Encyclopedia > Glossary of pool, billiards and snooker terms
The following is a list of traditional terms used in the three main cuesport disciplines: pool, which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool, eight ball, nine ball, one pocket and bank-pool; billiards referring to the various carom games played on a table without pockets such as straight rail, three cushion, balkline and artistic billiards; and snooker played on a special table which, like a pool table, has six pockets, but is significantly larger and has specialized refinements. The term billiards is sometimes also used to refer to all of the cuesports. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ...
Like many professional sports, the game of snooker appears to have a language of its own, with many peculiar idiomatic expressions in use, and some words taking on meanings which are not precisely obvious from their wider-world usage. ...
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
A correct nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ...
Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
This article is about the various cue sports. ...
A
Above Used in snooker in reference to the position of the cue ball. It is above the object ball if it is off-straight on the baulk cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. he'll want to finish above the blue in order to go into the pink and reds). It is also common to use the term high instead (e.g. she'll want to finish high on the black to allow position on the red).[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Action Synonymous with gambling, in the US. Gambling has had many different meanings depending on the cultural and historical context in which it is used. ...
Ahead race or session A match format in which a player has to establish a lead of an agreed number of racks in order to win (e.g. in a ten ahead race a player wins when she/he has ten more racks than the opponent).[1]
Aiming line An imaginary line drawn from the desired path an object ball is to be sent (usually the center of a pocket) and the center of the object ball.
Angle of incidence The angle at which a ball approaches a rail, as measured from the perpendicular to the rail. The phrase has been in use since as early as 1653.[1]
Angle of reflection The angle from which a ball rebounds from a rail, as measured from the perpendicular to the rail.[1]
Arc 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/backer See stakehorse.[1]
Back cut 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.
Backer See stake.
Backspin See draw. Also spelled back spin.[1]
Baize A cloth material used to cover billiard tables, usually green in colour and sometimes called felt based on a similarity on appearance, though very different in makeup.[1] See Baize. A selection of felt cloth. ...
Baize is a coarse woollen or cotton cloth, often coloured red or green. ...
Balance point The point, usually around 18″ from the bottom of a cue, at which the cue will balance when resting on one hand.[1]
Balkline - A type of carom game created to eliminate very high runs in straight rail.
- A line drawn horizontally from a point on the billiard table's long rail to the corresponding point on the opposite long rail, from which the game of balkine takes its name.[1] See also baulk line.
Ball-in-hand The option of placing the cue ball anywhere on the table prior to shooting. Usually only available to a player when the opposing player has committed some type of foul under a particular game's rules.[1]
Ball-On Any legally strikable ball on the table in commonwealth 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 are already potted, any red ball can be the "ball-on". Compare object ball.[1] For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Banger A derogatory term for a recreational or beginning player who "bangs" the balls without any thought for position nor attempt to control the cue ball; also a reference to the predilection of beginners to often hit the cue ball far harder than necessary. See also potter.
Bank shot/bank A shot in which an object ball is driven to one or more rails prior to being pocketed (or in some contexts, prior to reaching its intended target; not necessarily a pocket). Sometimes "bank" is conflated to refer to kick shots as well, and in the UK it is often called a double.[1]
Bar player or Bar league player A player that predominantly plays in bars or is in a bar pool league. Often used pejoratively by pool room players to refer to a perceived lesser skill level of such players. Tourists sit outside a bar in Chiang Mai, Thailand A Depression-era bar in Louisiana. ...
Bar pool, bar rules Pool, almost always a variant of eight-ball, that is played by bar players on a bar table (qqv.) Bar pool has rules that vary from region to region, sometimes even from pub to pub in the same city, especially in the U.S. It is thus always a good idea to understand/agree to rules before engaging in a money game under bar rules. Typical differences between bar pool and tournament eight-ball are the lack of ball-in-hand after a foul, the elimination of a number of fouls, and (in U.S. bar pool) the requirement that most aspects of a shot (rails and other balls to be contacted) be called, not just the object ball and pocket. Bar pool has evolved into this "nitpicky" version principally to make the games last longer, since bar pool is typically played on coin-operated tables that cost money per-game rather than per-hour. Competitive league pool played on bar tables, however, usually uses the region's tournament rules or a variant of them, and is not what is usually meant by "bar pool".
Bar table Pool tables found in bars. They are almost always coin-operated and smaller than regulation-sized tables (3.5 ft. x 7 ft. is typical, though 4x8 and even 3x6 examples can sometimes be found). Most North American brands of bar tables have pocket proportions confusingly opposite those of regular tables — the side pockets are remarkably tight, while the corners are more generous than those of pool hall tables. Because they are coin-operated and capture pocketed balls, they employ one of several mechanisms to return a scratched cue ball. The oversized and extra-dense cue ball methods are deprecated, because these cue balls do not play correctly (especially with regard to cut shots and stop/draw, respectively). Modern bar tables make use of a magnet and a regulation or near-regulation size and weight cue ball with an iron core, to separate the cue ball from the others and return it to the players. Pool hall players complain also that the cloth used on bar tables is often greatly inferior (in particular that it is "slow" and that english does not "take" enough), and also often find that the rails are not as responsive as they are used to.[1] Tourists sit outside a bar in Chiang Mai, Thailand A Depression-era bar in Louisiana. ...
Baulk In snooker, the area between the baulk line and the baulk cushion, which houses the D and is analogous to the kitchen in pool.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Baulk colour In snooker, any of the three colour balls that get spotted on the baulk line: the yellow, green or brown ball.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Baulk cushion In snooker, the cushion opposite the top cushion and bounded by the yellow and green pockets.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Baulk line 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. Not to be confused with the balkline carom games.[1]
Bed The playing area of a table, exclusive of the cushions.[1]
Below Used in snooker 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 (e.g. he'll want to finish below the black in order to go into the reds). This may seem counterintuitive, see above for an explanation.
Big, bigs, big balls, big ones In eight-ball, to be shooting the striped "suit" of balls (9 through 15); "you're big balls" or "I've got the big ones". Compare stripes, high"; contrast "little".[1] Not to be confused with the carom billiards concept of a big ball, below. Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Big ball A carom billiards metaphor, it refers to an object ball positioned and being approached in such a manner that a near miss will rebound off a cushion and still score. It is as if the ball were larger than normal, making it easier to contact. Normally a ball a couple inches from a rail is a big ball, but only if being approached from an angle and if all the prerequisite rails have already been contacted. A ball near a corner can effectively be a foot wide. Not to be confused with the eight-ball term "the big balls". In older British usage the conceot was referred to as large ball.[1] Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Big pocket A pool term (inherited from carom billards by way of "big ball", above), a "big pocket" is a metaphor for a shot that is very difficult to miss pocketing for any of a number of reasons, most commonly either because the object ball is positioned such that a near miss on one side of it will likely cause the cueball to rebound into the ball off of the rail and pocket it anyway, or another ball is positioned such that if the object ball does not go straight in, it is still likely to go in off of the other ball. It is as if the pocket, for this one shot, had become larger. The term can also refer to shot angle toward a pocket, especially a side pocket; the pocket is said to be "bigger", for example, on a shot that is only a 5-degree angle away from straight on, than on a 45-degree angle shot which is much more likely to hit one of the cushion points and bounce away.
Billiard, billiard shot Any shot in which the cue ball caroms off an object ball to strike another object ball.[1]
Billiards In the U.S. refers to the carom games, or sometimes to all cue sports. In the UK, it usually means the game of English billiards. A snooker table English billiards is a form of billiards played on a 6 X 12 rectangular table with pockets in the four corners and in the middle of the long sides (see Snooker for markings and a diagram). ...
Black ball In snooker, the highest-value colour ball on the table, being worth 7 points.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Blood test Any very difficult shot that must be made under pressure.
Blue In snooker, the colour ball worth 5 points, whose spot is at the center of the table.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Body english The useless but common practice of contorting one's body while a shot is in play, in the vain hope that that will influence the balls' paths of travel; the term is considered humorous.[1]
Bottom spin Same as draw and backspin. See draw.
Break - Typically describes the first shot in a 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 it describes the first shot which is used to break open the balls which have been racked together;[1]
- Also describes a series of consecutive pots by a player during a single turn. More typically applied in Snooker, e.g., "The player had a break of 89 points."[1]
Break and dish In UK 8-ball, to break off, pot one or more balls, then go on to run out the frame. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Break down one's cue To take one's two-piece cue stick apart, often indicating that the game is over or conceded.[1]
Bridge 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.[1]
Bridge hand The hand used by a player as a bridge during a normal shot that doesn't involve a mechanical bridge. The bridge hand is usually a player's non-dominant hand.[1]
Brown In snooker, the highest-value baulk colour, being worth 4 points.[1] Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Bumper The rubber bumper on the bottom of a cue.[1]
Burnish To seal the pores of a wooden cue by rubbing it vigorously with some material, usually leather; also done to the edge of a cue tip to fortify it against mushrooming. It has been suggested that List of snooker terms be merged into this article or section. ...
Business, doing Collusion between matchplay opponents who prearrange who will win a match on which other people's money is wagered, in order to guarantee a payday.[1]
Butt The bottom portion of a pool cue which is gripped by a player's hand.[1]
C
Calcutta A player's auction at a pool tournament. Each player is called and players and spectators bid on the player. The highest bidder pays their bid to the calcutta, and then essentially has invested in that players sucess. The highest bidder(s) on the player(s) that win or advance far enough in the tournament is/are entitled to their share of all money used for bids.
Call 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 Any game in which during normal play a player must call the ball to be hit and the intended pocket; "8-ball is a call shot game."
Cannon English/Canadian variant of carom.
Carom Usually refers to a type of point scoring shot in billiards where the player causes his/her cue ball to hit each of the other two balls on the table. Also called a cannon (English/Canadian variant).
Center spot The spot at the geographic center of the bed of a table.
Centre pocket In the UK, one of the two pockets one either side of a pool or snooker table halfway up the long rails. They are cut shallower than corner pockets because they have a 180° aperture, instead of 90°. Also commonly called a middle pocket. The term is not generally used in the US where "side pocket" prevails. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Century In snooker, a break of 100 points or more, which involves potting at least 26 balls consecutively. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Chalk 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.
Chasing your money The inability of some players to stop gambling once they have lost money because they "have" to get their money back.
Cheat(ing) the pocket Aiming an object ball away from the center of a pocket so that the cue ball may strike the object ball at a different contact point. Employed for position play.
Check side A type of spin imparted to the cue ball to make it rebound from a cushion at a shallower angle than it would if the spin had not been used.
Chinese 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Choke(ing) The committing of errors due to pressure.
Clean Describing a pot that goes straight into the pocket without touching either knuckle.
Clearance In snooker and various pool games played in the UK, the successful potting of all object balls in play in a single frame. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Cling 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.
Closed bridge A bridge formed by the hand where the index finger is curved over the cue stick and other fingers are spread on the cloth providing solid support for the cue stick's direction.
Cloth 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."
Cluster Two or more object balls that are touching or are close together.
Collision-induced english Sidespin imparted to an object ball by the friction from the hit of the cue ball during a cut shot.
Collision-induced throw Deflection of an object ball's path away from the impact line of a cut shot, caused by sliding friction between the cue ball and the object ball. One of the two types of throw.
Colour ball In snooker, any of the object balls that are not red. A colour 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 colours must be potted in their order: Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Although the full term includes "ball" after the colour, they are most commonly referred to with the omission of "ball", just stating the colour (e.g. he's taken 5 blacks with reds so far).
Combination Any shot in which the cue ball contacts another ball, which in turn hits one or more balls to an intended place, usually a pocket. In the UK this is often referred to as a plant.
Contact point The point on each of two balls at which they touch at the moment of impact.
Containing safety A type of safety shot in the middle of a safety exchange that is not intended to put the opponent in a difficult situation regarding their next safety, but rather played so as to not leave an easy pot on. A typical example in snooker, which sees the most shots of this kind, is a slow roll-up into the pack. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Corner hooked When the corner lip of a pocket blocks the path of the cue ball from contacting an intended object ball. Interchangeable with "tittie hooked".
Corner pocket 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Creep 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.
Cribbage A game in which players score ways by making series of two balls in succession that have a number value which combined equal 15. For example, the 8 ball and the 7 ball added together equal 15 and make up one way.
Cross-corner A bank shot that rebounds from a cushion and into the nearer corner pocket.
Cross double A UK term describing a bank shot in which the cue ball crosses the future path of the object ball. Such shots are usually played into a center pocket because there is the danger of a double-kiss if played to a corner pocket.
Cross-side A bank shot that rebounds from a cushion and into the side pocket.
Cue - 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.
- Sometimes cue is short for cue ball.
Cue action 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 hingeing in line with the shot, and a straight follow-through after the cue ball has been struck.
Cue ball The ball in a billiards game, typically white in color, that a player strikes with a cue stick. It is variably spelled cueball, and is sometimes referred to as the white ball, whitey and the rock. - Further information: Cue ball
A cue ball resting atop pool chalk In billiard games, the cue ball is usually the ball that a player must hit with the cue. ...
Cue power A UK term describing the amount of control a player can retain when playing shots with heavy spin and great pace; "it took tremendous cue power to get onto the 2-ball having been relatively straight on the 1."
Cue stick See cue.
Cue tip A material, usually leather, placed on the end of a cue stick that comes in contact with the cue ball.
Curve shot See semi-massé.
Cushion 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 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 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 An 11½″ radius semicircle, drawn behind a snooker table's baulk line, centred on the middle of the line, and resembling the upper case letter "D" in shape.
Dart stroke A short and loose stroke performed in a manner similar to the way one throws a dart; usually employed for the jump shot.
Dead Same as wired.
Dead ball shot Same as kill shot.
Dead rail A cushion that has either lost a degree of elastic resiliency or is not firmly bolted to the frame, in both cases causing balls to rebound with less energy than is normal.
Dead stroke When a player is playing flawlessly, just "cannot miss" and the game seems effortless.
Deadweight Describing a pot played at such a pace as to just reach the pocket and drop in without hitting the back.
Deflection Displacement of the cue ball's path away from the parallel line formed by the cue stick's direction of travel; occurs every time english is employed. The degree of deflection increases the faster and the more english with which a ball is struck. It is also called squirt, typically in the US.
Deliberate foul 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." Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Develop To move a ball (usually deliberately) from a safe position, e.g. close to the middle of a cushion or in a cluster, so that it becomes pottable.
Diamonds Markings, usually inlaid into the surface above the rail cushions, used as target or reference points. Three equally spaced diamonds are normally between each pocket on a pool table. Diamonds get their name from the shape of the markings traditionally used. Nevertheless, no matter the shape, rail markings are still referred to as "diamonds."
Diamond system Any system for banking or kicking balls multiple rails which uses table diamonds as aiming references.
Dish A variant term, especially in UK 8-ball, for running out. Compare break and dish. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Dog A widespread term in US parlance describing missing a relatively easy shot—often in the face of pressure. Can be used in many forms: "I dogged the shot"; "I hope he dogs it"; "I'm such a dog."
Dots In chiefly UK parlance, the non-striped balls of a 15 ball set that are numbered one through seven and have a solid color scheme. Compare solids, low, small, little, spots; contrast stripes.
Double See bank shot.
Double cheeseburger, the Same as hill, hill.
Double elimination A tournament format in which a player must lose two matches in order to be eliminated.
Double hit An illegal shot in which the cue stick's tip contacts the cue ball twice during a single stroke. Double hits often occurs when a player shoots the cue ball when it is very close to another ball or rail.
Double kiss 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 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. In engineering, a shim is a thin and often tapered or wedged, piece of material, used to fill small gaps or spaces between objects. ...
Double the rail 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. Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Drag shot 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 A type of spin applied to the cue ball by hitting it below its equator, which makes it reverse direction if still on the cueball 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.[1]
Drill - A set practice routine;
- To beat badly; "I drilled my opponent."
- In commonwealth terminology, a bank shot.
Drop pockets Pockets that do not return the balls to a foot end of the table, which must be retrieved manually.
Duck - Derived from "sitting duck", as a noun, duck describes an object ball sitting close to a pocket or so positioned that is virtually impossible to miss. Same as hanger;
- Duck, employed as a verb, means to intentionally play a safety.
E
Eight ball 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 colour with the number eight written on in a white circle. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
End rail Either of the two shorter rail of a billiards or pocket billiards table.
English 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 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.
Escape A successful attempt to get out of a snooker.
Extension 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
Fat See undercut.
Fault See foul.
Feather shot A very thin cut shot in which the cue ball just brushes the edge of an object ball. The term is often shortened to just "feather."
Felt A deprecated term for cloth.
Ferrule A sleeve made from plastic, ivory or other material, upon which the cue tip is mounted and which protects the shaft wood from splitting from cue ball impact.
Firewood Common slang in the US for a cheap, poorly-made cue. Compare wood.
Fish - An easy mark;
- A person who loses money gambling and keeps coming back for more;
- Sometimes, a poor player;
- As a verb, hitting the balls hard with no intention in mind other than to get lucky.
Flagrant foul A foul where the rules are blatantly violated, with a stiffer penalty (e.g., loss of game) than normal.
Fluke A shot that has a positive outcome for the player, although it was not what the player intended. Examples of flukes include an unexpected pot off several cushions or other balls having missed the pocket aimed for, or perhaps a lucky safety position having missed a pot.
Follow See topspin.
Follow shot 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.
Follow-through On a shot, the extension of the cue through the cue ball position during the end of a player's stroke in the direction originally aimed.
Foot rail The short rail at the end of the table where balls are normally racked.
Foot spot 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.
Force follow A powerful follow shot with a high degree of topspin on it; usually when the object ball being hit is relatively close to the cue ball and is being hit very full; also known as "prograde topspin" and as a "jenny" in Australia.
Foul 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 headstring. 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 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Frame ball See game ball.
Free ball 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. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Free stroking - Pocketing well and quickly but without much thought for position play.
- Playing loose and carefree.
- Same as dead stroke.
Freeze up To dedicate a set amount of money that a gambling match will be played to; no one may quit until one player or the other has won the "frozen up" funds.
Frozen A resting ball that is in actual contact with one or more balls or with a rail is "frozen" to the touching ball(s) or rail. In some rooms, the grammatically incorrect form "froze" is almost always heard instead.
Fundamentals The basic actions necessary to shoot well – stance, grip, stroke, bridge and follow-through.
G
Game ball The ball required to win the rack. In snooker and UK 8-ball it is also called the "frame ball." Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Games on the wire To give a handicap to an opponent where they have to win a specified number less games than the other player in order to triumph in the match.
Gapper An agreement between two players in a tournament, one of whom will advance to a guaranteed money prize if the match is won, to give a certain percentage of that money to the loser of the match.
Gather shot In the carom games, any shot where the end result is all the balls near each other; ideally, in position for the start of a nurse on the next stroke.
Ghost ball 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.
Go off Describes the propensity of a player losing small money at gambling to suddenly sharply increase the stakes; often continuing to lose until broke. Compare chasing your money.
Golden break 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. Nine ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 9 colored object balls, numbered 1 through 9. ...
Green ball In snooker, the colour ball that is worth three points, being the second-least valuable colour behind the yellow. It is one of the baulk colours. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Green pocket The pocket in snooker that is closest to the green spot. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
H
Half-ball hit A shot aimed such that the center of the cue ball is in line with the edge of the object ball, eclipsing half of the ball. "Hit it just a little thinner than half ball." Also notable because the carom angle the cue ball takes is more consistent than at other contact points.
Half-century In snooker, a break of 50–99 points (100 points or more being called a century), which involves potting at least 12 consecutive balls. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Hand chalk 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.
Handicapping Modification of the rule and/or scoring of a game to enable players of differing abilities to compete on more even terms. Examples of handicapping include spotting balls and giving games on the wire to an opponent.
Hanger An easy shot—often a ball "hanging" over the edge of a pocket. Same as duck.
Hanging in the pocket A ball hanging over the edge of a pocket.
Have the nuts Be in a game where either because of disparity in skill level, or because of a handicap given, it would be very difficult to lose.
Having the cue ball on a string Used when describing perfect cue ball position play.
Head rail The short rail at the opposite end of the table from where the balls are normally racked.
Head string 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. See kitchen.
Heads up See straight up.
Heart The strength of a player's will to win; the ability to overcome pressure; "he showed a lot of heart in making that comeback."
High, highs, high balls 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". Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Hill-hill The point in match play where both players (or teams) need only one more game to win. See on the hill.
Hook See snooker.
Hook rest 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
House cue Usually a one-piece cue freely available for use by patrons in bars and pool halls.
House man A pool room employee who plays with a good degree of skill.
House rack A pejorative term for an improper rack in which the balls are not properly in contact with their neighbors, often resulting in a poor spread on the break.
House rules The rules played in a particular venue not necessarily in comportment with official rules.
Hug the rail See velcro. It has been suggested that List of snooker terms be merged into this article or section. ...
Hustle Play for money and lull a victim into thinking they can win, prompting them to accept higher and higher stakes, until beating them and walking off with more money than they would have been willing to bet had they been beaten soundly in the beginning. The terms hustler, for one who hustles, and hustling, describing the act, are just as common if not more so than this verb form.
I
In-hand See ball-in-hand.
Inning 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 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Inside english 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 Cueing and timing the balls well; in good form, where potting, safety and clarity of thinking seems 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.
Insurance ball A ball that is easily made from most positions on the table but which is left untouched while the rack is played, so that in the event the player gets out of position, the shooter has an insurance shot. Typically an insurance ball will be in or near the jaws of a pocket.
Irish linen Linen made from flax and produced in Ireland which is often used to wrap the gripping area of the butt of a cue. - Further information: Irish linen
Irish linen is linen produced in Ireland. ...
J
Jack up - To elevate the back of the cue on a shot.
- In gambling, to "jack up a bet" means to increase the stakes.
Jail When a player is on the receiving end of a devastating safety where it is very difficult or near impossible to make a legal hit on an object ball.
Jam up Adjectival expression for a player's deadly game; "watch out, he plays jam up."
Jaws The inside walls of a pocket billiards table's pockets.
Jenny See force follow.
Joint The interlocking connection between the butt and shaft ends of a two-piece cue stick.
Joint protectors 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 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 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
Key ball The object ball involved in a key shot.
Key shot - A shot or ball that allows a player to obtain shape on another ball hard to play position to.
- A shot or ball that is the "key" to running out.
- The 14th object ball in a rack of straight pool that, when proper position is achieved on, allows easy position play, in turn, on the last (15th) object ball for an intergame break shot.
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
Kick - In the US, a ubiquitous shortening of the term kick shot.
- In the UK, the phenomenon known as cling or skid in the US.
Kick shot 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, as in "I had to kick at it" or "He can kick like a mule!"
Kill shot A shot intended to slow down or "kill" the cue ball's speed as much as possible after contact with an object ball; usually a shot with draw, often combined with inside english. It is often shortened to kill.
Kiss 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, it is often called a kiss shot. Compare double kiss.
Kiss shot See kiss.
Kitchen The area on the table behind the head string.
Knuckle 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 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 The cue ball's position after a shot. A "good" leave would describe an advantageous position for the next shot.
Lemonade stroke Intentionally playing with an amateurish stroke to disguise one ability to play. Compare on the lemonade.
Let out To allow an opponent to stop playing a set for money in exchange for something. If a player is winning a set by a large amount with $100 on the line, the player could say, "I'll let you out now for $75." This is usually meant to save pride.
Little, littles, little ones, little balls 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". Compare "small", solids, low"; contrast "big". Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Lock A game that basically cannot be lost based on disparity of skill levels; "this game is a lock for him."
Lock artist Someone talented at making lock games.
Long double 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.
Long rail See side rail.
Low, lows, low balls In eight-ball, to be shooting the solid "suit" of balls (1 through 7); "you're low balls" or "I've got the lows". Compare solids, little ones"; contrast "high". Eight ball players Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
M
Mark - The target of a scam or hustle;
- A foolish person in a pool room;
- To indicate where something is to be done. To 'mark the pocket' means to indicate which pocket you intend to sink an object ball. See fish.
Massé 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.
Maximum 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 colours. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Mechanical bridge 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".
Middle pocket See centre pocket.
Miscue 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 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. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Missable Describing a difficult pot: "the awkward cueing makes this shot missable."
Money ball 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.
Money table The table reserved for games played for money or the best table in the house. This table is always of better quality and regularly maintained. Money tables are most commonly reserved for big action.
Mushroom Leather of the cue tip overhanging the ferrule because of compression from repeated contact with the cue ball.
N
Nap 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 player 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." Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Natural 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 A short, jabbed draw stroke usually employed to not commit a foul when the cue ball is near the ball being struck.
Nit 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 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 - Any ball that may be legally struck by the cue ball;
- All balls other than the cue ball.
On the hill Describes a player who needs only one more game win to be victorious in the match. See hill, hill.
On the lemonade Disguising the level of one's ability to play; also known as sandbagging or hustling (though the latter has other meanings). Compare lemonade stroke.
On the snap literally "on the break shot"; usually used in reference to pocketing the money ball on the break.
Open bridge 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.
Open table In eight ball, when choice of group has not yet been decided. Often shortended to just "open".
Orange crush, the The 5-out. See out.
Out - 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.
- 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 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 - 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.
- See package.
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Package Successive games won without the opponent getting to the table; a 5-pack would be a package of 5 games.
Parking the cue ball - Having the cue ball stop at or near the center of the table on a forceful break shot (the breaking ideal in many games such as 9-ball);
- Having the cue ball stop precisely where intended.
Pink ball In snooker, the second-highest value colour ball, being worth six points. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 feet × 6 feet) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Plant See combination.
Pocket - (noun) An opening in a table into which balls are shot.
- (verb) Send a ball into a pocket, usually intentionally.
- Further information: Pocket (billiards)
Categories: Sports stubs | Billiards ...
Position The placement of the balls, especially the cue ball, relative to the next planned shot. Same as shape.
Pot - (verb) Same as the word pocket (to pot a ball). It is more common in English-speaking countries outside the US, especially the UK.
- (noun) An instance of potting a ball (it was a good pot considering the angle and distance of the shot).
Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic - President George W. Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...
Pot and tuck 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. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Potter 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 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.
Professional side of the pocket To err on the side of overcutting a shot rather than undercutting; "missing on the professional side of the pocket." So called because experienced nine-ball players understand that an overcut will far more often leave the cue ball in an unfavorable position for the incoming opponent than will an undercut, as well be less likely to leave a missed object ball sitting in front of the pocket it had been intended for. [Note however that undercutting may be more advantageous when playing eight-ball, rather than nine-ball, as the incoming player cannot be shooting for the same bal | 
