow angle down the rail, and spins backwards off the adjacent rail back into the first rail.

Drag Shot General A shot played slowly and with heavy draw so that the cue ball can be struck firmly but with a lot of the pace taken out, allowing more control than just a gentle tap that would travel as far.

Draw General A type of spin applied to the cue ball by hitting it below its equator, which makes it reverse direction if still on the cue ball at the moment of contact with an object ball. There are several variant terms for this, including, bottom and bottom spin in the US and screw in the UK, as well as back spin, which is common in both. Draw is thought to be the first spin technique understood by billiards players prior to the introduction of leather tips, and was in use by the 1790s.

E

Eight Ball General, Pool The last ball that must be potted in a game of Eight ball, after the set of seven that must be cleared first. It is usually black in color with the number eight written on in a white circle.

English General Sidespin placed on the cue ball when hit with the cue stick to the left or right of center ball. Sometimes also used to refer to follow (spin in the natural direction of a ball's roll, placed on a cue ball by hitting it above center) and draw (spin in the opposite direction of the natural direction of a ball's roll, placed on a cue ball by hitting it below center).

Equator General The horizontal plane directly in the center of the cue ball, which when hit exactly by the cue tip should impart no follow-through or draw.

Extension General Any mechanical aid that serves to extend the length of the player's cue, normally added to the end of the butt either by clipping around the end or screwing into the base. Though extensions are used for pool, it is more common in snooker because of the significantly larger table size.

F

Follow Shot General A shot in which the cue ball is struck above the equator to impart topspin, causing the cue ball to travel forward after it contacts an object ball.

Foot Rail General The short rail at the end of the table where balls are normally racked.

Foot Spot General The point on the table surface over which the apex ball of a rack is centered or, the point half the distance between the second diamond on either side of the racking end of the table.

Foul General A violation of a particular game's rules for which a set penalty is imposed. In many games the penalty for a foul is ball-in-hand for the opponent or ball-in-hand behind the head string. See ball-in-hand. In other games such as straight pool, a foul results in a loss of one or more points. In one-pocket, in which a set number of balls must be made in a specific pocket, upon a foul the player must return a ball to the table. In some games, three successive fouls in a row is a loss of game. In straight pool, a third successive foul results in a loss of 16 points (15 plus one for the foul).


  Possible foul situations (nonexclusive)
  •          the player shoots the cue ball first into a ball that is not an object ball;
  •          the player shoots and after contacting an object ball, no ball is pocketed and neither the cue ball nor a numbered ball contacts a cushion (excepting push out rules);
  •          the player pockets the cue ball. See scratch;
  •          the player does not have at least one foot on the floor at the moment of shooting;
  •          the player shoots the cue ball before all other balls have come to a complete stop;
  •          the player hits the cue ball more than once during a shot (a double hit);
  •          the player touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the cue;
  •          the player touches any ball other than the cue ball;
  •          the player causes a ball to leave the table's playing surface;
  •          the player marks the table in any manner to aid in aiming;
  •          the player who has ball-in-hand touches an object ball with the cue ball while attempting to place the cue ball on the table;
  •          the player shoots in such a manner that his cue tip stays in contact with the cue ball for more than the momentary time commensurate with a stroked shot (a push shot).

Frame Snooker, Pool A term especially used in snooker and UK 8-ball but also in the US for each rack from the break off until a clearance, losing foul or concession has been made.

Free Ball Snooker, Pool A situation where a player has fouled, leaving the opponent snookered. In UK 8-ball this would normally give the opponent the option of one of two plays: (1) ball-in-hand with two shots; (2) being allowed to contact, or even pot, a ball other than one from his/her set from the snookered position (although the black may not be potted), with the loss of the first shot. In snooker it allows a player to call any ball as the ball she/he would have wanted to play, potting it for the same number of points, or the opponent can be put back in without the same privilege, having to play the ball snookered on. It should be noted that the definition of snooker on this occasion means the opponent cannot strike both extreme edges of the object ball.

G

Game Ball/Frame Ball The ball required to win the rack. In snooker and UK 8-ball it is also called the "frame ball."

Ghost Ball General A common aiming method in which a phantom ball is imagined frozen to the object ball at the point where an imaginary line drawn between their centers is aimed at the desired target; the cue ball may then be shot at the center of the "ghost" ball and, ideally, impact the object ball at the proper aiming contact point.

Golden Break Pool In 9-ball, especially in the UK, a break shot that pots the 9-ball without fouling, in which case the player wins in one shot.

Green Ball Snooker In snooker, the color ball that is worth three points, being the second-least valuable color behind the yellow. It is one of the baulk colors.

Green Pocket Snooker The pocket in snooker that is closest to the green spot.

H

Half Century Snooker In snooker, a break of 50–99 points (100 points or more being called a century), which involves potting at least 12 consecutive balls.

Hand Chalk General Powdery white chalk placed on a player's bridge hand to reduce moisture so that a cue's shaft can slide more easily. It is not provided in many establishments as many recreational players will use far more than is necessary and transfer it all over the table's surface.

Head Rail General The short rail at the opposite end of the table from where the balls are normally racked.

Head String General A line drawn horizontally across a billiards table from the second diamond on one long rail to the corresponding second diamond on the other long rail on the breaking end of the table. In many pool games, the opening break shot must be performed with the center (base) of the cue ball behind the head string.

High Balls/High/Highs Pool In eight-ball, to be shooting the striped "suit" of balls (9 through 15); "you're high balls" or "I've got the highs" ("you're high" is rare, because of the "intoxication" ambiguity). Compare stripes, big ones"; contrast "low".

Hook Rest Snooker In snooker, a type of mechanical bridge that has only recently been endorsed by the WPBSA to allow its use in major tournament play. It is a normal rest with the head in line with the shaft, but the last foot or so of the shaft is curved. This allows players to position the curved end around an obstructing ball that would have otherwise left them hampered on the cue ball and in need of a spider or swan with extensions, which would have less control.

House Rules General The rules played in a particular venue not necessarily in comportment with official rules.

I

Inning General A player's turn at the table, usually ending with a miss, a failure to score a point, a safety or with a win.

In-Off Snooker In snooker, an instance where the cue ball has been potted after contacting another ball first. The term also tends to be used when it goes straight in, but this is not technically correct.

Inside English General Sidespin on a cue ball on the same side of the direction of the cut angle to be played (left hand English when cutting a ball to the left, and vice versa).

In Stroke General Cueing and timing the balls well; in good form, where potting, safety and clarity of thinking seem to come a lot easier. If a player is not doing as well but then suddenly picks up, which happens during the course of most matches, she/he is said to catch a stroke.

J

Joint General The interlocking connection between the butt and shaft ends of a two-piece cue stick.

Joint Protectors General Plugs that screw into the joint when a two-piece cue is broken down to keep foreign objects and moisture from contacting the joint mechanism.

Jump Cue General A cue dedicated to jumping balls; usually shorter and lighter than a playing cue and having a wider, hard tip. Also referred to as a jump stick.

Jump Shot General Any shot where the cue ball is intentionally jumped into the air to clear an obstacle. Jump shots must be performed by hitting the cue ball into the table's surface so that it rebounds from the cloth. Scooping under the cue ball to fling it into the air is deemed illegal by all authoritative rules sources. The term is often shortened to "jump".

K

Kick General 1.       In the US, a ubiquitous shortening of the term kick shot.

  2.       In the UK - the phenomenon known as Cling or Skid (in the US).

Kick Shot General A shot in which the cue ball is driven to one or more rails before reaching its intended target — usually an object ball. It is often shortened to kick.

Kiss/Kiss Shot General An instance of contact between balls, usually used in the context of describing an object ball contacting another object ball (e.g. "the two ball kissed off the twelve ball"). If the player's intention was to cause two object balls to kiss (e.g. to pocket a shot ball after a ricochet off of a stationary one), it is often called a kiss shot. Compare double kiss. Contrast carom.

Kitchen General The area on the table behind the head string.

Knuckle General One of two sharp curves of the cushions either side of a pocket at the points where they meet, forming the jaws of the pockets.

L

Lag for Break General To determine the order of break, players each shoot a ball to the end rail and back to the bottom rail. Whichever player's ball comes to rest closest to the bottom rail gets to choose who breaks. It is permissible for the cue ball to touch and rebound from the bottom rail.

Leave General The cue ball's position after a shot. A "good" leave would describe an advantageous position for the next shot.

Little Balls/Low Balls/Littles/Little/Lows/ Low In eight-ball, to be shooting the solid "suit" of balls (1 through 7); "you're the little balls" or "I've got the littles". Contrast is "big".

Long Double General A term used in the UK for a bank shot played up and down the longer length of the table off a short rail and into a corner pocket, as opposed to the more common bank across the short length into a center pocket or corner.

M

Massé General A steep curve or complete reversal of cue ball direction without the necessity of any rail or object ball being struck, imparted to the cue ball by a steeply elevated cue. Compare semi-massé.

Maximum/Maximum Break Snooker In snooker, the highest break attainable with the balls that are racked; usually 147 points starting by potting 15 reds, in combination with blacks, and clearing the colors.

Mechanical Bridge General A special stick with a grooved end attachment that helps guide the cue stick. Usually used only when the shot cannot be comfortably reached with a hand bridge. Sometimes called a "rest" in snooker games. Often shortened to "bridge".

Miscue General A stroke in which the cue's tip glances or slips off the cue ball not effectively transferring the intended force. Usually the result is a bungled shot. See chalk.

Miss Snooker In snooker, a rule (commonly called the miss rule) whereby if a player fouls and leaves it safe, his opponent has the option to make the opponent play exactly the same shot again, or at least as accurately as the referee is able to reproduce the ball positions. A miss usually only applies when the player has been put in by the opponent after a safety. It is a controversial rule that tries to account for deliberate fouls; a frowned-upon practice. A referee will normally call a miss on any failed attempt to get out of a safety—especially snookers.

Money Ball General Name for the ball that when pocketed, wins the game, or any ball that when made results in a payday such as a way in the game of Chicago.

Mushroom General Leather of the cue tip overhanging the ferrule because of compression from repeated contact with the cue ball.

N

Nap/Nap of the Cloth General The direction in which the small fibers that project upward from the cloth lie. The convention in most billiards games is to brush the cloth along the table in the same direction of the nap, usually from the end that a players' break. In snooker and UK 8-ball especially (American tables usually employ a napless weave), this creates the effect of creep in the direction of the nap, the most-affected shot being a slow roll into a center pocket against the nap. It is commonly referred to in the fuller term "nap of the cloth."

Natural Billiards In pocket billiards, an easy shot requiring no english. In three cushion billiards, the most standard shot where the third ball is advantageously placed in a corner.

Nip Draw General A short, jabbed draw stroke usually employed to not commit a foul when the cue ball is near the ball being struck.

Nit General Someone who wants too high a handicap or refuses to wager any money on a relatively fair match; a general pool room pejorative moniker.

Nurse Billiards In straight rail carom games, where all the ball are kept near each other and a cushion and with very soft shots, can be "nursed" down a rail on multiple successful shots.

O

Object Ball/Target Ball General 1.       Any ball that may be legally struck by the cue ball;

  2.       All balls other than the cue ball.

Open Bridge General A bridge formed by the hand where no finger loops over the shaft of the cue. Typically, the cue stick is channeled by a "v"-shaped groove formed by the thumb and the base of the index finger.

Out Pool 1.       A specific ball number followed by "out" refers to a handicap in nine-ball where the "spot" is all balls from that designated number to the nine ball. To illustrates, the 6-out would allow the player getting weight to win by pocketing the 6, 7 or 8 in addition to the 9 ball.

  2.       Short for run out.

Outside English Sidespin on a cue ball on the opposite side of the direction of the cut angle to be played (right hand English when cutting a ball to the left, and vice versa).

OverCut General Hitting the object ball with too large of a cut angle; hitting the object ball too thin. It is a well-known maxim that overcutting is preferable to undercutting. See professional side of the pocket.

P

Pack Snooker In snooker, the bunch of reds that are typically left below the pink spot in the early stages of a frame, not including those reds that have been released into pottable positions.

Pink Ball Snooker In Snooker, the second-highest value colour ball, being worth six points.

Pocket General 1.       (noun) An opening in a table into which balls are shot.

  2.       (verb) Send a ball into a pocket, usually intentionally.

Position General The placement of the balls, especially the cue ball, relative to the next planned shot. Same as shape.

Pot General 1.       (verb) Same as the word pocket (to pot a ball). It is more common in English-speaking countries outside the US, especially the UK.

  2.       (noun) An instance of potting a ball (it was a good pot considering the angle and distance of the shot).

Pot and Tuck Pool A tactic employed in UK 8-ball in which a player calls and pots one of the balls in a favorably-lying set, then plays safe, leaving as many of his/her well-placed balls on the table as possible, until the opponents commits a foul or leaves a chance that the player feels warrants an attempt at running out.

Potter General A UK term for someone with little experience or understanding of the game, who may be skilled at potting individual balls but does not consider tactics such as position or safety; "he's a potter not a player." See also banger.

Potting Angle General The desired angle that must be created between the path of the cue ball and the path of the object ball upon contact to pot the object ball. It is usually measured to the center of the pocket. See also aiming line.

Push General Means either Push out or Push shot, depending on the context.

Push Out General A rule in many games allowing a player to "push" the cue ball to a new position without certain foul rules applying, with the caveat that the opponent may shoot from the new cue ball position or give the shot back to the pusher who must shoot from the new position.

Push Shot Snooker Any shot where a player's cue tip stays in contact with the cue ball for more than the momentary time commensurate with a stroked shot. In the game of Snooker, it is considered a 'push' if the cue strikes the cue ball more than once in a given shot (a double hit). Again in Snooker, it is considered a 'push' if the cue and the 'ball on' are all in contact together during a shot (if the cue ball and object ball are 'frozen' together, special dispensation is given provided the cue ball is struck at a downward or other angle; that is, not directly into the line of the two balls). A push shot is a foul.

R

Race General A set number of games players agree to play to; "a race to seven" means whoever wins seven games first wins the match.

Rack (noun) Snooker, Pool 1.       A geometric form, usually wooden or plastic, used to assist in setting up balls in games like 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker. The rack allows for more consistently tight grouping of balls, which is necessary for a successful break shot. In most games a triangle-shaped rack, capable of holding 15 balls is employed, even if the game calls for racking less than a full ball set, such as in the game of 9-ball.

  2.       Used to refer to a racked group of balls before they have been broken.

  3.       In some games, refers to a single frame.

Rack (verb) General The act of setting up the balls for a break shot. In tournament play this will be done by the referee, but in lower-level play, players either rack for themselves or for each other depending on convention.

Rail General The sides of a table's frame upon which the elastic cushions are mounted. May also be used interchangeably with cushion.

Red Ball General 1.       In snooker, any of the 15 balls worth 1 point each that can be potted in any order. During the course of a break a player must first pot a red followed by a color, and then a red and color, etc. before the reds run out and the six colors must be cleared in their order. Potting more than one red in a single shot is not a foul – the player simply gets a point for each red potted.

  2.       In UK 8-ball, one of two sets of seven balls that must be potted before the eight ball.

  3.       In carom billiards, the ball that is neither player's cue ball.

Referee General The person in charge of the game whose primary role is to ensure adherence by both players to the appropriate rules of the game being played. Other duties of the referee include racking each frame, re-spotting balls during the course of a game, maintaining the equipment associated with the table (e.g. keeping the balls clean), controlling the crowd and, if necessary, controlling the players.

Re-Rack Snooker In snooker, the abandonment of a frame upon agreement between the players, so that the balls can be set up again and the frame restarted with no change to the score since the last completed frame. This is the result of situations, such as trading of containing safeties, where there is no foreseeable change to the pattern of shots being played, so the frame could go on indefinitely.

Re-Spotted Black Snooker In snooker, a situation where the scores are tied after all the balls have been potted, and the black ball is re-spotted and the first player to pot it wins. The players toss for the first shot, which must be taken with the cue ball in the D, and a safety battle will ensue until a crucial error or a fluke is made.

Rest General A name for a mechanical bridge, especially a simple one with a single straight shaft and a cross-shaped head for "resting" the cue upon.

Reverse-English General Sidespin on a ball that causes it to roll unnaturally against a rail that is contacted at an angle, and deflect back at a steeper angle than if no English were used. Opposite of running English.

Round Robin General A tournament format in which each contestant plays each of the other contestants at least once

Ruckus Snooker A UK term (especially in snooker) for the splitting of a group of balls when another ball is sent into them, typically with the intent of deliberately moving them with the cue ball to develop them.

Run General The number of balls potted in a inning (e.g. a run of five balls).

Running English General Sidespin on a ball that causes it to roll off a rail naturally. If angling into a rail that's on the right, then running English would be left English, and vice versa. The angle of deflection will be wider than if no English were applied to the cue ball. But more importantly, because the ball is rolling instead of sliding against the rail, the angle will be more consistent. For this reason, running English is routinely used. Opposite of reverse English.

S

Safety General 1.       An intentional defensive shot.

  2.       A shot that is called aloud as part of a game's rules; once invoked a safety usually allows the player to pocket his or her own object ball without going again for strategic purposes. In games such as seven ball, in which any shot that does not result in a pocketed ball is a foul under some rules, a safety allows the player to miss without a foul resulting.

Scratch General Pocketing of the cue ball in pocket billiards. In many games a scratch is a type of foul. Scratch is sometimes used to refer to all types of fouls. See foul.

Shaft General The upper portion of a cue which slides on a player's bridge hand and upon which the tip of the cue is mounted at its terminus. It also applies to the main, un-segmented body of a mechanical bridge.

Short Rail General Either of the two rails on a standard pool, billiards or snooker table between the two corner pockets. Compare side rail.

Shot for Nothing General A UK term for a shot in which a player attempts a difficult pot but with safety in mind, so that in the event of missing the pot it is likely that the opponent will not make a meaningful contribution, and will probably have to reply with a safety. It is commonly called a shot to nothing, although the meaning is for no risk, to implying the shot comes "to nothing". Compare two-way shot.

Side Rail General Either of the two longer rails of a billiards or pocket billiards table, bisected by a center pocket and bounded at both ends by a corner pocket. Also called a long rail.

Single Elimination General A tournament format in which a player is out of the tournament after one match loss.

Slate General The heavy, finely-milled rock (slate) that forms the bed of the table, beneath the cloth.

Slide General Describes a cue ball sliding on the cloth without any topspin or backspin on it.

Snooker General, Snooker 1.       (verb) Leave the opponent so that a certain shot on a preferred object ball cannot be played directly in a straight line by normal cueing. It most commonly means that the object ball cannot be hit, because it is hidden by another ball or, more rarely, the knuckle of a pocket (see corner-hooked). It can also refer to the potting angle or another significant point of contact on the object ball, blocking an otherwise more straightforward shot, even if an edge can be seen. A common related adjective describing a player in this situation is snookered. Also called hook, for which the corresponding adjective hooked is also common. See also free ball.

  2.       (noun) An instance of this situation (e.g. she's put him in a difficult snooker). A player can choose a range of shots to get out of a snooker, usually a kick shot will be implemented but semi-massés are often preferred, and in games where it is not a foul, jump shots may be employed that often yield good results for skilled players. Also called hook.

Snookers Required Snooker A phrase used in snooker to describe the scenario whereby there are not enough available points on the table to level the scores for the frame, therefore the trailing player needs his/her opponent to foul in order to be able to make up the deficit. The name comes from the fact that this would normally have to be achieved by placing the leading player in foul-prone situations such as difficult snookers.

Spider General A modified mechanical bridge with longer legs supporting the head so that the cue is higher and can reach over an obstructing ball in front of the cue ball. See also swan.

Split Pool In pool, the degree to which the balls move apart upon impact by the cue ball as a result of a break shot.

Spot (noun) Snooker, Pool 1.       In pool games such as 9-ball, a specific handicap given.

  2.       In snooker, any of the six designated points on the table on which a color ball is replaced after it has left the playing surface (usually after it has been potted).

  3.       In UK eight ball, any of the seven balls that are a solid color with just a circled number on the surface; also called "dots." In the US, these balls are referred to as solids or more colloquially as lows, littles or smalls.

Spot (verb) Snooker, Pool 1.       In pool, return an illegally pocketed object ball to the table by placement on the foot spot.

  2.       In snooker, return a color ball to its designated spot on the table. Also called re-spot.

  3.       In 9-ball, the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they can also win by making a ball or balls other than the 9 ball (e.g. "she spotted me the seven ball").

  4.       In 8 ball, one-pocket and straight pool, the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they have to make less balls than their opponent does.

Spot Shot General The situation arising in many pool games where a ball is spotted to the table's foot spot and the cue ball must be shot from the kitchen.

Stay Shot General In the UK, a long-distance shot played to pot a ball close to a pocket with heavy topspin, so that when the cue ball hits the cushion it bounces off but then stops due to the counteraction of the spin. It is not common in competitive play, being more of an exhibition shot.

Stripes Pool A US term for the balls of a 15 ball set that are numbered nine through fifteen and have a wide colored bar around the middle.

Stroke General 1.       The motion of the cue stick and the player's arm on a shot;

  2.       The strength, fluidity and finesse of a player's shooting technique; "she has a good stroke."

Stun Shot General A shot where the cue ball has no topspin or backspin on it when it impacts an object ball, and "stuns" out along the tangent line. Commonly shortened to just "stun".

Swan General A type of modified mechanical bridge, similar to a spider in that the head is raised by longer supporting legs, but instead of a selection of grooves on the top for the cue to rest in there is only one, on the end of an overhanging neck, so that a player can get to the cue ball more easily if the path is blocked by two or more obstructing balls.

T

Tangent Line General The imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the impact line between the cue ball and an object ball. The cue ball will travel along this line after impact with an object ball if it has no vertical spin on it (is sliding) at the moment of impact on a non-center-to-center collision. See stun or stun shot.

Throw General The normal phenomenon where the object ball is pushed in a direction very slightly off of the pure contact angle between the two balls. Caused by the friction imparted by the first ball sliding past or rotating against the other ball.

Tickle General A common shot in carom games. The cue ball is driven first to a rail, then hits an object ball and kisses back to the same rail.

Top Cushion Snooker In snooker, the cushion at the end the reds are racked, nearest the black spot, in an area where most of the game should be played.

Topspin General The forward rotation of the cue ball that results from a follow shot. Also called follow.

Total Clearance Snooker A term used in snooker for the potting of all the balls that are racked at the beginning of the frame in a single break. The minimum total clearance affords 72 points. See also maximum.

Total Snooker General In UK 8-ball world rules, a situation where the player cannot see any of the balls she/he wants to hit due to obstruction by other balls or the knuckle of a pocket. The player must call "total snooker" to the referee, which allows a dispensation to the player from having to hit a cushion after contacting the object ball, which is otherwise a foul.

Touching Ball Snooker In snooker, where the cue ball is resting in contact with another ball. If this ball is a ball that may legally be hit, then it is allowable to simply hit away from it and it counts as having hit it in the shot. If the ball moves, then a push shot must have occurred, in which case it is a foul.

Triangle Snooker, Pool Form of rack that is triangle-shaped, used in games that start the object balls. There are different types of triangle for different games, the smallest being employed in UK 8-ball and a larger triangle being used in American 8-ball and snooker (the reason being the different ball sizes).

Two Shot Carry Pool A rule in UK 8-ball whereby after the opponent has conceded two shots, if the player pots on the first go he is still allowed to miss in a later shot and have the second shot in hand — even on the eight ball. Many local rules determine the two shots are lost if a ball is potted on the first shot, or it is only ever one shot on the eight ball, but two-shot carry is a world rule. Also referred to as "two visits".


Two Shots A penalty conceded by a player after a foul. The opponent is then allowed to miss twice before his turn is over. Also see Two Shot Carry

U

Umbrella Shot Billiards A Three Cushion Billiards shot in which the cue ball first strikes two cushions before it hits the first object ball then hits a third cushion before it hits the second object ball. The shot seems to open up like an umbrella after hitting the third rail. Umbrella shots may be classified as inside or outside depending on which side of the first object of the cue ball contacts.

Undercut General Hitting the object ball with less than enough of a cut angle; It is a well-known axiom that overcutting is preferable to undercutting.

V

Velcro General A UK term describing when a position where ball is tight on the cushion and a player sends the cue ball to hit both the object ball and the rail at nearly the same time; the object ball, ideally, stays tight to the rail and is thus considered "velcroed" to the rail. Running English is often employed to achieve such effect, hitting slightly before the ball. Velcroing is also called Hugging the Rail in the US (and also in the UK).

Visit General One of the alternating turns players are allowed at the table, before a shot is played that concedes a visit to his/her opponent or prolongs the visit by a pot.

W

White Ball General Another name for the cue ball.

Wing Ball Pool Either one of the balls on the lateral extremities of the 9-ball diamond, when in position in a rack. It is seen as a reliable sign of a good break (which is normally taken from close to either cushion in the kitchen) if the opposite wing ball is pocketed.

Y

Yellow Ball Snooker, Pool 1.       In snooker, the lowest-value color ball on the table, having a value of two points. It is one of the baulk colors.

  2.       In UK 8-ball, one of two sets of seven balls to be potted before the black.

Yellow Pocket Snooker In snooker, the pocket nearest the spot of the yellow ball.

Z

Pool Balls and Billiard Balls at LOW PRICES!!!

About the Author:
Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.