The following is a glossary of traditional English-language terms used in the three overarchingcue sports disciplines:carom billiards referring to the variouscarom games played on abilliard table withoutpockets;pool, which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets; andsnooker, played on a large pocket table, and which has a sport culture unto itself distinct from pool. There are also games such asEnglish billiards that include aspects of multiple disciplines.
The termbilliards is sometimes used to refer to all of the cue sports, to a specific class of them, or to specific ones such as English billiards; this article uses the term in its most generic sense unless otherwise noted.
The labels "British" and "UK" as applied to entries in this glossary refer to terms originating in the UK and also used in countries that were fairly recently part of theBritish Empire and/or are part of theCommonwealth of Nations, as opposed toUS (and, often,Canadian) terminology. The terms "American" or "US" as applied here refer generally to North American usage. However, due to the predominance of US-originating terminology in most internationally competitivepool (as opposed tosnooker), US terms are also common in the pool context in other countries in which English is at least a minority language, and US (and borrowed French) terms predominate incarom billiards. Similarly, British terms predominate in the world of snooker,English billiards, andblackball, regardless of the players' nationalities.
The term "blackball" is used in this glossary to refer to bothblackball and eight-ball pool as played in the UK, as a shorthand. Blackball was chosen because it is less ambiguous ("eight-ball pool" is too easily confused with the international standardized "eight-ball"), and blackball is globally standardized by anInternational Olympic Committee-recognizedgoverning body, theWorld Pool-Billiard Association (WPA); meanwhile, its ancestor, eight-ball pool, is largely a folk game, like North Americanbar pool, and to the extent that its rules have been codified, they have been done so by competing authorities with different rulesets. (For the same reason, the glossary's information on eight-ball,nine-ball, andten-ball draws principally on the stable WPA rules, because there are many competing amateur leagues and even professional tours with divergent rules for these games.)
Foreign-language terms are generally not within the scope of this list, unless they have become an integral part of billiards terminology in English (e.g.massé), or they are crucial to meaningful discussion of a game not widely known in the English-speaking world.
Alsothe 4. Theobject ball numbered4; in American-style pool ball sets, it issolid purple or rarely pink. In someAmerican snooker ball sets, thebrown ball is numbered 4, its point value.
5 ball
Alsothe 5. Theobject ball numbered5; in American-style pool ball sets, it issolid orange. In someAmerican snooker ball sets, theblue ball is numbered 5, its point value.
5-pins
See theFive-pin billiards main article for the formerly Italian, now internationally standardized game; orDanish pin billiards for the five-pin traditional game of Denmark.
Alsothe 6. Theobject ball numbered6; in American-style pool ball sets, it issolid green. The 6 is themoney ball (orgame ball) in a game ofsix-ball. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining five object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 6. In other games, such aseight-ball, the 6 is simply one of the regular object balls. In someAmerican snooker ball sets, thepink ball is numbered 6, its point value.
Alsothe 7. Theobject ball numbered7; in American-style pool ball sets, it issolid maroon, brown, or rarely tan. Some variants, for theseven-ball game, are brown with a black or white stripe. The 7 is themoney ball (orgame ball) in a game of seven-ball. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining six object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 7. In other games, such aseight-ball, the 7 is simply one of the regular object balls. In someAmerican snooker ball sets, theblack ball is numbered 7, its point value.
Alsothe 8. Theobject ball numbered8; in both American- and British-style pool ball sets, it issolid black, though some of the latter use an unnumberedblack ball. The 8 is themoney ball (orgame ball) in a game ofeight-ball and related games. It is the last ball that must bepocketed, after thesuit of sevenobject balls belonging to the player who is shooting for the 8. (Pocketing the 8 early is a loss of game—unless done on thebreak shot, in most rules variants.) In other games, such asnine-ball andstraight pool, the 8 is simply another object ball. Due to its striking colouration and regular use as a money ball, it iscommonly used as a symbol in popular culture.
Alsothe 9. Theobject ball numbered9; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped yellow. The 9 is themoney ball (orgame ball) in a game ofnine-ball. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining eight object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 9. In other games, such aseight-ball, the 9 is simply one of the regular object balls.
9-pins
See theGoriziana main article for the game sometimes callednine-pins.
Alsothe 10. Theobject ball numbered10; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped blue. The 10 is themoney ball (orgame ball) in a game often-ball. It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining nine object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 10, and the 10 ball and pocket arecalled. In other games, such aseight-ball, the 10 is simply one of the regular object balls.
11 ball
Alsothe 11. Theobject ball numbered11; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped red.
12 ball
Alsothe 12. Theobject ball numbered12; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped purple or rarely pink
13 ball
Alsothe 13. Theobject ball numbered13; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped orange.
14 ball
Alsothe 14. Theobject ball numbered14; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped green.
15 ball
Alsothe 15. Theobject ball numbered15; in American-style pool ball sets, it isstriped maroon, brown, or rarely tan.
Used insnooker in reference to the position of thecue ball. It is above theobject ball if it is off-straight on thebaulk cushion side of the imaginary line for a straightpot (e.g. "he'll want to finish above theblue in order to go into thepink andreds"). It is also common to use the termhigh instead.[1]
Used with an amount to signifymoney added to a tournament prize fund in addition to the amount accumulated from entry fees (e.g. "$500 added").[2]
ahead race
Alsoahead session.Amatch format in which a player has to establish a lead of an agreed number offrames (games) in order to win (e.g. in a ten-ahead race, a player wins when she/he has won ten moreracks than the opponent).[1]Contrastrace [to].
aiming line
An imaginary line drawn from the desired path anobject ball is to be sent (usually the center of apocket) and the center of the object ball.[3]
A type ofnurse shot used incarom billiards games. With oneobject ball beinganchored (frozen, British:tight) to acushion and the second object ball just slightly away from the cushion, thecue ball is gently grazed across the face of both balls, freezing the away ball to the rail and moving the frozen ball away the same distance its partner was previously, in an identical but reversed configuration, in position to be struck again by the cue ball from the opposite side to repeat this pattern, back and forth.[4]Comparecradle cannon.
anchor space
A 7-by-14-inch (180 mm × 360 mm) box drawn onthe table inbalkline billiards where abalkline meets with thecushion that sets the area of the enclosed as part of both adjoiningbalk spaces. Originally 3.5 by 7 inches (8.9 cm × 17.8 cm) (and called Parker's box), it was introduced to combat theanchor nurse, and was increased to its current size to curtail the effectiveness of thechuck nurse, which was developed as a response to the original box.[1]
angle of incidence
The angle at which a ball approaches acushion, as measured from theperpendicular to the cushion.[5] The phrase has been in use since as early as 1653.[1]
angle of reflection
The angle from which a ball rebounds off acushion, as measured from theperpendicular to the cushion.[1][5]
Alsoapex ball,apex of the triangle,apex of the diamond orapex of the rack.
The ball placed at the front of a group ofrackedobject balls (i.e., toward thebreaker and furthest from the racker), and in most games situated over the table'sfoot spot.[6]
around the table
In carom games, a shot in which in attempting to score, the cue ball contacts three or morecushions, usually including bothshort rails.[7]
around the houses
Used in snooker to describe the path that thecue ball must take into and out ofbaulk as a result of poorposition play, specifically coming around thebaulk colours off three or morecushions, normally on a shot on theblue to finish on ared as a result of finishinglow on the blue.
Acut shot in which if a line were drawn from thecue ball to therail behind the targetedobject ball, perpendicular to that rail, the object ball would lie beyond the line with respect to thepocket being targeted.[8]
A coarsewoolen cloth used to cover billiard tables, usually green in colour. Sometimes calledfelt, based on a similarity in appearance, though very different in makeup.[1]
balance point
The point, usually around 18 inches from the bottom of acue, at which the cue will balance when resting on one hand.[1][6]
balk
Alsobalk space.
1. An area defined on abilliard table by one or morebalklines. In the eponymous game ofbalkline billiards, there are eight balks defined by perpendicular balklines, in which only a set number ofcaroms may be scored before at least one ball must leave the area.[10] In the earlier (and short-lived) "champions' game", there were four triangular balks, one at each corner, defined by single diagonal balklines. Not to be confused withbaulk (second definition).
2. An area defined on abilliard table, in games such aspool,snooker,English billiards andbagatelle, by a singlebalkline (drawn or imaginary) that runs across the table near thehead (bottom) end; exactly where depends upon table type and size. This balk is where the cue ball is placed inlagging for lead, for making the openingbreak shot, and sometimes for other purposes, depending upon the game. This usage of "balk" is strictly technical, and rarely used in practice. In pool, this area is called thekitchen and is divided from the rest of the table by thehead string, while in snooker, English billiards andblackball it is the somewhat differently sized and delimitedbaulk, defined by thebaulk line. On baulk tables, which havea "D" inside baulk, and on pool tables with abreak box in the kitchen, the actual area from which to shoot is even smaller than the baulk or kitchen, respectively – a balk within the balk.
balkline
Alsobalk line.
1. A line drawn horizontally from a point on abilliard table'srail to the corresponding point on the opposite rail, thus defining a region (abalk). In the eponymousbalkline billiards there are four balklines, drawn parallel to and typically 14 or 18 inches from the cushions of the table, dividing it into nine compartments or divisions, of which the outside eight are the balks, in which only a set number of caroms may be scored before at least one ball must leave the area.[10] Not to be confused withbaulk line, though the concepts and etymologies are related. Seebalk (second definition).
Alsocue ball in-hand.The option of placing thecue ball anywhere on the table prior to shooting, in a game ofpool. Usually only available to a player when the opposing player has committed some type offoul under a particular game's rules[1][11] (cf. thefree throw inbasketball by way of comparison).See alsoin-hand for thesnooker definition. A common variation, used in games such asstraight pool and often inbar pool, is ball-in-hand "behind the head string", also "behind the line" or "from the kitchen", meaning the ball-in-hand option is restricted to placement anywhere behind thehead string, i.e., in the area ofthe table known as thekitchen.
ball-on
Not always hyphenated. Plural:balls-on.[12] Alsoon[-]ball.
Any legally strikeable ball on the table in snooker and generally British terminology.[7] For example, inblackball,[12] if a player is playingyellows, any yellow ball (or any solid, from 1 to 7, if using a solids-and-stripes ball set) can be the ball-on until they are allpotted, in which case the 8 ball is the ball-on. Insnooker, at the beginning of a player's turn, unless all are already potted, anyred ball can be the ball-on.[1]Compareobject ball.
3. Awall rack designed exclusively for storing balls
ball return
A collection bin mounted below the foot end of a table, to which balls potted in any pocket will return by means of gravity-assisted gutters or troughs running from each pocket opening to the bin; these are theball-return mechanism, which may be internal to the table or an external gutter system. Ball returns have been in use since at least the 1700s. Pockets that simply collect balls are known asdrop pockets.[1] A table without a ball return may be called a "drop pocket table", while a table featuring a ball return may be called a "gully table".[13] Coin-operatedbar tables have ball-return mechanisms that separate thecue ball from theobject balls so that the object balls are captured when pocketed until the game ends, then released when paid for again, while the cue ball is continually returned for continued play afterscratches. This type of table can use a variety of methods to distinguish the cue ball from object balls including theMagnetic cue ball, the dense ceramic "rock" and the oversized "grapefruit" ball. Ball return mechanisms have also been devised that use a smaller, lighter cue ball, instead of a magnetic or heavier one. There are tables that use optical sensors to distinguish a standard cue ball from object balls.[14] Some of them are also setup to return the 8 ball as well, so that pocketing it on the break does not end the game.
banger
A derogatory term for a recreational or beginning player who "bangs" the balls without any thought forposition nor attempt to control thecue ball; also a reference to the predilection of beginners to often hit the cue ball far harder than necessary.[15]Compare Britishpotter.
Alsobank. Shot in which anobject ball is driven to one or more rails prior to beingpocketed (or in some contexts, prior to reaching its intended target; not necessarily a pocket). Sometimes "bank" is conflated to refer tokick shots as well, and in the UK it is often called adouble.[1][6]
bank-the-8
A rule variant common inbar pool versions ofeight-ball, in which the 8-ball must be pocketed on abank shot (generally this would either be accomplished via a bank shot proper or akick shot); shooting the 8 straight in is a loss of game. Players may agree before the game begins to invoke this rule, or one player may challenge another player (who might accept or refuse) to conclude the game in this manner after it is already under way. Playing bank-the-8 can be considered rude if many other players are waiting to use the table, since it often makes the game last considerably longer. Often on bar tables threescratches while shooting for the 8 determines a loss. The same with last-pocket.
bar player
Alsobar league player.A player that predominantly plays inbars/pubs, or is in a bar-based pool league. Often used pejoratively bypool hall players to refer to a perceived lesser skill level of such players.See alsobar pool,bar table.
bar pool
Alsobar rules,pub pool,tavern pool.
Pool, almost always a variant ofeight-ball, that is played bybar players on abar table. Bar pool has rules that vary from region to region, sometimes even from venue to venue in the same city, especially in the U.S. Wise players thus ensure understanding of and agreement to the rules before engaging in amoney game under bar rules. Typical differences between bar pool and tournament eight-ball are the lack ofball-in-hand after afoul, the elimination of a number of fouls, and (with numbered ball sets) the requirement that most aspects of a shot becalled (includingcushions and otherobject balls to be contacted) not just thetarget ball andpocket. 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 international, national or local/regional league rules, and is not what is usually meant by "bar pool". Not to be confused with the game ofbar billiards.
A distinctive size of pool table found inbars,pubs, ortaverns as well as venues such asfamily entertainment centers,arcades andbowling alleys. These are smaller than the full-size tables found inpool halls. While typical professional and competition tables are 9 ft × 4+1⁄2 ft (2.7 m × 1.4 m), bar tables are typically7 ft × 3+1⁄2 ft (2.1 m × 1.1 m). In bars they are almost always coin-operated. Another distinguishing factor is the cue ball; these tables capture pocketedobject balls to remove them from play, but selectively return ascratched cue ball. The cue balls historically were differently sized or of different density so they could be mechanically separated. Because this changes themechanics of the cue ball, these cue balls do not play as competition cue balls, and they are therefore deprecated by aficionados. However, modern bar tables typically make use of a magnetic layer inside a regulation size and weight cue ball paired with a magnet mechanism within the table'sball return system that separates out the cue ball without requiring cue ball characteristics that affect play.[16] Systems that use optical sensors to distinguish the cue ball have also been introduced.[14] Pool hall players complain also that thecloth used on bar tables is often greatly inferior (in particular that it is "slow" and thatenglish does not "take" enough), and often find that thecushions are not as responsive as they are used to.[1]
Alsobaulk-line.[19]A straight line drawn 29 inches (73.66 cm) from the face of thebaulk cushion on a standard 6 × 12 footsnookertable.[1] Its positioning varies on other sizes of tables. Baulk lines may also be drawn onEnglish billiards tables, and even British-stylepool tables. The baulk line is an integral part ofthe "D".[20] The baulk line's position is always determined by measurement from the baulk cushion, in contrast to the similar but differenthead string, the position of which is determined by thediamonds. Not to be confused withbalkline.
The flat surface of a table, exclusive of thecushions.[1][17] The bed is covered withbilliard cloth like the cushions. Theplaying area of the table consists of the bed except where the cushion overhangs the bed, i.e. it is all of the bed between the cushionnoses. Quality beds are made of smooth-groundslate, though very cheap tables may useparticle board orplywood. The earliest beds were simply the surfaces of the wooden tables on which the game was played.
Used in snooker in reference to the position of thecue ball. It is "below" the object ball if it is off-straight on thetop cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. she will want to finish below theblack in order to go into thereds). This may seem counterintuitive; seeabove for an explanation.
big
Alsobigs,big balls,big ones.
Ineight-ball, to be shooting the stripedsuit (group) of balls (9 through 15); "you're big, remember", "you're big balls" or "I've got the big ones".[1]Comparestripes,yellows,high,overs; contrastlittle. Not to be confused with the carom billiards concept of abig ball.
big ball
Acarom 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 isas if the ball were larger than normal, making it easier to contact. Normally a ball near a rail is a big ball, but only if being approached from an angle and if all the prerequisite rails have already been contacted. Not to be confused with the eight-ball term "the big balls", referring to the higher-numbered striped balls. In older British usage the concept was referred to as "large ball".[1] See alsobig pocket.
big pocket
Apool and occasionallysnooker term (inherited from carom billiards by way of "big ball", above), it is a metaphor for a shot that is very difficult to miss pocketing for any of a number of reasons, most commonly: either the object ball is positioned such that a near miss on one side of it will likely cause the cue ball to rebound off the rail into the object ball and pocket it anyway; or another ball is positioned such that if the target ball does not go straight in, it is still likely to go in off the other ball in akiss. It isas if the pocket, for this one shot, had become larger. The term can also refer to the angle of shot 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
Alsobilliard shot.
1. Any shot in which thecue ball iscaromed off anobject ball to strike another object ball (with or without contacting cushions in the interim).[1]
2. In certaincarom billiards games such asthree-cushion, a successful attempt at making ascoring billiard shot under the rules for that game (such as contacting three cushions with the cue ball while executing the billiard). A failed attempt at scoring would, in this context, not be called "a billiard" by players of such games even if it satisfied the first, more general definition.[23]
billiard marker
1. A person who records thepoints for each player during a game;[24]
1. In the US, Canada and in many different countries and languages (under various spellings) as well as historically, generally refers to allcue sports;
2. Sometimes refers to justcarom games as opposed topool (especially in the US and Canada);
3. In British terminology, chiefly refers to the game known in the rest of the world asEnglish billiards.
billiards glasses
Billiards glasses
Alsopool spectacles,snooker specs, etc.
Eyeglasses specially made forcue sports, with tall lenses, set unusually high, so that when the head is lowered over thecue stick for aiming, with the nose pointing downward, the eyes can still look through the lenses instead of over them. They are especially popular amongsnooker players (notably, 1985 World ChampionDennis Taylor).
black ball
Alsothe black.
1. Insnooker, the highest-valuecolour ball on the table, being worth seven points.[1] It is placed on theblack spot.[25] In some snooker ball sets, it is numbered "7" on its surface.
2. Chiefly British: The8 ball in a pool set, applying both to thecasino balls typically used inblackball pool as well as the solids-and-stripes used in other pool games, such American-styleeight-ball,nine-ball andstraight pool.[12] In some casino ball sets, the black ball is actually striped black on white.
1. An unfinished bottom half of a two piece cue (thebutt section) with the splice completed, but the cue not yetturned on a lathe to produce the final shape, and certain features having not yet been added such as awrap,joint mechanism,butt cap,bumper andinlays.[26]
2. An unsuccessful inning at the table. Also known as aduck egg,goose egg,cipher ornaught.[26]
blue ball
Alsothe blue(s).
1. Insnooker, thecolour ball worth five points,[1] placed on theblue spot in the centre of the table.[25] In some ball sets, it is numbered "5" on its surface.
The markedspot on asnooker table at which theblue ball is placed. Regardless of table size, it is at the lengthwise and widthwise centre of the table (i.e. it is the same as thecentre spot.[25]
body english
The useless but common practice of contorting one's body while a shot is in play, usually in the direction one wishes a ball or balls to travel, as if in the vain hope that this will influence the balls' trajectories; the term is considered humorous.[1]See alsoenglish.
The bottle used in various games to hold numberedpeas, it is employed to assign random spots to players in a roster (such as in a tournament), or to assign random balls to players of a game (such as inkelly pool andbottle pool).[1][28][23]
bottom
1. Chiefly British: The half of thetable from which thebreak shot is taken. This usage is conceptually opposite that in North America, where this end of the table is called thehead.Contrasttop.See alsobaulk.
2. Chiefly American: Exactly the opposite of the above – thefoot end of the table. No longer in common usage.
Chiefly British: Theshort rail at thebottom of thetable. Traditionally this is the rail on which the table manufacturer's logo appears. Also known as thebaulk rail, especially insnooker.Comparehead rail (U.S.); contrasttop rail.
A type ofbridge formed between the thumb and forefinger, creating a loop for thecue to pass through. Principally used incarom billiards, the term isFrench for 'curled'.[29]
break
1. Alsobreak shot orbreak off, as a noun. Typically describes the first shot in most types of billiards games. Incarom games it describes the first point attempt, as shot from an unvaryingcue ball andobject balls placement; in manypool games it describes the first shot, which is used to separate the object balls that have beenracked together;[1]
Alsobreak and run out.Chiefly American: Inpool games, when a playerbreaks therackedobject balls,pockets at least one ball on the break, and commences torun out the remaining object balls without the opponent getting avisit at the table. Hyphenated when used as an adjective or compound noun instead of a verbal phrase.See alsorun the table,rack and run.
break ball
In straight pool, the last object ball left on a table before the remaining fourteen balls must be racked so the player at the table may continue their run. It is called the "break ball" because it is common for players to try to leave this ball in such a position that they may easily pot it and billiard off of it to break open the rack of fourteen balls and continue their run.
break box
Diagram showing thebreak box and its relation to thekitchen area andhead stringInEuropean Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF)nine-ball, the break box is a zone in the "kitchen" of thehead (British:bottom) of thetable, from which thebreak shot must be taken with thecue ball.[30][31] The break box consists of the middle 50% of the kitchen area, delimited latitudinally by thehead rail (British:bottom rail) andhead string (not thebaulk line), and longitudinally by two parallel lines drawn (on the cloth, or more often imaginarily) from the head raildiamonds that are closest to theheadcorner pockets, out to the head string(see illustration to the right) on either side. This departure fromWPA World Standardised Rules defeats the common break-from-the-side-rail technique for pocketing the 9 ball to win the game on the break; while 9 ball breaks are still possible, they are much more difficult under this rule.[30] This EPBF Euro-Tour requirement was added in 2008 to the Europe vs. USall-star team event, theMosconi Cup, but has not otherwise been seen much by non-Europeans as of 2011.[update]
break down one's cue
To take one's two-piececue stick apart. When done before a game's conclusion, it may indicate that the game is conceded.[1] Different leagues have different rules on this matter.
bridge
Either the player's hand or amechanical bridge used to support the shaft end of the cue stick during a shot. Also the particular hand formation used for this purpose (there are many).[1][23]
bridge hand
The hand used by a player as abridge during a normal shot that does not involve amechanical bridge. The bridge hand is usually a player's non-dominant hand.[1]
brown ball
Alsothe brown.Insnooker, the highest-valuebaulk colour, worth four points.[32] It is placed on thebrown spot.[32][25] In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "4" on its surface.
The bumper on the bottom of a cue, usually made from rubber, which insulates thebutt cap from contact with the floor and greatly reduces noise. The bumper was first patented in 1880.[1]
burnish
1. To seal the pores of a woodencue'sshaft by rubbing vigorously with some material. Leather is commonly employed for the task, as ispaper money.
2. To similarly vigorously rub the edge of acue tip (especially a new one) to fortify it againstmushrooming and ensure that it is perfectly flush with theferrule.
3. To smooth out minor dents in theshaft with a rigidburnisher.
burnisher
1. A pad, usually of leather, used toburnish (seal the wood pores of) acue shaft.
2. A rigidtip tool used to finish and harden the sides of a newcue tip.
3. Ashaft maintenance tool, most commonly a cylindrical glass rod, used for smoothing minor nicks in the shaft. This is sometimes done after swelling the wood at the nick site with some moist application.
bushka rings
Named after their innovator, legendary cuemakerGeorge Balabushka, bushka rings are decorative bands of material incorporated into pool cues, commonly just above thewrap area, in the form of ebony and ivory blocks, or sometimes other materials, alternating in a checked pattern.[33]
business, doing
Collusion between matchplay opponents who prearrange the winner of 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][23]
butt cap
A protective cap mounted on the end of thebutt of a cue.
A players' auction at a pool tournament. Each player is called and players and spectators bid on the player. The highest bidder(s) pays their bid to the calcutta, and by doing so invest in that player's success. If a player wins or places in the tournament, those who "bought" the player receive a percentage of the total calcutta payout, usually tracking the percentage payout of the tournament prize fund. Typically, players have the option of purchasing half of themselves when the high bid is won by a third party. Likeenglish andscotch doubles, usually not capitalized.
call
Any instance of a player having to say what they are about to do. For example, instraight pool a player mustcall the pocket in which a ball is intended to be potted. More formal terms, used in rule books and instructional materials, includedesignate andnominate.Contrastfish,slop.
call-safe
Alsocalled-safe
Applies specifically to games that enforce "call-pocket/call-safe" rules, which require the player to either call the ball and pocket, or call asafety on every shot. After a legal shot, where a called ball is not pocketed as designated, the incoming player has the option to pass the shot back to the player who missed the called shot. If a player calls "safe", then after a legal shot, the incoming player must accept the next shot, and may not pass the shot back to the player who called "safe".[35] A call-shot/call-safenine-ball example: Player A calls theball-on, the 3 ball in this case, in the corner pocket but misses the shot. Thecue ball rolls down table and comes to rest behind the 5 ball leaving no clear path to the 3 ball for the incoming player B. Since player A did not call "safe", incoming player B may elect to pass the shot back to player A (who must shoot).
call-shot
Alsocalled-shot;call-pocket orcalled-pocket.
Describes any game in which during normal play a player must call the ball to be hit and the intended pocket; "eight-ball is a call-shot game."[23] Sometimes referred to as "call[ed]-pocket", "ball-and-pocket rules", etc., to distinguish it from the common North Americanbar pool practice of requiring everyaspect of shots to be called, such ascaroms,kicks, andcushions to be contacted (this is sometimes also ambiguously referred to as "call-shot", but more accurately termed "call-everything" or "call-it-all"). Commonly in bar rules terminology, call-shot indicates how the shot will be made as compared to call-pocket which means simply that the ball must go into that pocket, details unnecessary. Though games with called shots technically require all shots to be called, obvious shots are seldom actually called, though such implied called shots must still be made.See alsogentlemen's call.
called ball
The ball designated by a player to be pocketed on a shot.[23]
called pocket
The pocket designated by a player to which a ball is to be shot.[23]
cannon
British/Australian and sometimes Canadian term forcarom. Formerly (19th century) sometimes spelledcanon.[36]
Not to be confused with the disk-flicking traditional board gamecarrom, which is sometimes played with a small cue stick.
1. Carom came into use in the 1860s and is a shortening ofcarambola, which was earlier used to describe the red object ball used in many billiards games.[1] In modern usage, the most general meaning of the word refers to any type of strike and rebound,[38] (acarambole) off a cushion or especially a ball.
2. More specifically, short for acarom shot, acannon in British terminology, in which a point is scored incarom billiards games by careening the cue ball into the two object balls.[23]
3. In pocket games as a general class,carom orcarom shot is sometimes used more loosely, between the above two definitions, to refer to clipping an object ball with the cue ball to attempt to send either or both to desirable locations, not necessarily scoring in the process. In games in which pocketing the cue ball is a goal (e.g.Russian pyramid),carom can refer to sending the cue ball into a pocket after contacting an object ball (called alosing hazard inEnglish billiards, it nevertheless scores points; but it is a foul insnooker, called anin-off, and inpool, called ascratch).
4. Short forcarom billiards, as in "I do better at carom than at pool." Sometimes pluralized in this sense ascaroms.
One of the main classes ofcue sports, possibly the oldest, and certainly the dominant competitive form until well into the 20th century. It is played on a table without pockets, and scoring is generally done by driving acue ball into contact with oneobject ball, then having the cue ball contact one or morecushions before contacting another object ball; however, there are numerous variations, some of which involve additional objects, such as uprightpins as targets orhazards. Carom balls are usually larger than pool balls, and most often supplied in sets of three, though some games such asyotsudama require four. Historically the most popular carom games in the modern era werestraight rail andcushion caroms, followed bybalkline billiards, in turn supplanted bythree-cushion billiards which remains a major competitive world sport and is the dominant cue sport in many countries. Some games, such asEnglish billiards, are hybrids between carom andpocket billiards.
Carrom is a table-top game of India, sometimes played with a smallcue stick though more often with the fingers, in which small disks are slid on a game board to knock other disks into pockets cut into the corners of the board. It is ancestral to several other games, includingnovuss,pichenotte,pitchnut,crokinole, andChapayev. Its historical relationship to billiards games is unclear.
casino balls
A set of pool balls divided intosuits (groups) of red and yellow balls (typically unnumbered, aside from the black 8-ball) instead of stripes and solids. Most often used for the game ofblackball (British-style eightball pool).
Alsocenter spot.The spot (usually unmarked, except insnooker)[25] at the geometric center of thebed of the table.[23] It lies at the intersection of thecenter string andlong string. In snooker, it is more commonly known as theblue spot[25] Uncommonly it is also called themiddle spot.
centre string
Alsocenter string.The (usually unmarked) line bisecting the centers of the twolong rails (and of theside [Brit.: centre] pockets if any) and thecenter spot. It thus runs widthwise (i.e. the short way) across the center of the table. Its intersection with thelong string, running lengthwise down the middle of the table, defines the position of the center spot.
centre pocket
A player with her bridge hand close to the centre pocketIn the UK, one of the twopockets one either side of apool,snooker orEnglish billiards table halfway up thelong rails. They are cut shallower thancorner pockets because they have a 180-degree aperture, instead of 90 degrees. Also sometimes called amiddle pocket. These terms are not generally used in the US, whereside pocket prevails.
Insnooker,English billiards and other British usage, abreak of 100 points or more, which requirespotting at least 25 balls consecutively, in snooker, but can be earned via a combination of scoring techniques in English billiards, etc. A century also means scoring 100+ points in a single turn instraight pool. Acentury of centuries is the achievement of 100 or more century breaks in a career, a featfew players have performed to date.See alsodouble century.
chalk
A powdered substance placed on acue'stip to increase itsfriction and thereby decrease slippage between the tip andcue ball. Cue "chalk" is notchalk (calcium carbonate), but a compound ofsilica andaluminium oxide. Chalk is sold in compressed, dyed (commonly blue) cubes wrapped on five sides with a paper label, and is applied (properly) in a manner similar to lipstick on the mouth. Chalk is essential to shots involvingspin; failure to use it frequently during a game is likely to lead tomiscuing.[39] Modern cue chalk was co-invented by pro playerWilliam A. Spinks and engineerWilliam Hoskins.[40][41]See alsotalc, often incorrectly referred to as "hand chalk".
chasing one's money
The inability of some players to stop gambling once they have lost money because they "have" to get their money back.
cheat the pocket
To aim at an object ball such that it will enter one side or the other, rather than the center, of a pocket (and possibly striking thefacing of the pocket then rebounding into the pocket). This permits the cue ball to strike the object ball at a differentcontact point than the most obvious one. Cheating the pocket is employed forposition play, to allow a ball to pass another partially obscuring the path to the pocket, and to preventscratches on dead-straight shots in cases where draw is not desirable (or may not be dependable, e.g. because of distance from the pocket orsmash-through).[42] The amount of pocket cheatability available varies widely by game, due to equipment differences.Pool has wide and thus very "cheatable" pockets, whilesnooker andRussian pyramid have pockets barely wide enough to admit a ball and therefore little room for error or for pocket-cheating.
check side
Alsocheckside orcheck. A type ofspin imparted to thecue ball to make it rebound off acushion at a shallower angle than it would if the spin had not been used. Normally played when the natural angle is no good to the player for the next shot.[43]
chesney
Sometimes known as a "Chesney Allen", a slight indentation in the table's slate which can add behavioral aspects to any ball passing over it. Tables containing a chesney are legal for match play, but are generally avoided by serious and professional players.
Chinese snooker
A Chinese snooker on the red ballsA situation where thecue ball is directly in front of another ball in the line of the shot such that the player ishampered by it, having tobridge over it awkwardly with the likelihood of afoul looming if the object ball is inadvertently touched.[44] The term is most common in the game ofsnooker but is also used in US parlance.
chuck nurse
Known as arocking cannon in British terminology.A type ofnurse used incarom billiards games. With one object ballfrozen (British:tight) to acushion and the second object ball a few inches away from the cushion, the cue ball is gently rebounded off the frozen ball, not moving it, but with just enough speed to meet the other object ball, which rocks in place but does not change position. Developed to thwart the restrictions emplaced by theParker's box.[45][46]
To play a shot with the stroke and speed that makes it easiest to pocket the object ball, even at the expense of sacrificing position.[8]
cinch a pocket
To maneuver a ball on a shot so that it will be favorably positioned for later play into a particular pocket, even at the expense of sacrificing position or the inning to achieve that result.[8]
cinch position
To play a shot using a more difficult application of stroke and speed to achieve a certain desired position for the next shot, even at the expense of or sharply increasing the likelihood of a miss.[8]
clean
1. Chiefly British. Describing apot that goes straight into thepocket without touching eitherknuckle.
2. Chiefly American. Describing a shot inbar pool: thepocketing of anobject ball in a manner such that the target object ball does notkiss any other object ball, and is notbanked,kicked,caromed, orcombo'd in, and withoutdouble-kissing, though it may hit theknuckles, and depending upon local bar-rules may be allowed to contact either of the cushions, not just at the knuckle, that run into the target pocket. Usage example: "The 7 in that corner, clean". Usage can be narrower, to indicate cleanother than as already specified, e.g. "bank the 7 in that corner, clean".
clearance
1. Sufficient space to legally execute a shot, without afoul (fault), e.g. from striking aball that is not on. Usage examples: "I wonder if I really have clearance for the 8"; "I bet you can't clear the 6 and make that shot." Can apply to any shot situation, including vertically: "a longjump shot that has to clear three balls."
2. Insnooker and Britishblackball, the successfulpotting of all objectballs-on in a singleframe. A player is said to have "cleared up" or to have "cleared the table". Also, if a snooker player compiles abreak consisting of all 15reds withcolours, then the colours in sequence, this is known as a "total clearance".Comparebreak and run.
3. A type of maneuver, theclearance shot orclearing shot, in which thecue ball ball is used to move one or more balls out of the way (directly or some by subsequent impact) then continue on to a desired destination. E.g., in a game ofnine-ball, if the 1 and the 7 were clustered together along a cushion with the 9 behind them near a pocket, and the cue ball could strike the 1 full face with a result of the 1 heading off the 7 toward the top rail and the 7 rebounding quickly across the table from the cushion, the cue ball, withtop spin could retain enough post-impact momentum to continue forward and pocket the 9 as long as both the 1 and the 7 werecleared out the way first. In a game likeeight-ball, a clearance shot might also be used at the end of an inning to move some problem balls that are blocking an otherwise easyrun, and leave the cue ball in asafe position, in hopes of having a better layout to work with in the next inning.Tickie shots are among the most common clearance approaches, especially for very short distances of intended cue ball travel past the initial contact."Clearance" is essentially the opposite of "gather", though the latter term is largely confined tocarom billiards.
cling
Phenomenon in which two balls, (usually thecue ball and anobject ball) have some foreign material – typically often residual cue-tipchalk or dirt picked up from unbrushedcloth – between the balls at thepoint of contact, resulting in the struck object ball being thrown offline from the expected trajectory, and often also affecting the post-impact behavior of the cue ball. Cling is an exaggerated form ofthrow, caused by momentary but unusually gripping friction imparted by the chalk or other residue.Also known asskid, or in the UK,kick (sense 2). A typical precaution against cling is to ask for the cue ball and/or object ball to be cleaned by the referee in order to remove chalk that is already on the ball prior to the shot; and (including in non-refereed games) players cleaning the cue ball personally after gainingball-in-hand. The table cloth can also be brushed between matches. When conditions seem ripe for clings (e.g. visibly dirty balls) some skilled players resort to pre-emptively using (and compensating for)gearing outside english, a general anti-throw technique. However, no precaution can ward against cling resulting from chalk transferred from the cue tip to the cue ball during a single shot. Coincidental cling can therefore cause unpredictable play and occasionally lead to rudimentary shots being missed at even the highest levels of the game.[48][49] "Cling" (and derived words like "clung", "clinger", "clinging", etc.) may be used as a mass noun, less commonly as a count noun, as a verb, and rarely as an adjective ("cling is annoying", "two clings in one frame", "they clung", "unintentional cling shot", respectively).Seekick forsnooker-specific notes.See alsodead ball, sense 2.
closed bridge
Alsoloop bridge.A bridge formed by the hand where a finger (normally theindex finger) is curved over the cue stick and the other fingers are spread on the cloth providing solid support for the cue stick's direction. A closed bridge is less common in snooker play than in other games.[50]CompareOpen bridge.
cloth
Thebaize cloth covering the tables playing surface and rails, usually made from wool or a wool-nylon blend. In use since the 15th century, cloth is traditionally green-coloured, chosen for its evocation of grass. Sometimes cloth is improperly referred to as "felt." The properties of the cloth used to cover a table, as well as environmental conditions that can affect it—notably humidity, the degree it has been stretched when installed, and its level of cleanness—have a profound effect on play.[51]See alsofast.
Two or more object balls that are touching or are close together. Rarer uses of the term include the intended action of agather shot, and arun of points.[51]
cocked-hat double
A term applied especially insnooker for a type of double off three cushions, e.g. around thebaulk colours and into acentre pocket. Such a shot is very difficult to make and would not normally be played as anything more than ashot for nothing.
collar
The protector of thejoint of thecue on the joint end of thebutt andshaft (i.e., thebutt collar andshaft collar respectively). Most modern cues use collars of steel and/or other materials, butcarom billiards cues usually have a collarless wood-on-wood joint,[52] as do "sneaky petes".
A complete set of snooker balls with 15 red balls, sixcoloured balls and a cue ball
Alsocoloured ball(s),colour(s); American spellingcolor sometimes also used.
1. Insnooker, any of theobject balls that are notreds. A colour ball must bepotted after each red in the continuation of abreak, and arere-spotted until the reds run out, after which the colours must be potted in their order:
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 five blacks with reds so far").
Alsocombination shot,combo.Any shot in which the cue ball contacts an object ball, which in turn hits one or more additional object balls (which in turn may hit yet further object balls) to send the last-hit object ball to an intended place, usually a pocket.[23] In the UK this is often referred to as aplant.
concession
Insnooker, when a player offers theframe to their opponent, even though balls remain on the table. An accepted concession formally concludes a frame, although the opponent reserves the right not to accept the concession, in which case the frame will continue. A player typically concedes a frame when theyrequire snookers. Conceding a frame before the snookers required stage is regarded as unsporting conduct that will incur a warning from thereferee. If the player has already been warned, they will be penalised the following frame.
point of contact
1.
Alsopoint of contact.
The point on each of two balls at which they touch at the moment of impact.[23]
2. The point on thecue ball at which thecue tip hits it on the shooting stroke. If this point is not dead-center on the ball,spin will be imparted to the ball.
containing safety
A type ofsafety 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 easypot on. A typical example insnooker, which sees the most shots of this kind, is a slowroll-up into thepack.
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".[23]
corner pocket
Any of the fourpockets in each corner of a pool orsnooker table. They have 90-degree apertures and as such are cut deeper than center pockets, which have 180-degree apertures.
count
1. A successful shot or score; more common in carom games.[23]
2. The running score during a gameinning where multiple successive points have been made.[23]
A type ofnurse shot used inEnglish billiards in which two coloured balls are positioned on either side of the mouth of a snooker table pocket but not touching and, thus placed, can be successively contacted and scored off over and over by the cue ball without moving them. The cradle cannon's first known use was by Walter Lovejoy in 1907. The unofficial record using the shot is held byTom Reece who in 1907, over the course of a month, scored 499,135 points using the cradle cannon before stopping without missing. This feat prompted the Billiards Association to outlaw the shot. The official record is held by William Cook with 42,746 points scored.[54]Compareanchor nurse.
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 thecloth, thebed, a ball with uneven weight distribution, or simply the floor the table stands on being uneven. It should not be confused with thenap of the cloth.
cribbage
A set of paired balls in the game ofcribbage pool that have a combined number value of 15. For example, the 8 ball and the 7 ball added together equal 15 and thus constitute one cribbage if pocketed in succession.[55]
cross
A "cross rake" restAlsocross rake orjigger. A type ofrest, with a straightshaft and "x"-shaped head for resting thecue upon.
cross-corner
A bank shot that rebounds off a cushion into a corner pocket across the table.[23]
A bank shot that rebounds off a cushion and into a side pocket.[23]
crotch
The corner formed by the rails on a carom billiards table. In modernstraight rail rules, only threecounts may be made while bothobject balls are inside the boundaries of the crotch before one ball must be driven away. The boundaries of each of the four crotch areas are measured by drawing a line from the firstdiamond on theend rail to the second diamond on thelong rail.[23]
1. Noun:Alsocue stick. A stick, usually around 55 to 60 inches in length with a tip made of a material such as leather on the end and sometimes with a joint in the middle, which is used to propel billiard balls. Lightweight, shorter cues are sometimes also used in billiards-related disc games, includingnovuss and some forms ofcarrom,crokinole/croquignole, andpichenotte/pitchnut.
Chiefly British: 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 thought that better snooker players get lower to the table with their chins on thecue, have a straight back leg, their elbow hinging in line with the shot, and a straight follow-through after thecue ball has been struck.[citation needed]
cue ball
Alsocue-ball,cueball.Theball in almost anycue sport, typically white in colour, that a player strikes with acue stick.[23] Sometimes referred to as the "white ball", "whitey" or "the rock".[56] InRussian pyramid, the cue ball is usually red, but any ball can be used as a cue ball, with the exception of thedynamic pyramid variant.For more information, see thebilliard ball main article.
1. A portable device for holding cues upright and at the ready for immediate use. The most common types are either weighted and placed on a table top, with semicircular cut-outs into which cues may lean, or clamping varieties that firmly affix to a table and which have clips or holes into which cues are placed for added security.
A chiefly British term describing the amount of control a player can retain when playing shots with heavyspin and great pace; "it took tremendous cue power to get onto the 2 ball having been relatively straight on the 1".
The elastic bumpers mounted on allrails of abilliards table, usually made fromrubber orsynthetic rubber, off which the balls rebound.[23] Before the advent ofvulcanized rubber manufacturing in the mid-19th century, cushions of early billiard tables were often simply cloth stuffed with straw, cotton, or other fibers; they were not very elastic, but simply quieter than bare wooden boards. The existence of cushions and rails dates to the era of outdoorground billiards, the courts for which were often bounded by shortwicker or wood fences, sometimes padded.For specific modern cushion parts, see:facing,knuckle, andnose.
Technically, any shot that is not a center-to-center hit, but almost always employed when describing a shot that has more than a slight degree of angle.[23]
A semicircle with an11+1⁄2-inch (291 mm) radius, drawn behind a snooker table'sbaulk line, centred on the middle of the line, and resembling the upper case letter "D" in shape. The "D" is also used inEnglish billiards and sometimes also inblackball and other pool games played onBritish-style tables.[23] The size of the "D" is typically scaled down on smaller tables.
dart stroke
A short and loose stroke performed in a manner similar to the way one throws a dart; usually employed for ajump shot.See alsonip draw.
dead
When two or moreobject balls arefrozen or nearly frozen to each other, such thatcue-ball contact with one object ball, without the necessity of great accuracy, will almost certainly pocket an intended object ball in thecluster. The most common form of dead arrangements are thedead combination ordead combo (acombination shot in which contact with the first object ball will pocket another one), and thedead kiss, in which contact with the first object ball will pocket it off of another one. See alsowired.
2. A ball that has been used for some time, with a dirty surface, as opposed to a slick new (or highly polished used) ball.[34] Aspinning dead ball will transfer more spin to other balls it comes into contact with, and not be asfast on the cloth. Evencut shot angles may be affected because of thecling orskid (British:kick) effect, and professional players often ask a referee to clean a ball, mid-game.[citation needed] Others may actually be more used to dead balls and prefer them.[34]
Insnooker, aframe played after the result of the match has already been determined, e.g. "Lindrum crossed the winning line at 76–38 on the second Thursday, ending at 94–49 ahead after the completion of the dead frames.";[59] "Rea showed his best form ... to win the final 'dead' frame".[60]
dead rail
Acushion that has either lost a degree of elastic resiliency or is not firmly attached to the woodenrail; or a rail that is not firmly bolted to the table frame. In all three cases, the result is that balls rebound from the cushion with less energy than is normal.
dead stroke
When a player is playing flawlessly, just "cannot miss" and the game seems effortless.
deadweight
Describing apot played at such a pace as to just reach thepocket and drop in without hitting the back.
deciding frame
Alsodecider ordeciding rack. The frame that decides the winner of a match when two opponents are tied (at a draw) on an equal number of frames, with just one remaining. The total number of frames in a match is set at an odd number to allow the final frame to act as a tie-breaker – a decider – in the event of the match reaching this frame.
deflection
1. Displacement of thecue ball's path away from the parallel line formed by thecue stick's direction of travel; occurs every timeenglish (side spin) is employed. The degree of deflection increases as the amount of english applied increases. It is also calledsquirt, typically in the United States, orcue-ball deflection. The physics of the squirt or deflection phenomenon has been analyzed in other contexts, such as withice-hockey pucks.[61][62]
Alsodeliberate fault. A shot, especially common instraight pool and in some variants ofblackball (but not WEPF/EPA rules[12]), in which a player intentionally commits afoul with the object in mind of either leaving the opponent with little chance ofrunning 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 as a "back scratch."
To move a ball (usually deliberately) from a safe position, e.g. close to the middle of acushion or in acluster, so that it becomespottable.
diamond
1. A manufacturer's sample board showing various styles ofdiamond inlays forbilliard tablesOne of a number of identical 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. On acarom table, the pockets themselves are replaced by additional diamonds. Diamonds get their name from the shape of the markings traditionally used; though many today are round, square, etc., these rail markings are still referred to as "diamonds". They are also referred to assights, especially in British English.(See alsodiamond system.)
2. Anartistic pool term for a category oftrick shots; artistic pool is divided into eight disciplines, andAPTSA tournaments present both discipline-specific and all-around awards.[63]
An indentation in thecloth of thetable, especially at thefoot spot where theapex ball is often tapped into secure position duringracking. In extreme cases, the indentation may actually be in the slatebed of the table, from excessive tapping over many years, and can cause unexpectedtable rolls. Aracking template is used to intentionally create minor divots for all of the balls in a rack.
dog
Alsodog it.
1. 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."[8][64]See alsochoke,one-stroke.
2. Same asslop shot (chiefly Southern US, colloquial).
dots
In chiefly UK parlance, the non-striped ballgroup of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 1 through 7 and have a solid colour scheme.Comparesolids,reds,low,small,little,spots,unders; contraststripes.
Alsodouble-century break.InEnglish billiards, abreak of 200–299points (i.e. double acentury).[65] Larger multi-centuries are regularly achieved. Rare in amateur play, triple centuries are routine (and quadruples not uncommon) atWorld Professional Billiards Championships; 2007 winnerMike Russell shot four triples in the final round alone, while of sixteen competitors, three shot quadruple centuries (one once, one twice, and Russell three times).Quintuple centuries are rare even at the professional level, with only the 494 shot by nine-time world champion Russell (who has more such titles than any other player in history as of 2007) coming close in that event.[66] As of 2007,[update] Peter Gilchrist holds the world record, with atredecuple century of 1346 consecutive points.[67]
A tournament format in which a player must lose twomatches in order to be eliminated.[23]Contrastsingle-elimination.
double hit
An illegal shot (foul) in which thecue stick'stip contacts thecue ball twice during a singlestroke. Double hits often occur when a player shoots the cue ball when it is very close to anobject ball orcushion, because it is difficult to move the cue stick away quickly enough after the cue ball rebounds off the cushion or object ball.[1][23]
double kiss
A situation in which two moving balls strike each other. Often happens when a ball strikes a second ball that is close to a rail, and it rebounds back into the first ball; usually but not always unintended.[8][64]
double shimmed
A pool table where twoshims have been placed on the sides of each pocket (in thejaws beneath the cloth), making the pockets "tighter" (smaller). Such tables are "tougher" than unshimmed or single-shimmed tables.
double the rail
Sometimes called asnake shot. A carom billiards shot, common inthree-cushion billiards, where the cue ball is shot withreverse english at a relatively shallow angle down the rail, and spins backwards off the adjacent rail back into the first rail.[23]
A form of team play in which two players compete against another team of two players in any givenframe ormatch. In a doubles game, the first player from the breaking team is the only one who shoots during the openinginning, with control of the table passing to a member of the opposing team at the end of that inning, then upon the end of the opponent's inning to the doubles partner of the original player, and next to the second opponent, play proceeding in this doubly alternating manner until concluded.Alsopairs (chiefly British).Contrastscotch doubles.
A shot played slowly and with heavydraw andfollow-through so that thecue 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. Also called "Drag Draw".
draw
1. Also known asback spin, a type of spin applied to thecue ball by hitting it below itsequator, causing it to spin backwards even as it slides forward on the cloth. Back spin slows the cue ball down, reduces its travel, and narrows both thecarom angle after contact with anobject ball, andangle of reflection off acushion. There are several variant terms for this, including "bottom" and "bottom spin" in the US and "screw" in the UK. 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]See illustration atspin.
A shot in which thecue ball is struck below its equator with sufficientdraw to make it reverse direction at the moment of contact with anobject ball because it is stillback-spinning.[1] When the object and cue balls are lined up square, the reversal will be directly backwards, while on a cut shot, the effect will alter thecarom angle. It can also refer to any shot to which draw is applied, as in "draw it off the foot rail just to the left of the center diamond".See illustration atspin.
Netted or cupped pockets that do not return the balls to the foot end of the table by means of a gutter system or sloped surface beneath. Instead, they must instead be retrieved manually.[23]
dry break
A break shot in pool on which zero object balls are potted.
duck
1. (noun): Derived from "sitting duck", usually referring to anobject ball sitting close to apocket or so positioned that is virtually impossible to miss.Same ashanger (US, colloquial),sitter (UK).
To intentionally lose a game, e.g. to disguise one's actual playing ability.[15] An extreme form ofsandbagging.See alsohustle.See alsoMatch fixing for the synonym "tank", used in sports more generally.
1. One of several games that arose around the beginning of the 20th century frompyramid pool. They have in common the use of arack of fifteenobject balls and a singlecue ball, a hardbreak from behind thehead string orbaulk line, and a goal ofpocketing (potting) all of one's ownsuit of balls then finally the black8 ball. There are two main formalized versions of the game:
eight-ball, an originally American and now internationally standardized professional version, also subject to competitive team play in numerous leagues. It is the most-played form of competition pool in the world, though not for professionals, among whomnine-ball dominates. Uses a set ofstriped andsolid numbered balls. Ball-and-pocket arecalled for each shot, withfouls (faults) resulting incue ball in-hand for the opponent, anywhere on the table.
blackball a.k.a. British-style eight-ball pool, an originally British variant, also favoured in many Commonwealth countries, and parts of Continental Europe, with amateur and professional leagues. The two names reflect slightly variant rulesets, which differ primarily in handling offaults (fouls). Shots are notcalled. Uses a set ofyellow andred balls.Pub pool usually consists of minor local variations on one of these two standardised rule sets.
Most forms ofbar pool are variants of eight-ball, although rules may vary from venue to venue even within the same city. These variants arose primarily to drag out the game on coin-operated tables ("bar boxes"). In North America, many casual recreational players are unaware any other form of pool exists beyond bar pool.
Chiefly American: Also known asside spin, english (which is usually not capitalized)[69] isspin placed on thecue ball when hit with thecuetip to the left or right of the ball's center. English has a marked effect oncue ball rebound angle offcushions (though not offobject balls), and is thus crucial for gainingshape; it can also be used to "throw" an object ball slightly off its otherwise expected trajectory, tocheat the pocket, and for other effects. "English" is sometimes used more inclusively, to colloquially also refer tofollow anddraw. In combination one could say bottom-right English, or like the face of a clock (4 o'clock English).[23] The British and Irish do not use this term, instead preferring "side".See illustration atspin.
1. A snooker cue with two attachable extensionsAny mechanical aid that serves to extend the length of the player'scue, normally added to the end of thebutt 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.
2. In a tournament where players get limited time to make their shots (common in televised matches), an extension is extra time granted before making a shot; players have a limited number of extensions in eachframe.
Alsocushion face.[25]The protrusion of the playing edge of thecushion from therail over thebed of the table.[25] The furthest-protruding point of the face is known as thenose of the cushion. Theplaying area of the table is the space between the faces (technically, the noses) of the cushions.[25]
facing
A comparison of the pocket facings of (left to right): an Americanpool table (side pocket); a British-stylesnooker table (corner pocket); and aRussian pyramid table (side pocket)The facings of apocket are the portions of the railcushions that line thejaws of the pocket. Facings vary widely by game.Pool facings are flat and angled rather wide, on pockets notably larger than the balls, to act much like thebackboard in basketball, in that a shot can be directed into the facing to cause it to angle off the facing into the pocket. They are reinforced with plastic shims between the cushion rubber and thecloth, to reduce wear and tear. Snooker facings are curved and not angled, providing a smooth transition between the rails and the pockets, which are not much wider than the balls, thus preventing any backboard effect (snooker shots must be almost perfectly straight in). The facings inRussian billiards are even more challenging, being straight and angled inward rather than outward, which results in theknuckles of the pocket, barely wide enough to accept a ball, rejecting any but the most accurate shots.
fall
1. Verb, passive, intransitive: For a ball to be pocketed. "The 8 ball fell early, so the game was over quickly."
2. Noun: The curved edge cut into the tablebed at which the hole of thepocket actually begins inside the pocketjaws.[70] The fall may be a sheer drop, as on tournament-standardsnooker tables, or have a beveled, down-sloping rim, as onpool tables. A ball is, of course, much more likely tohang when there is no bevel. How far into the pocket the fall begins is one factor that determines "pocket speed" or difficulty.
fast
1. Describes abilliard table with tightly woven and broken-in (but clean)cloth (baize), upon which the balls move quicker and farther.[51]Seetable speed for more information.
2. Producing lively action; said ofcushions or of the balls, in addition to the above, cloth-related definition.[71]
3. Unusually accepting of balls; said ofpockets;seepocket speed (sense 1) for more information."Slow" is the direct opposite of "fast" in all of these usages.
Same asfoul (chiefly British, and declining in usage; even the WPA and WEFPblackball rules use "foul").
feather
Alsofeather shot.A very thincut shot in which the cue ball just brushes the edge of an object ball. "Feather" by itself can be both noun and verb (e.g. "feathering the ball").[72][23]See alsosnick.
felt
Same ascloth (deprecated; it is factually incorrect, forfelt is a completely different kind of cloth frombaize).
2. A person who loses money gambling and keeps coming back for more;
3. Sometimes, a poor player;
4. As a verb, either to hit the balls hard with no intention in mind other than to get lucky and perhaps scatter the balls a bit more ("hit-and-hope"), or to shoot hard at themoney ball with the same intention ("smash-and-pray").Compareslop andfluke; contrastmark (sense 3) andcall.
flagrant foul
Afoul where the rules are blatantly, intentionally violated; in contexts where this qualifies asunsportsmanlike conduct, a stiffer penalty may apply (e.g. loss offrame) than normal for a foul.
flat-back pack
Insnooker, a situation during aframe in which the first line of the remainingreds grouped together, where the originalpack was, are in a straight horizontal line. This has implications when opening the pack, as afull-ball contact off the top cushion will usually cause the cue-ball to stick to the red and fail to develop a potting opportunity.
fluke
A shot that has an ostensibly positive outcome for the player, although it was not what the player intended. Examples of flukes include an unexpectedpot off severalcushions or other balls having missed the pocket aimed for, or a luckysafety position after having missed a shot. Many players are apologetic after a fluke. In many games, flukes result in a loss of turn, although some rule sets (most notably those ofsnooker,nine-ball and related games, and theeight-ball rules of theAmerican Poolplayers Association and its affiliates) count flukes as valid, point-making shots.Comparefish andslop; contrastmark (sense 3) andcall.
follow
The forward rotation of thecue ball that results from afollow shot. Also known astop spin ortop, follow is applied to thecue ball by hitting it above itsequator, causing it to spin more rapidly in the direction of travel than it would spin by merely rolling on the cloth from a center-ball hit. Follow speeds the cue ball up, and widens both thecarom angle after contact with anobject ball, andangle of reflection off acushion.See illustration atspin.
follow shot
A shot in which thecue ball is struck above its equator with sufficienttop spin to cause the cue ball to travel forward after it contacts anobject ball. When a cue ball with follow on it contacts an object ball squarely (a center-to-center hit), the cue ball travels directly forward through the space previously occupied by the object ball (and can sometimes even be used to pocket a second ball). By contrast, on a cut shot, a cue ball with follow on it will first travel on thetangent line after striking the object ball, and then arc forward, widening thecarom angle.[23]See illustration atspin.
follow-through
On a shot, the extension of thecue stick through thecue ball position during the end of a player's stroke in the direction originally aimed.[23]
foot
Chiefly American: The half of thetable in which theobject balls areracked (in games in which racked balls are used). This usage is conceptually opposite that in British English, where this end of the table is called thetop.Contrasthead.
The point on the table surface over which the apex ball of a rack is centered (in most games). It is the point half the distance between thelong rails' second diamonds from the end of the racking end of the table. The foot spot is the intersection of thefoot string and thelong string, and is typically marked with a cloth or paper decal on pool tables.[23]Contrasthead spot.
foot string
An imaginary line running horizontally across a billiards table from the second diamond (from the foot end of the table) on one long rail to the corresponding second diamond on the other long rail. The foot string intersects thelong string at thefoot spot. It is rarely drawn on the table.[23]
A powerfulfollow shot with a high degree oftop spin on it; usually when theobject ball being hit is relatively close to thecue ball and is being hit very full;[23] also known as "prograde top spin" or "prograde follow" (when referring to the action on the shot rather than the shotper se), and as a "jenny" in Australia.
Sometimes interchangeable withscratch, though the latter is often used only to refer to the foul of pocketing the cue ball.
A violation of a particular game's rules for which a set penalty is imposed. In many pool games the penalty for a foul is ball-in-hand anywhere on the table for the opponent. In some 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 brings the loss of a game. In straight pool, a third successive foul results in a loss of 16 points (15 plus one for the foul).[23]
Possible foul situations (non-exhaustive):
The player shoots the cue ball first into a ball that is not an object ball;[23]
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 (exceptingpush out rules);[23]
The player does not have at least one foot on the floor at the moment of shooting;[23]
The player shoots the cue ball before all other balls have come to a complete stop;[23]
The player hits the cue ball more than once during a shot (adouble hit);[23]
The player touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the cue;[23]
The player touches any ball other than the cue ball;[23]
The player causes a ball to leave the table's playing surface without it returning (e.g., jumping a ball off the table);[23]
The player marks the table in any manner to aid in aiming;[23]
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;[23]
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 (apush shot).[23]
frames
A term for eachrack from thebreak off until aclearance, losing foul orconcession has been made. Amatch is made up of several frames.See alsogame (sense 1), which has a slightly broader meaning.
Freeball situation: red is snookered, blue can be called.
Alsofree shot.A situation where a player hasfouled, leaving the opponentsnookered. InUK eight-ball this would normally give the opponent the option of one of two plays: (1)ball-in-hand withtwo shots; (2) being allowed to contact, or evenpot, a ball other than one from their set from the snookered position (although the black may not be potted), with the loss of the first shot. In addition, some variations of the game allow the player to pot one of the opposition's balls, on the first visit only, without the loss of a "free shot".
Insnooker, it allows a player to call any ball as the ball they 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. The definition ofsnooker on this occasion means the opponent cannot strike both extreme edges of theobject ball (or a cluster of touching balls).
free stroking
1. Potting well and quickly but without much thought for position play.
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
Chiefly American: A resting ball that is in actual contact with acushion or with one or more other balls is said to be "frozen" (or, colloquially, "froze") to that cushion or the touching ball(s).[73][23](Forfrozen combination/combo,frozen kiss, etc., that is almost impossible to miss, see the more common variants underdead). The chiefly British "tight" is equivalent to "frozen", but only applied to frozen/tight to a cushion, not to another ball. For situations in which thecue ball is frozen to anobject ball, different rule sets have different approaches. In some, the cue ball must be addressed with thecue at an angle at least 45 degrees divergent from an imaginary line running through the center of the balls, to minimize chances of apush shot. Insnooker (and some Britishpool rules), this is called atouching ball, and the cue ball must be shot away from the object ball without the latter moving.
full
Alsofull-ball.A type ofcontact between two balls from which no or little angle is created between their paths; the contact required topot a straight shot. It is commonly used in reference to how much of anobject ball a player can see with thecue ball: "Can you hit that full?".
1. Play, from the openingbreak shot until one player has won (or the game has been halted for some reason by a referee). Games are the units that make upmatches,races (in some senses of that term) androunds.Essentially the same asframe, except with regards to straight pool, which is a multi-rack game.
2. An identifiable, codifiable set of rules.Pool is not a game, but a class of games.Nine-ball is a game.
3. There are also slang usages, such as "to have game" (to be a good player, as in "he['s] got game") and "to be game" (to be willing to play or to gamble, as in "yeah, I'm game, so let's see what you've got"). But these usages are not particular to cue sports.
To give ahandicap to an opponent where they have to win a specified number fewer games than the other player in order to triumph in thematch.[74] The name refers to posting games on the scorekeeping mechanism known as awire orscoring string, though the phrase may still be employed when no actual use of the particular device is available or intended.
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. Also known as asaver.[8]
gather shot
In the carom games, any shot where the result is all the balls near each other; ideally, in position for the start of anurse on the next stroke.[23]
gearing outside english
Alsooutside gearing english, etc.: Precise application ofoutside english to counter the effects ofthrow (deflection of theobject ball from its expectedtangent line path), by applying counter-sidespin in the direction opposite to that which would increase the friction- and rolling-curve deflection of the object ball from the desired path. Gearing spin can also be used as a hedge to minimize the effects of imminently predictedcling (also known asskid or, in British and especiallysnooker terminology,kick). "Gearing" outside english is not a type or style of outside spin, but an subjectively judgedamount of it – enough to cause the cue ball rotation to affect the object ball's rotation in a desired way through momentarily prolonged contact, like two gears interacting. This is relative to specific playing conditions, including the shot angle and force, whether other compensation mechanisms are being used such slit over-cutting to thwart throw, and the cleanliness condition of the balls. The termgearing outside english is technical jargon rather than player slang; it was introduced by billiards-focused physicist and mechanical engineer David G. Alciatore in the 2000s.[48][57][58]Seethrow for additional information.
general average
Abbreviation:GA. In carom billiards, the number that indicates the overall relation between the points and innings (points ÷ innings = GA) a player has made throughout the whole tournament. E.g., 125 points in 56 innings is a GA of 2.232. Higher numbers indicate better players.See alsospecial average.
gentlemen's call
Alsogentleman's call.An informal approach to the "call-everything" variation ofcall-shot, common inbar pool. Obvious shots, such as a straight-on or near-straight shot for which the shooter is clearly aiming and which could not be mistaken for another shot, need not be called.Bank shots,kicks,caroms andcombinations are usually less obvious and generally must be called, though this may depend upon the mutual skill level and shot selection perception of the players. An opponent has the right to ask what the shooter's intention is, if this is unclear.
ghost ball
A common aiming method in which a phantom ball is imaginedfrozen to the object ball at the point where an imaginary line drawn between their centers is aimed at the desired target; the center of cue ball may then be shot at the center of the "ghost" ball (i.e., to precisely take the place of where that ball is imagined to be) and, ideally, impact the object ball at the propercontact point.[8] The ghost-ball method of aiming results in misses where adjustment is not made forcollision-induced throw.
go off
Describes the propensity of a player losing small sums of money at gambling to suddenly sharply increase the stakes; often continuing to lose until broke.CompareChasing one's money.Sandbagging and pretending to "go off" (only to handily win the raised-stakes bet) is a classichustling technique;see alsoon the lemonade.
golden break
Innine-ball abreak shot that pots the9 ball withoutfouling, in which case the player wins in one shot. Some tournaments also apply similar rules to themoney ball in other games.See alsoon the snap.
golden duck
When potting both thecue ball andmoney ball on the break results in an automatic loss of frame. A non-standard rule, it is nonetheless used in some professional events.
Colloquial term for an unusually large, heavycue ball made of the samephenolic resin or other modern, resilient plastic as theobject balls. "Grapefruit" cue balls are frequently found on older coin-operatedbar tables that do not have magneticball-return mechanisms. As with excessively dense, ceramic "rock" cue balls, the ball return works because the cue ball is considerably heavier than, and thereby distinguishable from, the object balls. Unlike "rocks", grapefruit balls are not prone to excessive equipment wear and tear. But because of their unusually large size, they have a very strong effect on thetangent line and thus on the accuracy ofcut shots. Their weight also has a notable effect on play, as they are somewhat more difficult todraw (screw),stop andstun compared to standard andmagnetic cue balls, but not to the extent of the much less resilient rock balls. Like rocks, grapefruits do generate a large amount ofsmash-through.
green
1. Nearly table-length distance between the cue ball and target object ball, or between an object ball and target pocket, i.e. a potentially difficult shot due to distance ("you sure left me a lot of green on that one")
2. Thecloth covering the table ("oh no, you just ripped the green")
3. Thegreen ball ("that was a great shot on the green")
4. Money ("I won a lot of green last night from that wannabe hustler")
green ball
Alsothe green.Insnooker, thecolour ball that is worth three points, being the second-least valuable colour behind theyellow.[75] It is one of thebaulk colours, and is placed on thegreen spot.[75][19] In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "3" on its surface.
1. The way in which a player holds thebutt end of the cue stick.[23]
2. The wrap of the cuestick where the hand is placed, also known as the "grip area."[23]
group
Same assuit, predominantly in British terminology, i.e., ineight-ball either of the set of seven balls (reds oryellows) that must be cleared beforepottingthe black. Generally used in the generic, especially in rulesets or articles, rather than colloquially by players.[12]
Half-ball strikingA shot aimed so 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." Assuming acling does not occur, the shot will impart post-contact momentum on the object ball in a direction 30° (which is, where is the fraction of object ball eclipsed:1⁄2 in this case) off the direction of the cue-ball's pre-contact momentum. Also notable because the carom angle the cue ball takes is more consistent than at othercontact points.
half-butt
Insnooker andEnglish billiards, arest that is approximately 3 metres long and used with acue of about the same length, used for shots that cannot be reached with normal rests and cues.[77]
half-century
Insnooker and other British usages, abreak of between 50 and 99 points (100 points or more being called a century), which requirespotting at least 12 consecutive balls (e.g. the last three reds with at least two blacks and a pink, followed by all the colours).
Modification of the rules and/or scoring of a game to enable players of variable abilities to compete on a more even playing field.[23] Examples of handicapping includespotting balls and givinggames on the wire to an opponent. In league play, common forms of handicapping include awarding compensatingpoints to a lesser-skilled team, or using numerical player ranking systems to adjust final scores between opponents of different skill levels. A player'shandicap is such a numerical rank.SeeHandicapping main article for more general information on sports handicapping.
hang
Said of a ball, to come to rest partially over the edge of apocket'sfall but still resting on the tablebed.[78] Because of ball curvature, if the very bottom of the ball is not over the sharp rim or beveled slope (depending on table type) of the pocket's fall, the ball will not drop into the pocket. As much as approximately 49% of a ball's diameter can be hanging over the sharp drop of a standard snooker table fall, but considerably less on a typical pool table, with beveled falls. A ballhanging in the pocket – a "hanger" – is nearly unmissable[78] (thoughfouling byscratching thecue ball into the pocket right after theobject ball is a common mistake). Can be used in a transitive sense in reference to player action: "You hung that one right on the edge".
1. Literally, apocket, but generally used in the phraseslosing hazard –potting (pocketing) thecue ball off another ball – andwinning hazard – using the cue ball to pot another ball – the two types of legal shots that pocket balls in games in which the term is used at all, which is very few today. The term principally survives inEnglish billiards, in which both types of shots arepoint-scoring. Formerly, a large number of different games made use of the two types of hazards as point scorers or losers in various ways (thus their suggestive names). The term ultimately derives from holes or pockets in the table to be avoided, in very early forms of billiards.[81]
2. Ingolf billiards, an area of the table (sometimes marked) that a player will be penalized for entering if their ball does not leave. Derives from the use of the term in the outdoor game ofgolf.[82]
head
Chiefly American: The half of thetable from which thebreak shot is taken. This usage is conceptually opposite that in British English, where this end of the table is called thebottom.Contrastfoot.See alsokitchen.
The intersection of thehead string andlong string, which is usually not marked on a table with a spot decal or other mark, unlike thefoot spot, though somepool halls mark both spots so that racking can be done at either end of the table, and wear onthe cloth from racking and breaking is more evenly distributed.[23]Comparebaulk spot.
head string
A line, sometimes imaginary (especially in Americanpool), sometimes drawn on the cloth, that runs horizontally across the table from the seconddiamond (from thehead rail) on onelong rail to the corresponding second diamond on the other long rail.[23] In most pool games, the opening break shot must be performed with the center (base) of the cue ball behind the head string (i.e. between the head string and head rail). The head string intersects thelong string at thehead spot, and delimits thekitchen (and, in Europeannine-ball, the outer boundary of thebreak box). The head string's position is always determined by the diamonds, in contrast to the similar but differentbaulk line, the position of which is determined by measurement from thebottom cushion (head cushion).
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
1. Alsohighs,high balls,high ones. Ineight-ball and related games, to be shooting the stripedsuit (group) 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).Comparestripes,yellows,big ones,overs; contrastlow.
2. Withfollow, as in "I shot that high left", meaning "I shot that with follow and with leftenglish". Derives from the fact that one must aim above thecue ball's equator, i.e. "high" on the ball, to impart follow. "With" is optional (e.g. "I shot that with high left" or "I shot that high left").Contrastlow.
3. Insnooker, same as "above", as in "she'll want to finish high on the black to allow position on the red".
UK: Essentially the same ashigh run, but applied tosnooker and by extension to pool, especiallyblackball pool: Abreak (series of successfulpots) running into large numbers for that player's skill level.
high run
Also (rarely)high-run,hi-run,highrun, etc.
A series of successful shots (arun) that is lengthy for the player's skill level. The exact implication is dependent upon context, e.g. "my high run atthree-cushion is 15", "Jones had the highest run of the tournament", "that was a pretty high run you just did", etc. Used congratulatorily, it may be phrased "good run", "great run", "nice run", etc.See alsohigh break.
Alsothe hook.Insnooker, a type ofmechanical bridge that has only since the 2010s been endorsed by theWPBSA to allow its use in major tournament play. It is a normal rest with the head in line with theshaft, 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 themhampered on thecue ball and in need of aspider orswan withextensions, which would have less control.
Usually a one-piece cue freely available for use by patrons in bars/pubs 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, or with common localbar pool custom.
hug the rail
Describes a ball rolling along a rail in contact or near contact with it, or making multiple successive contacts with the rail.[1][87]Seevelcro.
To 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 termshustler, for one who hustles, andhustling, describing the act, are just as common if not more so than this verb form.See alsosandbag,on the lemonade,lemonade stroke,shark,dump.
2. In snooker, the ability to place thecue ball anywhere inside the boundaries ofthe D. This occurs at the start of aframe, and after the cue ball has beenpotted or forced off the table.
inning
A player's (ordoubles team's) turn at the table, usually ending with a failure to score apoint or topocket a ball, depending on the game, afoul, asafety or with a win.[23] In some games, such asfive-pins andkiller, a player's inning is always limited to one shot, regardless of the intent and result of the shot. Usually synonymous withvisit, except inscotch doubles format. The term is sometimes used to mean both players'/teams' visits combined, e.g. when referring to the inning in which a memorable shot occurred.
(Chiefly British.) In asnookers required situation insnooker, a shot played by the player defending the lead, where they play theobject ball in such a way as to try to slowlypot (pocket) it, so that if it misses, at least it is over the pocket and difficult to obtain the required snooker from.
inside english
(Chiefly U.S.)Side spin (english) placed on the same side of thecue ball as the direction in which theobject ball is beingcut (left-handenglish when cutting a ball to the left, and vice versa).[1] In addition to affecting cue ball position, inside english can increasethrow.
in sight
(Chiefly British) Said of anobject ball that can easily be reached by thecue ball, or of a pocket that can easily be reached by a selected object ball, usually directly (i.e. without interveningkick,bank,carom,kiss orcombination shots).Comparesee.
in stroke
Cueing and timing the balls well; in good form, wherepocketing (potting),safety and clarity of thinking seem to come easily.[88] A player who had not been doing well but then suddenly picks up (as happens during the course of many matches) may be said tocatch a stroke.[clarification needed]See alsostroke.
insurance ball
A ball that is easily made from many 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 thejaws of a pocket.
Insnooker, a phrase used to describe a situation in which the player has an easypot and where in general the balls are in a position to go on to make a sizeablebreak.Compareset up (sense 4).
in the chair
in a two-person game, the non-shooting player is referred to as being "in the chair". This terminology likely originates from the fact that many high level billiards events require the non-shooting player to sit in a designated chair while their opponent is at the table.[89]
in the money
In a tournament, toplace high enough to receive a payout. E.g., in a tournament that pays from 1st down to 5th places, to be at least 5th place is to be in the money.[8]
in turn
When a particular ball is given as ahandicap in nine-ball, designating that ballin turn means that it must be made in rotation, when it is the lowest numerical ball remaining on the table, and cannot be made to garner a win earlier in the game by way of a combination, carom or any other shot. For example, if a player isspotted the 8 ball, they only win by making that ball after balls 1 through 7 have been cleared from the table. The phrase is not common in the U.S.
Irish linen
Linen made from flax, and produced in Ireland, which is often used to wrap the gripping area of thebutt of a cue.
2. In gambling, to "jack up a bet" means to increase the stakes.
jail
When a player is on the receiving end of a devastatingsafety where it is very difficult, or near impossible, to make a legal hit on an object ball.[90]
jam up
Adjectival expression for a player's deadly game; "watch out, she plays jam up."[84][91]
jawed ball
A ball that fails to drop into a pocket after bouncing back and forth between thejaws of a pocket.[23]
The interlocking connection between the butt and shaft ends of a two-piece cue stick.[23] Usually connects via means of a steel or woodenpin, and may be protected by acollar of metal or some other material, or may connect wood-on-wood.[52]
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
Alsojump shot.Any shot where thecue ball is intentionally jumped into the air to clear an obstacle[23] (usually anobject ball, even in games with non-ball objects, e.g.bottle pool). Jump shots must be performed by hitting thecue ball into the table's surface so that it rebounds off thecloth; scooping under the cue ball to fling it into the air is deemed a foul by all authoritative rules sources. A legal jump shot works by compressing the cue ball slightly against theslate under the cloth, causing it to spring upward when the downward pressure of thecue is released. Somebilliard halls and even entire leagues prohibit all jump (and usually alsomassé) shots, out of fears of damage to the equipment, especially the cloth. Specializedjump cues exist to better facilitate jump shots; they are usually shorter and lighter, and with harder tips, than normal cues. Jump shots that go through or into objects rather than over them are common intrick shot (artistic pool andartistic billiards) competition.
jump cue
Alsojump stick.[8]Acue dedicated tojumping balls; usually shorter and lighter than a playing cue and having a wider, hardertip.
jump draw
A rare and very difficulttrickjump shot that turns into adraw shot upon landing. Requires precise application ofspin in addition to the precise application of ball pressure to effectuate the jump. Jump draws are fairly often seen in professional trick shot competition.
jumpmassé
A rare and extremely difficulttrickjump shot that turns into amassé upon landing. Requires very precise application ofspin in addition to the precise application of ball pressure to effectuate the jump.[34]
1. A shot or ball that allows a player to obtainshape on another ball hard to play position to.[8]
2. A shot or ball that is the "key" torunning out.
3. The 14thobject ball in a rack ofstraight pool that, when proper position is achieved on, allows easy position play, in turn, on the last (15th) object ball for anintergame break shot.
kick
1. Short forkick shot. Also used as a verb, "to kick [at]" (US).
2. Same ascling (US) andskid. Chiefly British: Exaggerateddeflection of ball trajectories on impact, generally due tocue chalk stuck on one of the balls. Kick is the bane ofsnooker players, even at top professional levels, and is why they so frequently ask a referee to clean a ball. Because of the comparatively light weight of snooker balls, and much smaller margins of error due totight pocket sizes ona very large table, thethrow effect of a kick can cause a seemingly easy snooker shot to miss widely. Even if the kick was mostly vertical, due toscrew (bottom spin) orfollow (top spin) rather thanside spin, and the shot waspotted, a kick often results in balls visibly jumping upon impact, resulting in a great loss of cue ball momentum, which can wreck the shot'sposition play and leave the player with poor options. On even medium-distance shots, however, an outright miss is more likely.[92] Noun, verb, and rare adjective usage as per "cling".(Seecling for less snooker-specific notes.)
kick shot
A shot in which thecue ball is driven to one or morerail orcushions before reaching its intended target—usually anobject ball.[23] Often shortened to "kick" in North American usage, though this word by itself has a very different meaning in British usage(see entry above, sense 2).
An instance of contact between balls, usually used in the context of describing anobject ball contacting another object ball (e.g. "the 2 ball kissed off the 12 ball"), or insnooker the cue ball making contact with some object ball after the initial contact with aball on. If the player'sintention was to cause two object balls to kiss (e.g. to pocket a shot ball by ricocheting it off a stationary one), it is often called akiss shot.[23]Comparedouble kiss; contrastcarom.
kiss shot
A shot in which the object is topocket (pot) anobject ball by striking it with thecue ball and then having the object ball ricochet off another object ball into apocket.[23]
kitchen
The area on the table behind thehead string.[23] The origin of the term has been the subject of some speculation but the best explanation known is that in the 1800s, many homes did not have room for both a billiard table and a dining room table. The solution was a billiards table that had a cover converting it into a dining table. Kept in the dining room, play on such a table was often restricted by the size of the room, so it would be placed so that the head rail would face the connected kitchen door, thus affording a player room for the backswing without hitting a wall. A player was therefore either half or sometimes fully (literally) "in the kitchen" when breaking the balls.[1]See alsobaulk.
knuckle
One of two jutting points or curves of thenoses of thecushions on either side of eachpocket where cushion and pocket meet, forming thejaw of the pocket. The knuckles are the intersection of the outer edge of the cushions, parallel to therail, and the pocketfacing. The knuckles are protrusive and comparatively sharp on apool table, the facings of which can be used like abasketball backboard to rebound a ball into a pocket. Onbilliard tables forsnooker,English billiards and various other games, the knuckles are rounded, and thwart the backboard effect. The curvature of snooker and English billiards knuckles are determined bypocket templates produced by theWorld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.[25]Russian pyramid tables also have pointed knuckles, but the facings are angled inward, so the knuckles cannot be used as a backboard. The knuckle is also known as apoint,horn ortitty, depending on area and the company one keeps.See illustration at thefacing entry.
Alsothe lag (noun),lagging,lag for the break, andlagging for the break.To determine the order of play, players (representing only themselves, or sometimes teams) each near simultaneously shoot a ball from thekitchen (or in British games, from thebaulk line) to theend rail and back toward thebottom rail. Whichever shooter's ball comes to rest closest to the bottom rail gets to choose whobreaks.[93] It is permissible but not required for the lagged ball to touch or rebound off the bottom rail, but not to touch the side rails. Lagging is usually a two-party activity, though there are games such ascutthroat in which three players might lag. In the case of a tie, the tying shooters re-lag. The lag is most often used in tournament play or other competitions.In hard-break games likenine-ball andeight-ball the winner of the lag would normally take the break, while in soft-break games likestraight pool would likely require the loser of the lag to break, since breaking would be a disadvantage.See alsostring-off.
last-pocket
Alsolast pocket.A common rule in informalbar pool, especially bar/pubeight-ball, in which themoney ball must bepocketed (potted) in the same pocket as the shooter's lastobject ball (each player may be said to eventually "own" a pocket, for the duration of the game, in which their 8 ball shot must be played if they have already run out theirsuit). The variant is not extremely common in the United States or the UK, but is near-universal in much of Latin America (where twocue ballscratches are permitted when attempting the 8 ball shot and count as simple fouls, with only a third scratch constituting a loss of game). Last pocket is also common in North Africa. Last-pocket rules require carefulposition play, and frequently result inbank andkick shots with the 8 ball.
league
An organization that promotes competitive, usually team, amateur cue sports, most commonlypool, especiallyeight-ball andnine-ball, although there are also well-establishedsnooker leagues. Some leagues, many of which are decades old, are entirely local and either informal orincorporated, and may use their own local rules or may have adopted more widely published rulesets, such as those of theWPA. Other leagues are organized on a multi-regional or even international level, and may be non-profit or for-profit enterprises, usually with their own fine-tuned rule books. Despite differences, the largest leagues are increasingly converging toward the WPA rules, with the exception of theAPA/CPA, which retains rules much closer toUS-stylebar pool. At least four major pool leagues hold international championships inLas Vegas, Nevada annually (APA/CPA,BCAPL,VNEA andACS/CCS). Some leagues also offerone-on-one tournaments,scotch doubles events,artistic pool competition, and other non-team activities.(SeeCategory:Cue sports leagues for a listing of articles on various leagues.)
leave
The cue ball's position after a shot. "Good" or "bad" in reference to a leave describe respectively and advantageous or disadvantageous position for the next shot, or to leave an incoming opponentsafe.[88][23]See alsoposition play; compareposition,shape.
legal
As in many other sports, "legal" means not causing or likely to cause afoul (the opposite beingillegal). A legalhit is one in which the requirements for a non-foul hit are met (e.g., innine-ball, the lowest-numbered ball on the table was hit by thecue ball first, and at least oneobject ball waspocketed, or any ball reached acushion, after the hit on the first object ball.). A legalshot is one in which no foul of any kind was involved (e.g. there was not adouble hit by the cue, the player'sbridge hand did not move a ball, etc.). A legalstroke is one in which thecuestroke obeyed the rules (e.g. the shooter did not perform an illegaljump shot by scooping under the cue ball with the cuetip). A legalball is aball-on, an object ball at which it is permissible for the player to shoot. And so on. The term can be used in many ways consistent with these examples ("legal pocket" inone-pocket, "legal equipment" under tournament specifications, etc.).
left
Short for leftenglish (side), i.e. spin imparted to thecue ball bystroking it to the lefthand side of its vertical axis.Contrastright.
lemon
A player is said to be a "lemon", "lemon man", or "playing on the lemon" when they intentionally play below their true ability in order to attract more gambling action and win more money. Players who fall for the ruse would be less likely to gamble with the lemon if they showed their full ability at all times.
lemonade stroke
An intentionally amateurish stroke to disguise one's ability to play.Compareon 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 wide margin, with $100 on the line, the player could say, "I'll let you out now for $75." This is usually meant to save pride.
The act of playing a devastatingsafety that leaves the opponent in a situation where it is very difficult, or near impossible, to make a legal hit on an object ball.[86]See alsojail.
long bank
Across-corner bank shot from one end of the table to the other (i.e. across thecenter string). Long banks are considerably more difficult, because of the smaller margin for error due to distance and angle widening, thancross-side banks and short cross-corner banks from the same end of the table.
long double
Chiefly British:bank shot played up and down the longer length of the table off ashort rail and into acorner pocket, as opposed to the more common bank across the short length into acenter pocket or corner.
1. Alsolows,low balls,low ones. Ineight-ball, to be shooting the solidsuit (group) of balls (1 through 7); "you're low, remember", "you're low balls" or "I've got the lows."Comparesolids,reds,little,spots,dots,unders; contrasthigh.
2. Withdraw, as in "I shot that low left", meaning "I shot that with draw and with leftenglish". Derives from the fact that one must aim below thecue ball's equator, i.e. "low" on the ball, to impart draw.Contrasthigh.
The forerunner of the cue was the mace, an implement similar to a light-weightgolf club, with a foot that was generally used to shove rather than strike the cue ball.[97] When the ball wasfrozen against arail cushion, use of the mace was difficult (the foot would not fit under the edge of the cushion to strike the ball squarely), and by 1670 experienced players often used the tail or butt end of the mace instead.
machine gun shot
1. Insnooker, atrick shot that involves lining up a number of balls, for example along thebaulk line, then, after striking thecue ball toward acorner pocket, hitting the other balls directly with thecue stick into that pocket before the cue ball reaches it.[98]
2. Inpool, atrick shot where a number of object balls are placed in a row to form a line, sometimes near acushion, or in a line and the cue ball is shot into the balls so as to reverberate between them while traveling and hit each one of the object balls in series, issuing amachine gun-like sound.[99]
magnetic cue ball
Acue ball that, due to embedded iron content, is responsive enough to a strongmagnet that a modern coin-operatedbar table with a magneticball-return mechanism can distinguish and separate the cue ball from theobject balls. Magnetic cue balls are usually the same standard size as the object balls in the set, and near regulation weight, typically 0.5 to 1 ounce (14–28 g) heavier than the object balls. As such they do not suffer the playability problems of either excessively dense, ceramic "rock" or notable oversized "grapefruit" cue balls, and demonstrate only minimalsmash-through. Magnetic balls are standard equipment in some leagues, including theVNEA. Magnetics come in three construction types of iron embedded in the samephenolic resin or other modern, resilient plastic that theobject balls are made of: a solid metal core (prone to being off-center and not rolling true); small metal bars distributed around the interior of the ball (the most common, and less prone but not immune to balance defects); and tiny metal filings throughout the material (the most consistent, only made by one manufacturer, and expensive).
Alsomassé shot. A steep curve or complete reversal of cue ball direction without the necessity of any rail or object ball being struck, due to extremespin imparted to the cue ball by a steeply elevated cue.[23] Its invention is credited toFrançois Mingaud.Comparesemi-massé.
master break
Breaking and going on to win the game in one visit.
match
1. The overall competition between two players, two pairs of players or two teams of players, usually consisting of a predetermined number offrames[12] orgames (sometimes organized intorounds). There are also specialized match formats where the game number is not predetermined;seerace andahead race for examples.
2. To agree to rise to a higher wager, as in "$100? Yeah, I'll match that" (i.e., basically equivalent to "call a raise" inpoker).
match ball
The ball required to guarantee victory in a match. Sometimes used figuratively to mean the last difficult ball required (chiefly British and usually used in multi-frame matches, particularly snooker).
match play
Alsomatchplay,match-play.
1. Chiefly British: Competitive play inmatches with standings consequences, such as localsnooker league competition or theWorld Snooker Championship, as opposed to practice, playing with friends at the pub, orhustling pool for money.
2. Chiefly American:Same asone-on-one as applied toleague play. (Definition appears to have been introduced byUSA Pool League misapplying the term "match" to what is otherwise termed a "race".)[101]
Insnooker, the highestbreak attainable with the balls that areracked; usually 147 points starting bypotting fifteenreds, in combination withblacks, and clearing thecolours. Also called a147 (one-four-seven). Insix-red snooker, the maximum break is only 75 points, due to fewer red balls and thus fewer black-scoring opportunities.See alsototal clearance.
mechanical bridge
A special stick with a grooved, slotted or otherwise supportive end attachment that helps guide the cue stick – a stand-in for thebridge hand. It is usually used only when the shot cannot be comfortably reached with a hand bridge. In American English, often shortened tobridge or called abridge stick;[23] the termrake is also common.An entire class of different mechanical bridges exist forsnooker, calledrests(see that entry for details), also commonly used inblackball andEnglish billiards.Mechanical bridges have many derogatory nicknames, such as "ladies' aid", "crutch", "granny stick", and "sissy stick", because of the perception by many amateur players that they are evidence of weak playing skills or technique (the opposite is actually true).[55]Small mechanical bridges, that stand on the table surface instead of being mounted on sticks, exist fordisabled players who do not have or cannot use both hands or arms.
merry widow
Jargon term for a type ofcue stick that has a plain forearm, without the tapered "points" that are a common feature of standard cue sticks.
A stroke in which the cue's tip glances or slips off the cue ball not effectively transferring the intended force.[23] Usually the result is a bungled shot. Common causes include a lack ofchalk on thecue tip, a poorly groomed cue tip and not stroking straight through the cue ball, e.g. because ofsteering. Sometimes played intentionally to avoid adouble hit when thecue ball is very close to anobject ball orcushion. Also the distinctive metallic sound made when a miscue occurs.
miss
Insnooker, areferee calls a miss when a playerfouls by failing to hit theball on and the referee decides that the player has not made a good enough attempt to hit the ball. The miss rule gives the opponent the option to have the referee replace the balls to their original positions and make the player take the shot again. A miss usually occurs when a player makes an unsuccessful attempt at escaping from a snooker. It is a controversial rule aimed at formally discouragingdeliberate fouls. In professional snooker, a referee will almost always call a miss on any foul where the player misses the ball on, regardless of how close the player comes to hitting it. If a player is called for a miss three times in a single visit while not snookered, they forfeit the frame; to avoid this, players almost always play an easy hit on their third attempt, even if it is likely to leave a chance for the opponent.
missable
Describing a difficultpot: "the awkward cueing makes this shot missable."
modern era
In professionalsnooker, the modern era is the period from 1969 to the present day. TheBBC launched itsPot Black series in 1969 and theWorld Snooker Championship reverted to a knockout tournament format in the same year. The modern era has seen increasing professionalisation of the sport, more television and media coverage, greater numbers of tournaments, and higher prize money.
money added
Said of a tournament in which thepot of money to pay out to the winner(s) contains sponsor monies in addition to competitor entry fees. Often used as an adjective: "a money-added event".See alsoadded.
money ball
Name for the ball that when legally pocketed, wins the game, or any ball that when made results in a payday such as a "way" in the game ofChicago. If a money ball is illegally pocketed, it usually results in a loss of game, or afoul.
money game
A game (often actually arace) the outcome of which is the subject ofgambling by the players and/or bystakehorses. Participants may use the phrase "this is a money game" to indicate to others that they take the contest more seriously than a casual game and, e.g., are unwilling to make sportsmanlike compromises or do not appreciate distractions. A clear illustration of the latter is in the "two brothers and a stranger"hustling scene in the filmThe Color of Money.
The table reserved formoney games or, by extension, the best table in the house. This table is typically of better quality and regularly maintained, and may havepockets that are unusuallytight. Money tables in popular venues may be outright reserved for majoraction.
mushroom
Alsomushroomed tip.Leather of thecuetip overhanging theferrule because of compression from innumerable repeated impacts against thecue ball without proper maintenance of the tip. It must be trimmed off, or it will causemiscues and inaccuracies, as it is not backed by the solid ferrule and thus will compress much more than the tip should on impact.[102]See alsoburnish.
mushroom trimmer
Alsomushroom shaver,mushroom cutter.A sharp-bladedtip tool used to trim themushroomed portion off acue tip and restore it to its proper shape.
A directional pile created by the short fuzzy ends of fibers on the surface ofcloth projecting upward from the lie and which create a favorable and unfavorable direction for rolling balls.[1] The convention in most billiards games in which directional nap cloth is used is to brush the cloth along the table in the same direction of the nap, usually from the end that a playerbreaks. Insnooker andUK eight-ball especially, this creates the effect ofcreep in the direction of the nap, the most-affected shot being a slow roll into acenter pocket against the nap. It is commonly referred to in the fuller term "nap of the cloth." When nap is used in relation to woven cloths that have no directional pile, such as those typically used in the U.S. for pool tables, the term simply refers to the fuzziness of the cloth.[103]
2. Adjective: In pool, a shot is said to be natural if it does not require adjustments, such as acut angle, side spin, or unusual force. A naturalbank shot, for example, is one in which simply shooting straight into theobject ball at medium speed and with no spin will send the object ball directly into the targetpocket on the other side of the table.
3. Inthree cushion billiards, the easiest type of shot, in which the second object ball is advantageously placed in a corner.[23]See alsobig ball.
nine-ball
1. Main article:Nine-ball. The dominant professionalpool game. It is arotation game, in which the lowest-numberedobject ball must be hit first (though balls may be pocketed in any order, such as with acarom shot orcombination shot). The game ends when the9 ball is legally pocketed, either as the last remaining object ball, or early as long as the lowest-numbered ball was struck first.
A short, jabbeddrawstroke usually employed so as to not commit afoul (i.e. due to following through to adouble hit) when the cue ball is very near to the targetobject ball.[23]
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. Probably derived from "nitwit".
The furthest-protruding edge of theface of thecushion over thebed of the table. The dimensions of theplaying area are thus defined by the measurements lengthwise and widthwise between the cushion noses (though specifications may simply refer to the cushion face for short in that context).[25] The height of the nose from the bed determines the cushion profile. The corners (sharp on pool tables, rounded on snooker tables) formed by the nose at the entrance to thepockets are called theknuckles,points, ortitties. The difference between the noses and the knuckles of the cushions is that the former run the entire length of the cusion, while the latter are the points or curves formed where the cushion meets the pocket. The edge of cushion on the inside of the pocketjaws is thefacing.
nurse
Alsonurse shot,nursery shot,nursery cannon.
Incarom billiards games, when all the balls are kept near each other and a cushion so that with very soft shots the balls can be "nursed" down a rail, allowing multiple successful shots that effectively replicate the same ball setup so that the nurse shots can be continued almost indefinitely, unless a limit is imposed by the rules.
Excessive use of nurse shots instraight rail by players skilled enough to set them up and pull them off repeatedly at will is what led to the development of thebalkline andone-cushion game variations, and repetitive shot limitation rules inEnglish billiards.[104]
Usage notes: When speaking very generally, any ball other than the cue ball is an object ball. In narrower contexts, this may not be the case. For example, when playingeight-ball, one might not think of the 8 ball as an object ball unless shooting for the 8.
offense
The aspect of gameplay concerned with scoring rather thansafety.[105]
on a string
Used when describing perfect play; a metaphoric reference topuppetry:
2. Carom billiards: Order may be inverted: "as if the balls had strings on them".[34]
on the hill
Describes a player who needs only one more game win to be victorious in the match.[83][84]See alsohill, hill.
on the lemonade
Alsoon the lemon,laying down the lemon.Disguising the level of one's ability to play; also known assandbagging orhustling (though the latter has a broader meaning).[106][107]Comparelemonade stroke.
on the snap
As a result of the openingbreak shot (the "snap"), usually said of winning bypocketing themoney ball ("won on the snap", "got it on the snap", etc.) Employed most commonly in the game ofnine-ball where pocketing the9 ball at any time in the game on a legal stroke, including the break shot, is a win.[1][108] Sometimes used alone as an exclamation or exhortation, "On the snap!"[15]See alsogolden break.
1. Competition between an individual player and an individual opponent, as opposed to team play,scotch doubles, and other multi-player variants.
2. A team play format in which an individual player from the home team plays arace against an individual player from the visiting team, and then is finished for thatmatch.[101](Same asmatch play, definition 2.) Several large leagues use this format, includingAPA/CPA andUSAPL. (Contrastround robin.)
One of the most challengingpool games, in which each player is designated a specificcorner pocket on thefoot rail, and can only score bypocketing theobject balls into it. The game (played to a set number of points) typically involves a higher proportion of challenging shots than other games, especiallybank shots andkicks.
one-stroke
To shoot without taking enough warm-up strokes to properly aim and feel out the stroke and speed to be applied. One-stroking is a common symptom of nervousness and is a source of missed shots and failed position.[8]See alsochoke,dog.
4. A description of a layout of balls that, because it is so spread out, makes it easy for a good player torun out and win, due to lack of problematicclustered balls.
open break
A requirement under some pool rulesets that either anobject ball be pocketed, or at least four object balls be driven to contact thecushions, on the openingbreak shot.[23]Contrastsoft 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 play
A description of play incarom billiards games in which the balls remain widely separated rather thangathered, requiring much more skill to scorepoints and makingnurse shots effectively impossible, and making for a more interesting game for onlookers.[34] Most skilled players try to gather the balls as quickly as possible to increase their chances of continuing to score in a longrun.
open table
Ineight-ball and related games, describes the situation in which neither player has yet claimed asuit (group) of balls. Often shortened to simplyopen: "Is it still an open table?" "Yes, it's open."
The 5out (meaning the player getting the handicap can win by making the 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 balls).
out
1. A specific ball number followed by "out" refers to ahandicap innine-ball or other rotation games where the "spot" is all balls from that designated number to the money ball. To illustrate, the 6-out in a nine-ball game would allow the player gettingweight to win bylegally pocketing the 6, 7, 8 or 9 balls.
2. Short forrun out, especially as a noun: "That was a nice out."
outside english
Side spin on acue ball on the opposite side of the direction of thecut angle to be played (right-handenglish when cutting anobject ball to the left, and vice versa). In addition to affecting cue ball position, outside english can be used to decreasethrow.
overcut
Hitting theobject ball with too large of acut angle; hitting the object ball too thin. It is a well-known maxim that overcutting is preferable toundercutting in many situations, as it more often leaves the table in a disadvantageous position on the miss than does an undercut.See alsoprofessional side of the pocket.
1. Insnooker, the bunch ofreds that are typically left below thepink spot in the early stages of aframe, not including those reds that have been released intopottable positions.
Same asfeather (US) orsnick (UK) (US, colloquial).
parking the cue ball
1. 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 nine-ball);
2. Having the cue ball stop precisely where intended.
peas
Alsopills,tally balls andshake balls.Small, round markers typically numbered 1 through 16, which are placed in abottle for various random assignment purposes, such as in a tournament roster, to assign order of play in a multiplayer game, or to assign particular balls to players in games such askelly pool.[1][23]
1. InEnglish billiards, acannon made when theobject balls are about two or three inches apart; parallel to, and close to acushion. The object balls remain nearly stationary, and the player can then play a shot that reverses the striking order of thecue ball against to object balls.[112]
percentage
Seeplay the percentages.[8] Used by itself often with "low" and "high": "that's a low-percentage shot for me", "I should really take the high-percentage one".
1. A bolt-threaded protrusion inside thejoint of thecue, usually protruding from thebutt and screwing into theshaft rather than vice versa. Most modern cues make use of metal pins andcollars, butcarom billiards cues usually have a wooden pin, and a collarless wood-on-wood joint.[52]
Alsothe pink.Insnooker, the second-highest valuecolour ball, being worth six points.[113] It is placed on thepink spot.[113][19] In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "6" on its surface.
Alsopiquet.Either amassé shot with noenglish (sidespin), or a shot in which the cue stick is steeply angled, but not held quite as near-vertically as it is in fullmassé.[115][110]
place
To reach a certain position in a tournament. "I placed 17th." "She will probably placein the money this time."
plain ball
In snooker, hitting thecue ball in the center, without anyspin.
Using knowledge of the game and one's own abilities and limitations to choose the manner of shooting and the particular shot from an array presented, that has a degree of likelihood of success. This often requires a player to forego a shot that if made would be very advantageous but does not have a high likelihood of success, in favor of a safety or less advantageous shot that is more realistically achievable.[8]
playing area
Alsoplaying surface.The area of the table on which the balls roll, i.e. the table surface exclusive of therails and the tops of thecushions. The playing surface is defined by the measurements lengthwise and widthwise between the cushion noses (though specifications may simply refer to the cushionfaces for short in that context).[25]Artistic pool and other forms oftrick shots sometimes call for shots to go beyond the bounds of the playing surface, e.g. ajump shot off the table into a boot on the floor, inMike Massey's classic "boot shot". The playing surface is what is used, not the entire table, when describing the approximate size ofbilliard tables of all kinds (e.g. "an 8 × 4 foot pool table").
pocket
1. (noun) An opening in abilliards table, cut partly into thebed and partly into therails and theircushions, into which balls are shot (pocketed orpotted). Pockets may drop into a leather or cloth net, a solid cup, or aball-return mechanism. Thejaws of the pocket have a cushionfacing; theknuckle orpoint is where this facing meets (in a pointed or curved fashion) the cushion that bounds the playing surface of the table.Billiards-style pockets also feature in some distantly related tabletop games likecarrom,novuss,pichenotte,pitchnut,air hockey, and the historicalbagatelle family of games. Historically related to the holes ingolf, the basic concept of a ball-capturing target or hazard is a feature of many other games, includingpinball,cornhole,skeeball, and (in an elevated fashion)basketball.
2. (verb) To send a ball into a pocket, usually intentionally.
1. Describes the propensity oftable pockets to more easily accept an imperfectly aimed ball shot at a relatively soft speed, that might not fall if shot with more velocity ("that ball normally wouldn't fall but he hit it at pocket speed"). The less sensitive to shot-speed that a pocket is, the "faster" it is said to be.[84]
2. Describes the velocity of anobject ball shot with just enough speed to reach the intendedpocket and drop. "Shoot this with pocket speed only, so you don't send the cue ball too far up-table."
pocket template
A rigid, flat piece of material such asplastic that outlines the exact angles and curvature of theknuckles of thecushions at apocket, the width of their separation across the pocket opening (thejaws of the pocket) and the depth into the jaws where the pocket drop is. The templates thereby determine the size and other playing aspects of the pocket. Such standardization is used especially insnooker andEnglish billiards, for which theWorld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association presently issues pocket templates.[25] Theseproprietary templates are tightly controlled, and only provided to approved venues and manufacturers. Each table requires two pairs of templates, as the specifications forcorner andcentre (side) pockets are entirely different.[116][117] For each pocket type, one template is used to determine pocket width and other horizontal aspects, while the other measures theface of the cushions including anyundercut, thefall of the pocket, and other vertical aspects.[116]See alsoracking template,training template.
point
1. A unit of scoring, in games such assnooker andstraight pool with numerical scoring.
2. A unit of scoring, in teammatches inleagues that use numerical scoring instead of simplegame/frame win vs. loss ratios.
A term used to indicate balls that arefrozen to each other, or close enough, such that no matter from which angle they are hit, the combination will send the outer ball in the same predictable direction."Are the 2 and 7 pointing at the corner? Okay, I'll use that duck to get position way over there."
A tight,Spandex glove covering usually most or all of the thumb, index finger and middle finger, worn on thebridge hand as a more convenient and less messy alternative to usinghand talc, and for the same purpose: a smooth-glidingstroke.
The placement of the balls, especially the cue ball, relative to the next planned shot.Also known asshape.[23]See alsoposition play,leave.
position play
Skilled playing in which knowledge of ball speed, angles, post-impact trajectory, and other factors are used to gainposition (i.e. a goodleave) after the target ball is struck. The goals of position play are generally to ensure that the next shot is easy or at least makeable, and/or to play asafety in the advent of a miss (intentional or otherwise).
1. (verb, chiefly British) To sink a ball into apocket.[23]See alsopocket (verb).
2. (noun, chiefly British) An instance of potting a ball ("it was a good pot considering the angle and distance of the shot").
3. (noun) Pooled money being played for, inmoney games or tournaments, as in poker and other gambling activities. This very old term derives from players placing theirstakes into a pot or other receptacle before play begins.
pot and tuck
A tactic employed inUK eight-ball pool in which a playercalls andpots one of the balls in a favorably lying set, then plays safe, leaving as many of their well-placed balls on the table as possible, until the opponents commits afoul or leaves a chance that the player feels warrants an attempt atrunning out.
pot success
A statistical value given to how often a player is completingpots in a match, usually expressed as a percentage.[118]
potter
A British term for someone with little experience or understanding of the game, who may be skilled atpotting individual balls but does not consider tactics such asposition orsafety; "he's a potter, not a player."Compare U.S.banger.
potting angle
The desired angle that must be created between the path of thecue ball and the path of theobject ball upon contact topot the object ball. It is usually measured to the center of thepocket.See alsoaiming line.
A deliberatefoul that leaves the balls in asafe position, reducing the risk of giving aframe-winning chance to the opponent. Themiss rule insnooker was implemented primarily to discourage the professional fouls.
professional side of the pocket
Alsopro side of the pocket; sometimes "of the pocket" is left off the phrase.
Thelong-rail side of acorner pocket. To "aim for the profession side of the pocket" is to slightlyovercut a difficult corner-pocketcut shot, tocheat the pocket, rather thanundercutting, especially innine-ball. Erring too much in this direction is "missing on the professional side of the pocket." It is so called because experienced players understand that on a thin cut, overcutting the object ball to a corner pocket will far more often leave the object ball in an unfavorable position, i.e. along theshort rail for the incoming opponent than will an undercut, which often leaves the object ball sitting in front of or nearby the pocket it had been intended for on a miss.[119][120][121]
By contrast, ineight-ball, except when both players are shooting at the8 ball, the incoming player after a miss is shooting for different object balls, so this maxim does not apply, and the opposite may be good strategy as, if the object ball stays near the pocket through an undercut, it is advantageously positioned for a subsequent turn and may block the opponent's use of the pocket.[16]
"Push out" redirects here and is not to be confused withPushout.
As an adjective or compound noun:push-out.A rule in many games (most notablynine-ball, after and only after the break shot), allowing a player to "push out" the cue ball to a new position without having to contact any ball, much less pocket one or drive it to acushion, but not counting any pocketed ball as valid (other foul rules apply, such asdouble hits,scratching the cue ball, etc.), 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. In nine-ball particularly, and derived games such asseven-ball andten-ball, pocketing themoney ball on a push-out results in that ball beingrespotted (which can be used to strategic advantage in certain circumstances, such as when the break leaves no shot on theball-on, and failure to hit it would give the incoming player an instant-wincombination shot on the money ball).[clarification needed]
push shot
Anyfoul shot in which a player'scue tip stays in contact with thecue ball for more than the momentary time commensurate with astroked shot.[122][23] In the game ofsnooker, it is considered a push if thecue strikes the cue ball more than once in a given shot (adouble hit) or if the cue stick, cue ball, andball-on are all in contact together during a shot (if the cue ball andobject ball beganfrozen together, the player must shoot away from that object ball without moving it and thetouching ball rule applies).
put up money
1. For a player to place money for a wager in an openly visible spot (typically on the hanging light above thetable, thus the origin of the phrase); this demonstrates that the money is actually present and obviates any need to demand its production from the loser's pocket. "You want to play for 500? Put it up!"
2. To stake a particular amount of money on a gambling player. "I'll put up another 2000, but you'd better win this time."
3. On a coin-operatedbar table, to place one or more coins on therail, or on thebed of the table under thecushion, as a marker of one's place in line (UK: on queue) to play. "You didn't put yourquarters up." And alternative is to put one's name on a list, e.g. on a chalkboard.
2. Alsopyramids. The game ofRussian pyramid or any related game.
pyramid spot
1. Inpool,same asfoot spot: Thespot on which thepyramid isracked, with theapex ball on this spot. Chiefly British today, but also an American usage ca. World War I.[123]
A predetermined, fixed number ofgames or points a player must achieve to win amatch or game; "a race to seven" means whoever wins seven games first wins thematch.[124][23][86]See alsoahead race for a more specialized usage.
rack (noun)
1. A geometric form, usually aluminum, wooden or plastic, used to assist in setting up balls in games likeeight-ball,nine-ball, andsnooker. The rack allows for more consistently tight grouping of balls, which is necessary for a successfulbreak shot. In most games a triangle-shaped rack capable of holding fifteen balls can be employed, even if the game calls for racking less than a full ball set, such as in the game of nine-ball.For further information, see theRack (billiards) main article.
2. Used to refer to a racked group of balls before they have been broken.
The act of setting up the balls for abreak shot. In tournament play this will be done by thereferee, but in lower-level play, players either rack for themselves or for each other depending on convention.
rack and run
Chiefly American: In pool games, when a player racks the object balls, and thebreaking opponent does not pocket a ball on the break, and the person whoracked the game commences to run out all of the remaining object balls without the breaker getting another visit at the table. This is similar to abreak and run, with the key difference being that the person executing the "rack and run" did not break the balls in that game.
racking template
An outgrowth of thetraining template concept, a racking template is aracking tool used in place of a traditional rigidball rack forpool orsnooker balls, consisting of a very thin, e.g. 0.14 mm (0.0055 in),[125] sheet of material such as paper[126] or plastic[125] with holes into whichobject balls settle snugly against one another to form a tight rack (pack). The template is placed, stencil-like, in racking position, with the lead ball's hole directly over the center of thefoot spot. The balls are then placed onto the template and arranged to settle into their holes, forming a tight rack. Unlike with a training template, the balls are not tapped to create divots, and instead the template is left in place until after the break shot at which time it can be removed (unless balls are still sitting on top of it). Manufacturers such as Magic Ball Rack insist that racking templates are designed "to affect the balls to a minimum".[125] Although Magic Ball Rack implies development work since 2006,[125] other evidence suggests invention, by Magic Ball Rack's founder, in mid-2009, with product announcement taking place in September of that year.[126]See alsopocket template.
rail
Also (uncommonly)cushion rail.[25]The sides of a table's frame upon which the elasticcushions are mounted and in which thediamonds (sights) are inlaid (on tables that possess them). The term is often used interchangeably withcushion.[23]
To pocket a ball by luck; "he ratted in the 9 ball"; usually employed disapprovingly.See alsoslop.
rearrange the furniture
to disturb balls that favor your opponent sufficiently as such that the new rearrangement or layout of balls might end up favoring you or when your shot goes wild and rearranges the balls into an unpredicted pattern, necessitating both players having to replan their strategy.
1. Insnooker, any of the 15 balls worth one point each that can be potted in any order. During the course of abreak a player must firstpot a red followed by acolour, and then a red and colour, etc., until the reds run out and then there-spotted six colours 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. Red balls are never numbered "1" on their surface, even in (primarily American) sets in which thecolours are numbered with their values.
2. Inblackball, one of twogroups of sevenobject balls that must be potted before theblack. Reds are spotted before yellows, if balls from both group must be spotted at the same time.Comparestripes; contrastyellow ball.[12]
Insnooker, to make a series ofshots to regainposition from being out of position.
referee
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 includeracking 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. Formerly sometimes referred to as theumpire.
re-rack
Alsorerack.
1. Insnooker, the abandonment of aframe 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 ofcontaining safeties, where there is no foreseeable change to the pattern of shots being played, so the frame could go on indefinitely.
2. Same asspot (verb), sense 1 (pool) and sense 2 (snooker).
re-spotted black
Insnooker, a situation where the scores are tied after all the balls have beenpotted, and theblack ball isre-spotted and the first player to pot it wins. The players toss for the first shot, which must be taken with thecue ball inthe D. Asafety battle typically ensues, until an error allows a player to pot the black, or afluke or a difficult pot is made.
rest
Three types of rest: swan, spider, and cross rakeA chiefly British term for a set ofmechanical bridges. British-style rests differ from most American-stylerake bridges in shape, and take several forms: thecross, thespider and theswan (orgoose neck), as well as the rarer and often unsanctionedhook. When used unqualified, the word usually refers to the cross. Rests are used insnooker,English billiards, andblackball.[12]
reverse english
Side spin on thecue ball that causes it to unnaturally roll off acushion (contacted at an angle)against rather thanwith the ball's momentum and direction of travel. If angling into a cushion that is on the right, then reverseenglish would be right english, and vice versa. The angle of deflection will be steeper (narrower) than if no english were applied. The opposite ofrunning english, which has effects other than simply the opposites of those of reverse english.
1. A style of game play in which as many players are allowed to join as the participants choose, and anyone can quit at any time.[127] The term, most often used in the context of gambling, isborrowed from poker. The folk gamesthree-ball andkiller are usually played as open ring games, as isKelly pool.
2. By extension, a multi-player game that anyone may initially join, but which has a fixed roster of competitors once it begins, is sometimes also called a ring game.Cutthroat is, by its nature, such a game. A famous regular ring game event of this sort is the six-player, US$3000-buy-in ringten-ball competition at the annualDerby City Classic.[128]
3. Anine-ball ring game is played by more than two players and has special rules. Typically, the players choose a random method for setting the order of play, with the winner breaking. Safeties are not allowed and there are two or moremoney balls – usually the five and nine.[citation needed]
road map
A pool table spread in which the balls are extremely easily positioned for a run out, and where little movement of the cue ball on each shot is necessary to obtain position on the next.[129]
road player
A highly skilledhustler making money gambling while traveling.[8] Fast Eddie Felson inThe Hustler was a road player. One of the most notorious real-life road players isKeith McCready.
1. (Transitive, "to rob") Playing an opponent for money who has a very low chance of winning based on disparity of skill levels.
2. (Intransitive, "to be robbed") Usually unwittingly playing an opponent for money who has a very high chance of winning based on disparity of skill levels.
3. (Intransitive, "to be robbed") Used humorously in exclamations when a shot that looks like it would work did not, as in "Oh! You got robbed on that one!"
rock
Colloquial term for an unusually hard, heavycue ball made ofceramic instead of thephenolic resin or other modern, resilient plastics mostbilliard balls are made of. "Rock" cue balls are frequently found on older coin-operatedbar tables that do not have magneticball-return mechanisms. As with oversized "grapefruit" cue balls, the ball return works because the cue ball is considerably heavier than, and thereby distinguishable from, theobject balls. Because of their brittle material, rocks wear out faster that normal cue balls, are prone to chippings, and due to their density also shorten the lifespan of the object balls and the cloth. Their weight has a strong effect on play, as they are difficult todraw (screw),stop andstun, and generate a large amount ofsmash-through, compared to standard andmagnetic cue balls, but do not reducecut shot accuracy like grapefruit balls.
1. Describes lucky or unlucky "rolls" of the cue ball; "I had good rolls all night; "that was a bad roll."[130] However, when said without an adjective ascribing good or bad characteristics to it, "roll" usually refers to a positive outcome such as in "he sure got a roll".[8]
A gentle tap of thecue ball with the intention of getting it as tight as possible behind anobject ball, in the hope of asnooker. It is most common in the game ofsnooker, and is often results in afoul in many pool games, where after the cue ball has contacted a legal object ball either any ball must contact acushion or any object ball must bepocketed. A roll-up can be legal in such games when the object ball used for the tactic is very close to a cushion, so that either it or the cue ball lightly touch the cushion after ball-on-ball contact.
roquet
A term incroquet and other forms ofground billiards for acarom, sense 3: hitting anobject ball withone's own ball; originally spelled the French way,roquêt, into the late 19th century. In croquet, unlike similar games, this triggers a special situation, thecroquet stroke: the shooter may takeball in hand, placing their own ball against the opponent's ball that was struck, so that the balls arefrozen, then step on the player's own ball to keep it place or slow its movement, and strike it, sending most or all of the energy of the hit into the opponent ball, driving it far away, while leaving the player's own ball in place or rolling slowly to a desired location.[131]
rotation
1. Descriptive of any game in which theobject balls must be struck in numerical order. Billiard researcher Mike Shamos observes that it would be more intuitive to call such games "'series' or 'sequence'". The term actually derives from the set-up of the gameChicago, in which the balls are not racked, but placed numerically around the table along thecushions (and must be shot in ascending order).[132] Other common rotation games include15-ball rotation,nine-ball, andten-ball
1. A multi-game division of amatch, as used in some league and tournament formats. For example, in a match between two teams of five players each, a 25-game match might be divided into five rounds of five games each, in which the roster of one team moves one line down at the beginning of each round, such that by the end of the match every player on team A has played every player on team B inround robin fashion.
2. A level of competition elimination in a tournament, such as the quarter-final round, semi-final round and final round.
round robin
A tournament format in which each contestant plays each of the other contestants at least once.[23] In typicalleague team play, round robin format means that each member of the home team plays each member of the visiting team once. This format is used byBCAPL,VNEA and many other leagues.Contrastone-on-one.
round the angles
Describing a shot that requires one or more balls to be played off severalcushions, such as an elaborateescape or apositional shot; "he'll have to send the cue ball round the angles to get good position."
rubber match
The deciding match between two tied opponents.Comparehill-hill.
ruckus
A British term (especially insnooker) for thesplitting of a group of balls when another ball is sent into them, typically with the intent of deliberately moving them with thecue ball todevelop them.
run
The number of ballspocketed in aninning inpool (e.g., a run of five balls), or points scored in a row incarom billiards (e.g., a run of five points).[133][23]Compare Britishbreak (sense 2), which is applied to pool as well assnooker in British English.
run out
1. (verb) Make all of the required shots in a game without the opponent ever getting to the table or getting back to the table
2. (noun)usuallyrun-out, sometimesrunout) An instance of running out in a game.
run the table
Similar torun out (sense 1), but more specific to making all required shots from the start of a rack.See alsobreak and run,break and dish.
running a coup
In English billiards, running a coup is when a player, fromball in hand, directly pockets the cue-ball when no ball(s) are out ofbaulk. If the ball first makes contact with the flat of a cushion and then (indirectly) enters a pocket, this is not regarded as running a coup.[134]
running english
Alsorunning side spin,running spin.Side spin ("english") on thecue ball that causes it to roll off acushion (contacted at an angle)with rather thanagainst the ball's natural momentum and direction of travel.[8] If angling into a cusion that is on the right, then runningenglish 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 cushion, the angle will be more consistent. For this reason, running english is routinely used. Also calledrunningside in British terminology.Contrastreverse english.
1. Describing a ball that is in a position that makes it very difficult topot.
2. Describing a situation a player has been left in by the opponent, intentionally or otherwise, that makes it difficult to pot anyballs-on.See alsosnooker.
safety
1. An intentional defensive shot, the most common goal of which is to leave the opponent either no plausible shot at all, or at least a difficult one.
2. A shot that is called aloud as part of a game's rules; once invoked, a safety usually allows the player to pocket their own object ball without having to shoot again, for strategic purposes. A well-played safety may result in asnooker.
safety break
Abreak shot in which the object is to leave the incoming player with no shot or a very difficult shot, such as is normally employed in the opening break ofstraight pool.[1]Cf.open break.
sandbag
To disguise the level of one's ability to play in various ways such as using alemonade stroke; intentionally missing shots; making an uneven game appear "close"; purposefully losing early, inconsequential games. Sandbagging is a form ofhustling, and inhandicapped leagues, considered a form of cheating, as it is used to obtain a low handicap so that a skilled player can later use this rating to improper advantage in more important competitions. The term "sandbag" is often applied to other rated tournaments, includingchess andScrabble; the technique was used in the2012 Olympics by badminton players, resulting in several disqualifications.[135]See alsodump andon the lemonade.
A form ofdoubles (pairs) play in which the two team members take turns, playing alternating shots during aninning (i.e., each team's inning consists of two players' alternatingvisits, each of one shot only, until that team's inning ends, and the next team begins their alternating-shot turn, or theframe ends.) Effective scotch doubles play requires close rapport between team partners, especially as to advantageous cue ball position for the incoming player; whether the pair may directly communicate with each other during their inning varies by rule set. Like "english", "scotch" is usually not capitalized in this context. The term is also used inbowling, and may have originated there.
score
1. Verb: To earn one or morepoints with one or more shots in aninning, e.g. "scored 2 that round".
2. Noun: The tally of a player's points, earned by shots and (in some games) awarded by opponentfouls, e.g. "had a score of 12 that game".
3. Noun: The compared total of both (or in games with three or more participants, all) player's/team's points, e.g. "won by a score of 12 to 6".
scoreboard
2017 Paul Hunter Women's Classic Finalists Reanne Evans and Ng On-yee pose in front of the scoreboard.
Alsoscore-board,score board.
A usually wall-mounted device for keepingscore between two or more players inpoint-based games or inraces. The most common type, mostly used forsnooker andstraight pool, consists of two or more pointers sliding on board-mounted rails to indicate 1s and 10s marked on the board. Somecarom billiards clubs provide digital scoreboards for each table. Other scoring methods include wall-mountedscoring racks, in-railscoring wheels, and over-tablescoring strings.
scorekeeper
Alsoscore-keeper,score keeper. Person who keeps score for others while they play. A designated scorekeeper is common in league play (often the team captain, or a player who is simply not playing at that moment) and in professional tournaments. A scorekeeper may also be used in high-stakesmoney games, as depicted in the filmThe Hustler.
Alsoscore rack.A wall-mounted, usually wooden rack with several numbered shelves to hold each player's pocketed balls, used for keepingscore between players of games in which points are awarded by the numerical values on the balls. Scoring racks remain common in places whererotation and related games are popular, e.g. Mexico, but are rare where these games have mostly died out. Also known as acounter rack. Sometimes ambiguously called awall rack orball rack.
scoring string
Alsoscore string or (ambiguously)string.Same aswire, sense 1.
scoring wheels
Alsoscore wheels.Rotating wheels numbered 0–9 mounted into arail of theBilliard table, and used for keepingscore between two or more players inpoint-based games or inraces. They are typically a pair of wheels, representing 10s and 1s, for at least two players. Such wheels are sometimes also used to create wall-mountedscoreboards.
scratch
Pocketing of thecue ball, inpool games. In most games, a scratch is a type offoul.[23] "Scratch" is sometimes used less precisely to refer to all types of fouls.See alsoin-off and, more generally,foul.
An abrasivetip tool used as a grinder to roughen thecue tip to better holdchalk after it has become hardened and smooth from repeated impacts with thecue ball.Tappers serve the same purpose, but are used differently. Similar to ashaper, but shallower and less rough.
see
To be able to clearly see a path to a pocket or object ball without any other obstacle interfering, usually as a straight shot: "The 3 ball is hanging in the pocket, but I can't see it because the 9 ball is in my way."
seeding
The placement of player(s) automatically in a tournament where some have to qualify, or automatic placement in later rounds.[23]
sell out
To bungle a shot in a manner that leaves the table in a fortuitous position for the opponent.[120]Contrastsell the farm.
sell the farm
To bungle a shot in a manner that leaves the table in such a fortuitous position for the opponent that there is a strong likelihood of losing the game or match.[8]Contrastsell out.
Alsosemi-massé shot. A moderate curve imparted to the path of thecue ball by an elevated hit with use ofenglish (side); or a shot using this technique. Also known as acurve (US) orswerve (UK) shot.Comparemassé.
session
1. Principally US: One or moresets, usually in the context of gambling.See alsoahead race (a.k.a. ahead session) for a more specialized usage.
2. Principally British: Any of a group of pre-determinedframes played in amatch too long to be completed within a single day's play. A best-of-19-frame match, for example, is generally played with two "sessions", the first composed of nine frames, the second of ten. This term is generally used only in the context of professionalsnooker, as matches at the amateur level are rarely played over more than nine frames. Longer matches can be split into three or four sessions.
session to spare
Principally British: Insnooker, if a player wins amatch without the need for the final session to be played, then they are said to have won the match "with a session to spare". For example, if a player wins a best-of-25-frames match split into threesessions (two sessions of eight frames and one of nine) by a margin of say, 13 frames to 3, the match will be completed after the first two sessions, with no need to play the third.
set
A predetermined number of games, usually played for a specified sum of money.Contrastrace (a predetermined number of wins). Informally,sets may refer to gambling more generally, as in "I've been playing sets all day", even when the format is actually races or single games.
set up
Usuallyset-up in non-verb form, sometimessetup in noun form particularly.
1. (Of a player or referee) to place the balls (and other items, if applicable, such asskittles) properly for the beginning of a game: "In eight-ball, properly setting up requires that the rear corners of the rack not have two stripes or two solids but one of each." For most games this is in aracked pattern, but the term is applicable more broadly than "rack", e.g. incarom billiards and in games likebottle pool.Contrastlayout.
2. (Of the game equipment) arranged properly for the beginning of a game: "set up and waiting for the break", "an improper set-up"
3. (Of a player, passively and specifically) to have goodshape – to be in a favorable position for making a shot or other desired play ("is set-up on the 9", "could be set-up for the corner-pocket after this shot")
4. (Of a player, passively, generally, and chiefly US) to be in a favorable position for, and with alayout conductive to, a longrun (UK:break) or completerun-out: "a crucial miss that left their opponent really set-up";compare (chiefly British) "in the balls"
5. (Of a player, actively) to useposition play to move one or more specific balls to specific locations with a specific goal in mind, usuallypocketing (potting) a specific ball or getting an easyout, but possibly asafety,nurse ortrap shot; in short, to getshape: "She set up on the 9-ball with a careful draw shot." The meaning can be inverted to indicate poor play on the part of the other player: "Oops, I just set you up for an easy win when I missed like that."
6. (Of a tablelayout) comparatively easy to completelyrun out, e.g. because of a lack ofclusters orblocking balls: "looks like a nice set-up for a quick out", "this table's totally set up for you"
7. (Ofcue ball position more specifically): having goodshape – comparatively easy to use to some advantage, such as continuing arun (UK:break) or playingsafe: "The cue ball's set up for an easy side pocket shot."
8. (Of a shot or strategy) the result ofposition play (careful or reckless): "Playing the 6 off the 8 was a great set-up to win", "That follow shot was a terrible set-up for the 6-ball."
9. (Of ahustler) to successfully convince afish that one is not a very skilled player and that gambling on a game will be a good idea: "That guy totally set me up and took me for $200." Such a hustle is asetup orset-up.
seven-ball
1. Main article:Seven-ball. A variation ofnine-ball but played with only seven balls, and the7 ball as thegame ball or "money ball". An additional difference from nine-ball-style rules is that the 7 must be pocketed in a specific side of the table (each player being assigned one at the beginning of the game). Some custom 7 balls are manufactured for this game, using a black- or white-striped maroon ball instead of a solid maroon one. The game had notable professional play on ESPN's televised tournament seriesSudden Death Seven-ball, 2000–2005.
Apocket; usually used in disgust when describing ascratch (e.g., "the cue ball's gone down the sewer").
shaft
The upper portion of acue which slides on a player'sbridge hand and upon which thetip of the cue is mounted at its terminus.[23] It also applies to the main, unsegmented body of amechanical bridge.
A highly abrasivetip tool used to shape an unreasonably flat newcue tip, or a misshapen old one, into a more usable, consistently curved profile, most commonly the curvature of a nickel or dime (or equivalently sized non-US/Canadian coin) for larger and smaller pool tips, respectively. Similar to ascuffer, but deeper and rougher.
1. Verb: To perform some act or make some utterance with the intent to distract, irritate or intimidate the opponent so that they do not perform well, miss a shot, etc.[8] Most league and tournament rules forbid blatant sharking, as a form of unsportsmanlike conduct, but it is very common inbar pool.
3. Noun: A very good player. This usage is common among non-players who often intend it as a compliment and are not aware of its derogatory senses (above).[8]
sharp
Chiefly British:Same asshark (senses 1, 2). The term appears in lyrics fromThe Mikado (1884) in relation to billiards, and developed fromsharper (in use by at least 1681, but now obsolete) meaning "hustler" but not specific to billiards.[136]See alsocard sharp for more etymological details and sources.
short rack
Any pool game that uses a rack composed of less than 15 balls.[23]
Alsoshort stop,short-stop.A second-tier professional who is not (yet) ready for World Championship competition.[2][137] It can also be applied by extension to a player who is one of the best in a region but not quite good enough to consistently beat seriousroad players and tournament pros. The term wasborrowed from baseball.
shot
Verb form:to shoot.The use of thecue to perform or attempt to perform a particular motion of balls on the table, such as topocket (pot) anobject ball, to achieve a successfulcarom (cannon), or to play asafety.
shot for nothing
Alsoshot to nothing. A predominantly British term for a shot in which a player attempts a difficultpot but withsafety 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. The meaning refers to lack of risk, i.e. at no cost to the player ("for nothing" or coming "to nothing").Comparetwo-way shot.
Chiefly British:Short forside spin. In Canadian usage, the term is sometimes used as a verb, "to side".
side pocket
One of the twopockets one either side of a pool table halfway up thelong rails. They are cut shallower thancorner pockets because they have a 180-degree aperture, instead of 90 degrees. In the UK the termcentre pocket or middle pocket are preferred.
side rail
Either of the two longerrails of a billiards table, bisected by acenter pocket and bounded at both ends by acorner pocket. Also called a long rail.
side spin
Alsosidespin,side-spin,side.Spin placed on thecue ball when hit with thecuetip to the left or right of the ball's center; usually calledenglish in American usage.Seeenglish, in its narrower definition, for details on the effects of side spin. See illustration atspin.
Alsosingle elimination. A tournament format in which a player is out of the tournament after a singlematch loss.[23]Contrastdouble-elimination.
single table format
Alsosingle table set-up.In the final stages of a tournament, primarilysnooker events, where other tables are removed, to use one single table for the final, or later rounds of the tournament.Some events, such as theSnooker Shoot Out, are played throughout using a single table format.
Any shot that intentionally accounts for the elasticity of the cushions to allow a ball to bank past an otherwise blocking ball. The moving ball willsink in to the cushion very near the blocking ball giving it sufficient space to get past it orkiss off the back side of it.
sitter
Chiefly British:Same asduck, and stemming from the same obvious etymology.
British:Same ascling, andkick, sense 2. Noun, verb and rare adjective usage as per "cling".
skittle
An upright object resembling a miniaturebowling pin,cone orobelisk. Skittles, as employed in billiards games, have been so-called since at least 1634.[1] One standardized size, for the gamefive-pins, is 25 mm (1 in.) tall, with 7 mm (0.28 in.) round bases,[138] though larger variants have long existed for other games such asDanish pin billiards. Depending upon the game there may be one skittle, or several, and they may be targets to hit (often via acarom) or obstacles to avoid, usually the former. They are also sometimes calledpins, though that term can be ambiguous. Because of the increasing international popularity of the game five-pins, which originated in Italy, they are sometimes also known by their Italian name,birillo (pluralbirilli), even in English. Skittles are also used as obstacles in someartistic billiards shots. Flat, thin rectangular skittles, like large plasticdominoes, approximately 6 in. tall by 3 in. wide, and placed upright likeobelisks on the table in specific spots, are used as targets orhazards (mostly the latter) in the now-rare and principallyAustralian games devil's pool (ten white and two black pins)[139] and victory billiards (one black pin, also featured in several scenes of the 1992sci-fi/pool filmHard Knuckle).[140] Skittles as used in billiards games date toground billiards (13th century or earlier) played with amace, and hand-thrown games ofbowls from at least the same era using the same equipment. Ball games using a recognizable form of skittle are known from as early as ca. 3300BCE inAncient Egypt.[141]
skunk
During aset if the opponent does not win a single game, they are said to have been skunked.
slate
The heavy, finely milled rock (slate) that forms thebed of the table, beneath thecloth. Major slate suppliers for the billiards industry are Italy, Brazil and China. Some cheaper tables, and novelty tables designed for outdoor use, do not use genuine slate beds, but artificial materials such as plastic-coatedparticleboard (some brands include Slatron and Permaslate), ormedium-density fiberboard.[142][143]
A stroking technique in which a player releases their gripping hand briefly and re-grasps the cue farther back on thebutt just before hitting the cue ball.[144]Cowboy Jimmy Moore was a well-known practitioner of the slip stroke.
2. Alsosloppy. Descriptive of any game where the rules have been varied to allow luck shots not normally allowed or where nofoul rules apply.
slop pockets
Pocket openings that are significantly wider than are typical and thus allow shots hit with a poor degree of accuracy to be made that would not be pocketed on a table with more exacting pocket dimensions.[121]
slow
1. Describes abilliard table with loosely woven, dirty, too-new or worn-outcloth (baize), upon which the balls move slower and shorter distances.[51]Seetable speed for more information.
2. Producing dull, sluggish action; said ofcushions or of the balls, in addition to the above, cloth-related definition.[71]
3. Unusually rejecting of balls; said ofpockets;seepocket speed (sense 1) for more information."Fast" is the direct opposite of "slow" in all of these usages.
A variant ofhit and hope, but played with unnecessary force, in hopes that the undesirable ball layout on the table is sufficiently re-arranged by careening balls that something good will result for the shooter (even if it is simply a badleave for the incoming player).
smash-through
The effect of shooting regulation-weightobject balls with an old-fashioned over-weightbar tablecue ball, such that the cue ball moves forward to occupy (sometimes only temporarily), or go beyond, the original position of the object ball, even on a draw or stop shot, because the mass of the cue ball exceeds that of the object ball. Players who understand smash-through well can use it intentionally for position play, such as to nudge other object balls nearby the target ball. Smash-through also makes it dangerous inbar pool (when equipped with such a cue ball) to pocket straight-onducks with astop shot instead of bycheating the pocket because of the likelihood ofscratching the cue ball.[16]
A two-piececue constructed to resemble ahouse cue, with a near-invisible wood-to-woodjoint.[145] The subterfuge often enables ahustler to temporarily fool unsuspectingfish into thinking that they are an unskilledbanger with no regard for finesse or equipment quality. Manyleague players also use cheap but solid sneaky petes as theirbreak cues.
2. (verb) To leave the opponent (accidentally or by means of asafety) so that a certain shot on a preferredobject ball cannot be played directly in a straight line by normal cueing. It most commonly means that the object ball cannot be hit easily, because it is hidden by another ball or, more rarely, theknuckle of apocket (seecorner-hooked). It can also refer to thepotting angle or another significantpoint 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 issnookered.[20] Also known as "to hook", for which the corresponding adjective "hooked" is also common.See alsofree ball.
3. (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 akick shot will be implemented butsemi-massés are often preferred, and in games where it is not afoul,jump shots may be employed that often yield good results for skilled players. "Snooker" is used loosely (when used at all; "hook" is favored) in the US, but has very specific definitions and subtypes (such as thetotal snooker) inblackball.[12]See alsosafe.
A stage in aframe ofsnooker where the points difference between the players exceeds the maximum number of points remaining on the table. The trailing player may eitherconcede the frame at this stage or attempt to overcome the points deficit by securing penalty points fromfouls, typically by placing the leading player insnookers. The number of snookers required is usually calculated as the number of four-point penalties that—in addition to the maximum points remaining on the table—would enable the trailing player to win the frame outright or tie the scores and force are-spotted black. E.g., a player who trails by 42 points with 35 points remaining is said to"require two snookers" because two four-point fouls, in addition to the remaining 35 points, would enable that player to win the frame by one point. If theblue orpink is the lowest-valued ball remaining on the table, the number of snookers required is calculated in terms of five- or six-point penalties respectively. Afree ball can also help a trailing player overcome a points deficit. When a player can at best tie with the points remaining on the table, thereferee will no longer apply themiss rule should either player fail to escape from a snooker. The miss rule still applies at the snookers required stage if a player misses a ball while not snookered.
soft break
Abreak shot in which therack (pack) is disturbed as little as possible within the bounds of alegal shot, in order to force the opponent to have to break it up further. A soft break is desirable in some games, such asstraight pool, in which breaking is a disadvantage; and forbidden by theopen break rules of other games such asnine-ball andeight-ball.
solids
Alsosolid,solid ones,solid balls.The non-striped ballsuit (group) of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 1 through 7 and have a solid colour scheme (i.e., not including the 8 ball). As in, "I'm solid", or "you've got the solids".Comparelows,smalls,littles,reds,spots,dots,unders; contraststripes.
special average
Abbreviation:SA. In carom billiards, the number that indicates the relation between the points and innings (points ÷ innings = SA) a player has made in a single match. E. g. 40 points in 10 innings is a SA of 4.000. Higher numbers indicate better players.See alsogeneral average.
speed
1. A player's skill level (subjectively) or numericalhandicap (objectively).[8][107]
Throw (object-balldeflection away from thetangent line path of theobject ball), induced by ball-against-ball friction being increased by a slow-speed shot prolonging the short length of time the two balls are in contact. A faster, harder shot can be used to avoid this effect, as it reduces the contact time and also reduces the object-ball friction on thecloth so thatside spin it has picked up from the impact has less wheel-like, path-curving effect. Speed-induced throw can also be countered to some extent withtop spin (follow) orbottom spin (draw), which help resist the object ball's inclination to pick up side-spin that will alter its path (cut-induced throw).[57][58]Seethrow for more details.
spider
Using a "spider" rest to raise the cue stick over an obstructing blue ballAlsospider rest. A type ofrest, similar to a common American-stylerakebridge but with longer legs supporting the head so that thecue is higher and can reach over and around an obstructing ball to reach thecue ball.[20]See alsoswan.
spin
Basiccue tipcontact points on thecue ball to impart various forms ofspin; top spin is also known asfollow, side spin asenglish, and bottom spin asback spin,draw, orscrew.Rotational motion applied to a ball, especially to thecue ball by thetip of thecue, although if the cue ball is itself rotating it will impart (opposite) spin (in a lesser amount) to a contactedobject ball. Types of spin includetop spin,bottom orback spin (also known asdraw orscrew), and left and rightside spin, all with widely differing and vital effects. Collectively, they are often referred to in American English as "english", though the term is often reserved forside spin only. The popular introduction of controlled spin in billiards is credited toFrançois Mingaud.See alsomassé.
spin-induced throw
Alsoenglish-induced throw:Throw (object-balldeflection away from thetangent line path of theobject ball), induced by ball-against-ball friction being increased byside spin (english)cue ball that is in the same direction as the natural throw angle of the object ball, which also induced a small amount of rolling curve to the path of that object ball.[57][58] (Technically, an intermediary spinning object ball can also induce some throw on the final object ball, though an intentionally spun cue ball can have more much side spin and thus a more noticeable effect.) Application of precise opposite spin (gearing outside english) can counter this effect along with that ofcut-induced throw.Seethrow for more details.
split
1. Alsosplit shot andsplit hit. In pool, a type of shot in which twoobject balls are initially contacted by thecue ball simultaneously or so close to simultaneously as for the difference to be indistinguishable to the eye.[23] In most sets of rules it is afoul if the split is one in which one of the object balls is a (or the only) legal target (ball-on) and the other is not; however, such a split is commonly considered a legal shot in informalbar pool in many areas if it iscalled as a split and does appear to strike the balls simultaneously.
3. Insnooker, a shot sending thecue ball into thepack ofred balls and separating them (afterpotting theball-on). At least one split is usually necessary in eachframe, since the original triangle of reds does not allow any balls to be potted reliably.
spot (noun)
1. spot, a: In pool games such asnine-ball, a specifichandicap given (e.g., "what spot will you give me?").
2. spot, a: Insnooker, any of the six designated points on the table on which acolour ball is replaced after it has left the playing surface (usually after it has beenpotted).
6. spots:Alsospot balls,spotted balls,the spots.Chiefly British. In a numbered pool ball set, thegroup of seven balls, other thanthe black, that are a solid colour with the number on the ball inside a small white spot on the otherwise solid-coloured surface.Also referred to assolids; chiefly American colloquialisms arelows,littles andsmalls, while alternative British terms includedots andunders. Contraststripes.
1. In pool, return an illegally pocketed object ball to the table by placement on thefoot spot or as near to it as possible without moving other balls (in ways that may differ from ruleset to ruleset).[23]
2. Insnooker, to return acolour ball to its designated spot on the table. Also called re-spot.
3. Innine-ball, the giving of ahandicap 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. Ineight-ball,one-pocket andstraight pool, the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they have to make fewer balls than their opponent does.
5. In some variants of pool, to place the cue ball on thehead spot or as near to it as possible insidethe kitchen/baulk, after the opponent hasscratched.
The situation arising in many pool games where a ball is spotted to the table'sfoot spot or some other specific location and thecue ball must be shot from thekitchen orthe "D". There arediamond system aiming techniques for pocketing such shots withoutscratching the cue ball into apocket.[149]
spot stroke
Alsospot-stroke,spot hazard. A form ofnurse shot inEnglish billiards, in which thered ball – which must bespotted to a specific location after each time it ispotted, prior to the next shot being taken – is potted in such a way as to leave thecue ball inposition to repeat the same shot, permitting a skilled player to rack up manypoints in a singlebreak of these shots in onevisit.[149]
squeeze shot
Any shot in which the cue ball or an object ball has to squeeze by (just miss with almost no margin for error) another ball or balls in order to reach its intended target.[147][clarification needed]
squirt
Same as cue-balldeflection.[8]Squirt has also been applied metaphorically insports journalism and thegaming press to describe the escape of a ball or puck from player control.[150][151] However, it remains primarily a cue-sports technical term, and does not appear to be frequently used as jargon in football, hockey, or other sports.
stake
1. (noun) A player's wager in amoney game.Contrastpot, definition 3.
2. (verb) To provide part or all of a player's stake for agambling session in which one is not a player,[1] i.e. to be astakehorse for the player.Same asback.
stakehorse
One whostakes (monetarily backs) agambling player; a.k.a.backer.[1] "Stakehorse" can also be used as a verb.[15]
stall
1. To intentionally hide one's "speed" (skill); "he's on the stall."[152]
2. To intentionally play slowly so as to irritate one's opponent. This form ofsharking has been eliminated from many tournaments with a shot clock, and from many leagues with time-limit rules.
stance
A shooter's body position and posture during a shot.[153][23]See alsocue action.
stay shot
In the UK, a long-distance shot played topot a ball close to apocket with heavytop spin, so that when thecue ball hits thecushion 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.
steering
The lamentable practice of not following through with thecue straight, but veering off in the direction of the shot's travel or the sideenglish is applied, away from the proper aiming line; a common source of missed shots.
To play even; without ahandicap. Also called heads up.
strike rate
Insnooker, the average number of frames percentury for a given player.
string
1. A (usually unmarked) line running across the table between onediamond and its corresponding diamond on the oppositerail.See alsohead string,foot string,long string for examples.
2. Same asscoring string, a.k.a.wire sense 2. Can be used as a verb, as in "string that point for me, will you?"
Alsostring off.Obsolete:Same asstring, sense 4, andlag.[34]
stripes
Alsostriped ones,striped balls.The ballsuit (group) of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 9 through 15 and have a wide coloured bar around the middle.Comparebigs,highs,yellows,overs; contrastsolids.
stroke
1. The motion of the cue stick and the player's arm on a shot;[153]
2. The strength, fluidity and finesse of a player's shooting technique; "she has a good stroke."
3. SeeIn stroke: A combination of finesse, good judgement, accuracy and confidence.
stroke, catch a
To suddenly bein stroke after poor prior play; "she caught a stroke."
A shot played withstun, but not quite enough to completely stop thecue ball, allowing for a littlefollow. It is played so that afollow shot can be controlled more reliably, with a firmer strike than for a slow roll. It is widely considered[weasel words] as one of the most difficult shots in the game to master, but an excellent weapon in a player's armory once it has been.
stun shot
A shot where thecue ball has notop spin orback spin on it when it impacts an object ball, and "stuns" out along thetangent line. Commonly shortened to just "stun."
sucker shot
A shot that only a novice or fool would take. Usually because it is a guaranteedscratch or otherfoul, or because it has a low percentage of being pocketed and is likely to leave the opponent in good position.
suit
A (principally American) term ineight-ball for either of the set of seven balls (stripes orsolids) that must be cleared beforesinking the 8 ball. Borrowed fromcard games. Generally used in the generic, especially in rulesets or articles, rather than colloquially by players.See alsogroup for the British equivalent.
surgeon
A player skilled at very thincut shots, and shots in which a ball must pass cleanly through a very narrow space (such as thecue ball between two of the opponent'sobject balls with barely enough room) to avoid a foul and/or to pocket a ball.[155] Such shots may be referred to as "surgery", "surgical shots", "surgical cuts", etc. (chiefly US, colloquial).See alsofeather (US) orsnick (UK).
swan
Using a "swan" rest to raise the cue stick over obstructing ballsAlsoswan rest. A type ofrest, similar to aspider in that the head is raised by longer supporting legs, but instead of a selection of grooves on the top for thecue to rest in there is only one, on the end of an overhanging neck, so that a player can get to thecue ball more easily if the path is blocked by two or more obstructing balls. Also known as thegoose neck.[12]
sweaters
Those who arestakehorsing a match or have side bets on it and are "sweating theaction",[84] i.e. nervous about its outcome.
swerve
An unintentional and often barely perceptible curve imparted to the path of thecue ball from the use ofenglish without a levelcue. Not to be confused with aswerve shot.
A flaw in the table, such as lack of leveling, loosecloth at thefall of apocket, a divot in thebed, etc., that causes a ball, especially a slow-moving one, to not roll or settle as expected.
1. Failure to hit any legalobject ball at all with thecue ball. In most sets of rules, this is afoul like any other. However, in some variants ofbar pool a table scratch while shooting for the8 ball is a loss of game where other more minor fouls might not be, as isscratching on the 8 ball (neither result in a loss of game in professional and most amateur league rules).
2. By way of drift from the above definition, the term is also applied by many league players to the foul in more standardized rules of failing to drive a (any) ball to acushion, or topocket a legal object ball, after the cue ball's initial contact with an object ball.
3. Uncommonly, and by way of entirely different derivation ("scratch off the table"), it can also mean knocking the cue ball (or more loosely, any ball) completely off the table.
table speed
Subjective assessment of the rapidity with which balls move on thebilliard table'scloth (baize). Balls roll faster and farther on "fast" tables with tightly woven, broken-in, clean cloth as they experience less friction than with "slow" cloth that is dirty or is fuzzy because of a loose weave and cheap material or because it is wearing out. The terms may be used comparatively, as in "this is a really fast table", or "I don't like cloth this slow". Fast cloth can makedraw (screw) shots somewhat less effective, as there is less purchase for thecue ball'sback spin. On the other hand,slide andstop shots are easier on fast cloth because it is so comparatively smooth.[51] Sometimes calledcloth speed.
talc
Alsohand talc.Whitetalcum powder placed on a player'sbridge hand to reduce moisture so that acue'sshaft can slide more easily. Many establishments do not provide it as too many recreational players will use far more than is necessary and transfer it all over the table's surface, the floor, furniture, etc. Venues that do provide it usually do so in the form of compressed cones about 6 inches tall. Some serious players bring their own, in a bottle or a porous bag that can be patted on the bridge hand. Many players prefer apool glove. Talc is frequently mistakenly referred to as "hand chalk", despite not being made ofchalk.
tangent line
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 alsostun shot andghost ball.
tank
To purposefully lose games in order to gain a better draft selection or to be more competitive in the future. This is usually performed when a team is out of or unlikely to take part in a league's postseason.
taper
The profile of the shaft of the cue as it increases in diameter from the tip to the joint. A "fast" or "slow" taper refers to how quickly the diameter increases. A "pro" taper describes a shaft that tapers rapidly from the joint size to the tip size so as to provide a long, untapered stroking area.
tapper
Atip tool with fine, sharp points used to roughen thecue tip to better holdchalk after it has become hardened and smooth from repeated impacts with thecue ball. Tappers are firmly tapped on or pressed against the tip.Scuffers serve the same purpose, but are used differently.
1. Main article:Ten-ball An outgrowth ofnine-ball to make a more challenging game, it is arotation game played with tenobject balls and with the10 ball as thegame ball or "money ball". It is played by most of the same rules as nine-ball (especially that the lowest-numbered object ball remaining on the table must always be struck first by thecue ball), but differs (in theWPA standardized rules) in thatshots must be called.
1. Main article:Three-ball An amateur multi-player (and often gambling) game, played with threeobject balls,racked either in a triangle or a straight line toward theend rail from thefoot spot. The game is played by each player trying topocket all three balls (the same player remaining at the table until this is done) in as few shots as possible and without incurring anyfouls. Luck plays a more significant role in this game than usual, due to the possibility of pocketing two or even all three balls on thebreak shot.
The three-foul rule describes a situation in which a player is assessed a defined penalty after committing a third successive foul. The exact penalty, its prerequisites and whether it is in place at all, vary depending on the games. Innine-ball andstraight pool, a player must be the told they are on two fouls in order to transgress the rule, and if violated, results in a loss of game for in former, and a special point penalty of a loss of fifteen points (plus one for the foul itself) in the latter together with the ability to require the violator to rerack and rebreak. InWEPF eight-ball, it is a loss of game if a player commits a third foul while shooting atthe black. Insnooker, three successive fouls from a non-snookered position result in forfeiting theframe. Repeat fouls from a snookered position are quite common –Dave Harold holds the record in a competitive match, missing the same shot 14 successive times.
throw
The normal phenomenon, present to some degree on allcut shots, whereby the object ball is pushed in a direction slight off the pure "ghost ball" contact angle between the two balls. Throw is caused by the friction imparted from the first, moving ball sliding or rotating against the second, stationary ball.[23]Same as object-balldeflection. While throw is most easily observed between thecue ball and an object ball, it also happens between two or more object balls, which is one of the factors that makescombination shots challenging.The amount of this deflection of an object ball from its expected path is increased by several things, including by dirty or pitted balls that briefly grip each other more, by a thick cut-shot angle that provides for extended friction between the balls (cut-induced throw), by slow ball-contact speed (speed-induced throw) for the same reason, bystun shots for the same reason, and by the object ball being impacted by a ball that is rapidlyside-spinning (spin- orenglish-induced throw), which causes the object ball to roll in a curve more toward that throw direction. Throw is reduced by higher-speed impact, bydraw orfollow (bottom or top spin), and by side-spin counter to the direction of the natural throw. Skilled players thus often shoot cut shots with a small amount ofoutside english –gearing outside English – to neutralize the cut-induced throw that widens the shot away from thetangent line, though other techniques may be required instead or in combination with that, depending on the desired cue-ball position at the end of the shot.[57][58]
tickie
A shot in which thecue ball is driven first to one or morerails, then hits anobject ball andkisses back to the last rail contacted. It is a common shot in carom games, but can be applied to such an instance in any relevant cue sport. In pool, it is most often used as a form of short-distanceclearance shot.
tied up
Describing a ball that issafe because it is in close proximity to one or more other balls, and would need to bedeveloped before it becomespottable.
tight
1. Describing a situation where apot is made more difficult, either by apocket being partially blocked by another ball so that not all of it is available, or thecue ball path to theobject ball'spotting angle involves going past another ball very closely.
2. Describing pockets that are themselves narrower than average, making for a more challenging table.
3. Chiefly British: A resting ball that is in actual contact with acushion is said to be "tight" to that cushion. The chiefly American term "frozen" means the same thing, except that it can also apply to a ball in contact with one or more other balls rather than with a cushion.
time shot
Any shot in which the cue ball moves another ball to a different position and then rebounds off one or more rails to contact the object ball again (normally in an attempt topocket it or score abilliard).[23]
timing
The ease with which a player generatescue power, due to well-timed acceleration of thecue at the appropriate point in a shot.
1. Chiefly British: The half of thetable in which theobject balls areracked (in games that use racked balls). This usage is conceptually opposite that in North America, where this end of the table is called thefoot. Insnooker, this is where thereds are racked, nearest theblackspot; this is the area in which most of the game is usually played.Contrastbottom.
2. Chiefly American: Exactly the opposite of the British usage above – thehead end of the table. No longer in common usage.
This technique involves all three balls being grouped in close proximity at the top end of the table and scoring with a succession of short-range pots and cannons. A typical starting point is with the red placed on its spot, object white on or near the centreline somewhere between the spot and the top cushion, and the cueball posed nearby to pot the red or make a gentle cannon. If the pot, then it should be played so as to leave the cueball in a good position for the next shot. If the cannon, then the purpose is to disturb the object white as little as possible and finish clear to pot the red that has been left near the corner pocket. Then in potting the red the cueball must again be left in a good position for the next shot, and so on. This form of play makes it possible to compile really big breaks in relatively short time.
A term used insnooker for thepotting of all the balls that areracked at the beginning of theframe in a singlebreak (run). The minimum total clearance affords 72 points (barring multiplereds being potted on a singlestroke), in the pattern of red thenyellow repeatedly until all reds are potted, then all of thecolour balls. Themaximum break is 147 (barring a foul by the opponent immediately before the break began).
total snooker
Inblackball,[12] a situation where the player cannotsee any of the balls she/he wants to hit due to obstruction by other balls or theknuckle of apocket. The player mustcall "total snooker" to thereferee, which allows a dispensation to the player from having to hit acushion after contacting theobject ball, which is otherwise afoul.
touching ball
Touching ball with red ballInsnooker, the situation in which thecue ball is resting in contact with anobject ball. If the object 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 that ball moves, then apush shot must have occurred, in which case it is afoul. This rule is sometimes applied to Britishpool as well as snooker. In American-style pool, and incarom billiards, a less stringent definition of a push shot applies;seefrozen.
tournament card
Jargon for atournament chart, showing which players are playing against whom and what the results are. Often shortened tocard.
Training templateA thin sheet of rigid material in the size and shape of aphysical ball rack (e.g. adiamond fornine-ball), with holes drilled though it, which is used to make permanentdivots in thecloth of thetable, one at a time for eachball in theracking pattern, by placing the template on the table, and then a ball in one of the holes in the template by tapping it sharply from above to create the cloth indentation. The holes are spaced slightly closer than the regulation ball width of 21⁄2 inch (57.15 mm) apart, so that when the balls settle partially into their divots, the outer sides of these indentations create ball-on-ball pressure, pushing the balls together tightly. The purpose of the template is to do away with using a physical rack, with racking instead being performed simply by placing the balls into position, and the divots aligning them into the tightest possible formation automatically. This prevents accidental loose racks, and also thwarts the possibility of cheating by manipulating the ball positions while racking. TheEuropean Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF, Europe'sWPA affiliate organization) has adopted this racking technique for its professional Euro-Tour event series.[156]See alsoracking template,pocket template.
triangle
Racking up a game ofcribbage pool using thetrianglerack, with the 15 ball in the middle, no two corner balls adding up to 15, and the apex ball on thefoot spot1. Arack in the form of anequilateral triangle. There are different sizes of triangles forracking different games (which use different ball sizes and numbers of balls),[23] including the fifteen ball racks forsnooker and various pool games such aseight-ball andblackball. A larger triangle is used for the twenty-one ball rack forbaseball pocket billiards.[23] The smallest triangle rack is employed inthree-ball(see illustration at that article) but is not strictly necessary, as the front of a larger rack can be used, or the balls can be arranged by hand.
2. Theobject balls in triangular formation, before thebreak shot, after being racked as above(i.e., same asrack, definition 2). Principally British.(See alsopyramid.)
An exhibition shot designed to impress either by a player's skill or knowledge of how to set the balls up and take advantage of the angles of the table; usually a combination of both. A trick shot may involve items otherwise never seen during the course of a game, such as bottles, baskets, etc. being placed on or around the table.
triple
Alsotreble.A British term for a type ofbank shot in which theobject ball ispotted off twocushions, especially by sending it twice across the table and into aside pocket. Also called atwo-cushion double.
A rule inblackball[12] whereby after an opponent hasfaulted and thus yieldedtwo shots, if the incoming shooterpots a ball on the first shot, (s)he is still allowed to miss in a later shot and take a second shotin-hand (fromthe "D" or frombaulk, or if the opponent potted the cue ball, from anywhere)—even onthe black, in most variants. Also called the "two visits" rule; i.e., the two penalty shots are considered independentvisits to the table, and the limiting variants discussed attwo shots below cannot logically apply.
two shots
Inblackball,[12] a penalty conceded by a player after afault. The incoming opponent is then allowed to miss twice before the faulting player is allowed anothervisit. Many local rules state thein-hand from the D (seeD, the) orbaulk (or if the opponent potted the cue ball, from anywhere) nature of the second shot is lost if a ball is potted on the first shot, that it is lost if the ball potted in the first shot was that player's lastcoloured ball (object ball in theirgroup), and/or that there is only ever one shot onthe black after a fault.Seetwo-shot carry for more detail on a sub-rule that may apply (and eliminate the variations discussed here).
Athree cushion billiards shot in which the cue ball first strikes two cushions before hitting the first object ball then hits a third cushion before hitting the second object ball. So called because the shot opens 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 ball the cue ball contacts.
umpire
Chiefly American, and largely obsolete:Same asreferee.[34] Derives from the usage inbaseball.
undercut
Alsounder-cut.
1 To hit the object ball with not enough of a cut angle; hitting the object ball too full or "fat". It is a well-known maxim thatovercutting is preferable to undercutting because of the principle of the "professional side of the pocket". May be used as a noun: "That was a bad undercut."
2. Onsnooker and English billiards tables, to trim back (usually by filing and sanding, not actually cutting) the underside of the protrudingknuckle of thecushion, a.k.a. thenose of the cushion, from where the cushion starts to curve into thepocket until it ends inside the pocketjaws.[116] The result is a cushionface at the knuckle that angles inward toward where the base of therail meets thebed of the table, instead of one that is perpendicular to the bed.[116] At this point behaves more like a triangularpool cushion profile, with its "backboard" effect, than an upside-down L-shaped snooker cushion profile. Undercut knuckles make for an easier pocket topot balls in from an angle – a "fasterpocket speed" – because they raise thecontact point between cushion and ball to above the centre of the ball,[116] reducing the tendency of the ball to be rebounded away. Also used as a noun: "The amount of the undercut has a major effect on pocket playability."
Inadvertentenglish placed on the cue ball by a failure to hit it dead center on its horizontal axis. It is both a common source of missed shots and commonly overlooked when attempts are made to determine the reason for a miss.[158] In UK parlance this is usually called 'unwanted side'.
A British term describing when a ball istight on thecushion and a player sends thecue ball to hit both theobject ball and the rail at nearly the same time; the object ball, ideally, stays tight to the rail and is thus "velcroed" to the rail.Inside english is often employed to achieve this effect, hitting slightly before the ball. The movement of a ball just next to the rail (but not the shot described to achieve this movement) is calledhugging the rail in both the UK and the US.
visit
One of the alternating turns players (ordoubles teams) are allowed at the table, before a shot is played that concedes a visit to their opponent (e.g. "he ran out in one visit"). Usually synonymous withinning as applied to a single player/team, except inscotch doubles format.
1. A one-piece or two-piece item of wall-mounted furniture designed to storecue sticks and sometimes other accessories such as themechanical bridge (rest),balls,chalk, etc., when not in use. May consist of two small pieces of wood, or be an elaborately decorative large work of carpentry.ContrastCue stand.
Anobject ball positioned near apocket so that another object ball shot at that pocket will likely goin off the warrior, even if aimed so imperfectly that if the warrior had been absent, the shot likely would have missed. Usually arises when a ball is beingbanked to the pocket.
way
1. Term for object balls in the game of Chicago that are each assigned as having a set money value; typically the 5, 8, 10, 13 and 15.[clarification needed]
2. In games where multiple balls must be pocketed in succession to score a specific number ofpoints, such ascribbage pool, when the last ball necessary to score has been potted, the points total given is referred to as a "way".[citation needed] This is a usage borrowed fromcard games.
weight
To "give someone weight" is to give them ahandicap to compensate for notable differences in skill level.Comparespot (noun), sense 1.
Principally British: Insnooker, if a player wins all of the requiredframes in amatch without conceding a frame to their opponent, for example, if a player wins a best-of-nine-frames match with a score of 5–0, this is referred to as a "whitewash". The term is based on a similar term used in the card game of "Patience" in the UK. However, it is not used in the context of a 1–0 winning scoreline in a match consisting of a single frame.
When a ball is given as ahandicap it often must be called (generally tacit). A wild handicap means the ball can be made in any manner specificallywithout being called.
wing ball
Either of the balls on the lateral extremities of a racked set of balls in position for a break shot; the two balls at the outside of a 15-ball rack in the back row, or the balls to the left and right of the 9 ball innine-ball's diamondrack-shaped opening set up position.[159] In nine-ball it is seen as a reliable sign of a goodbreak (which is normally taken from close to eithercushion in thekitchen) if the opposite wing ball ispocketed.See alsobreak box.
wing shot
Shooting at an object ball that is already in motion ("on the wing") at the moment of shooting and cue ball impact; it is afoul in most games, and usually only seen intrick shots and inspeed pool.
winning hazard
Alsowinner, largely obsolete. A shot in which thecue ball is used topot another ball.[23][96] Insnooker and mostpool games doing this is known aspotting,pocketing orsinking the targeted ball. The term derives from early forms of billiards where this hazard winning the player points, whilelosing hazards cost the player points. Whether the ball is anobject ball or an opponent's cue ball depends upon the type of game (some have two cue balls). The move will scorepoints in most (but not all) games in whichhazards (as such) apply, such asEnglish billiards (in which a "red winner" is the potting of thered ball and a "white winner" the potting of the opponent's cue ball, each worth a different number of points).[96]Contrastlosing hazard.
wipe its feet
British term referring to the base or metaphorical "feet" of a ball that rattles in thejaws of apocket before eventually dropping. Usually said of anobject ball for which the intention was topot it.[159]
wire, the
1. A scoring wire atBooches in Columbia, Missouri, with a sign stating "please do not use this wire"Alsoscoring wire,score wire. Actual wire or string with multiple beads strung (like anabacus) used for keepingscore. Beads may be numbered or, more commonly, are in series of nine small beads representing 1s punctuated by larger beads representing 10s. Scoring strings are usually strung over the table, above the lights, but may be mounted on the wall.Points "on the wire" are a type ofhandicap used, where a weaker player will be given a certain number of points before the start of the game.[74]
2. Thegrapevine in the pool world, carrying news of what action is taking place where in the country.[citation needed]
A slang term for acue, usually used with "piece", as in "that's a nice piece of wood".Contrastfirewood.
wrap
Alsowrapping,grip.A covering of leather,nylon string,Irish linen or other material around the area of the butt of a cue where the cue is normally gripped.[153]
1. Insnooker, the lowest-valuecolour ball, being worth two points.[160] It is one of thebaulk colours. In some (especially American) snooker ball sets, it is numbered "2" on its surface. It is placed on theyellow spot.[160][19]
Thespot (usually not specially marked because it is obvious) on asnooker table at which theyellow ball is placed. Regardless of table size, it is the intersection ofthe "D" and thebalk line on thebreaker's right side.[160][19] The left-to-right order of thegreen,brown and yellow balls is the subject of themnemonic phrase "Godblessyou".[18]
^abJewett, Bob (February 2008). "Killing Me Softly?: The Outbreak of the Soft Break Threatens the Game of 9-ball".Billiards Digest. Vol. 30, no. 3. Chicago: Luby Publishing. pp. 34–35.ISSN0164-761X.
^Panozzo, Mike (February 2008). "Long Live the Cup!".Billiards Digest. Vol. 30, no. 3. Chicago: Luby Publishing. pp. 34–35.ISSN0164-761X.
^Green, Jonathon (January 1987).Dictionary of Jargon. London: Routledge. p. 112.ISBN9780710099198. RetrievedFebruary 26, 2009 – via Internet Archive.Chinese snookern
^Loy, Jim (2000)."The Chuck Nurse".Jim Loy's Billiards/Pool Page. Archived fromthe original on January 28, 2007. Provides an animated illustration of precisely how the chuck nurse works.
^abAlciatore, David G. (2020)."Pool Ball 'Cling,' 'Skid,' or 'Kick'".Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources. Fort Collins:Colorado State University. RetrievedMarch 7, 2021 – via Billiards.ColoState.edu. See also the attached media in this source (mostly served via YouTube). Deeper in the site are also technical proofs which may be of interest to readers with a physics and engineering background.
^abcdefAlciatore, David G. (2020)."Outside and Gearing English or Sidespin".Billiards and Pool Principles, Techniques, Resources. Fort Collins:Colorado State University. RetrievedMarch 7, 2021 – via Billiards.ColoState.edu. See also the attached media in this source (mostly served via YouTube).
^abcdefAlciatore, David G. (January 2007)."Throw – Part IV: Inside/Outside English"(PDF). "Illustrated Principles" column.Billiards Digest. Chicago: Luby Publishing. RetrievedMarch 7, 2021 – via Billiards.ColoState.edu.
^Williams, Luke; Gadsby, Paul (2005).Masters of the Baize: Cue Legends, Bad Boys and Forgotten Men in Search of Snooker's Ultimate Prize. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 47.ISBN9781840188721.
^"Pulman too good for Rea".Birmingham Post. March 17, 1964. p. 21.
^ESPN2 broadcast of 2007 International Challenge of Champions, first semi-final (September 12, 2007).Thorsten Hohmann v.Niels Feijen. In-context commentary on rack 7 of second set by pool proAllen Hopkins. "He's hitting everything like he's got the cue ball on a string."
^abESPN Classic broadcast of 1995 Gordon's 9-Ball Championship (August 14, 2007), second semi-final. (Loree Jon Jones vs.Gerda Hofstatter). Direct definition of "on the hill" for viewers and two in-context uses of "hill-hill" in commentary by pool proVicki Paski.
^ESPN Classic broadcast of 2002 BCA Open 9-ball Championship, final (May 16, 2002).Charlie Williams v.Tony Robles. In-context commentary on rack 8 by pool proMike Sigel. Rebroadcast and viewed March 27, 2009.
^ESPN2 broadcast of 2007 World Summit of Pool, final (September 17, 2007).Alex Pagulayan v.Shane Van Boening. In-context commentary on rack 11 by pool proCharlie Williams. [Following a safety] "He put Shane in jail here; this is a tough shot."
^ESPN broadcast of 2008 BCA GenerationPool.com Women' 9-Ball Championship, final (aired July 19, 2008).Ga-Young Kim vs.Xiaoting Pan. In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool proEwa Mataya Laurance: "The field has gotten so much stronger; there are no easy matches anymore—you know—your first match you have to play jam up."
^"Crucial 'Kick' – Snooker Player's Worst Nightmare"(MP4/HTML5 video).Snooker Planet. October 11, 2019.Archived from the original on November 13, 2021 – via YouTube. Excerpts from professional snooker matches with detailed kick-related observations by professional commentators, with slow-motion replays.
^Everton, Clive (1986).The History of Snooker and Billiards. Haywards Heath, England:Partridge Press. pp. 8–11.ISBN9781852250133. Revised version ofThe Story of Billiards and Snooker, 1979.
^abShaw, Thomas C. (May 1998). "The Legendary Weenie Beenie".Pool & Billiard Magazine. Vol. 16, no. 5. p. 59.ISSN1049-2852.It was almost as if during his years of learning that he'd been laying down the lemon. They expected the speed of the old Beenie. 'But I had improved.'
^abRothwell, Hamish (diretor);Magasiva, Robbie (actor, speaking as the character Jack) (2001).Stickmen (DVD). New Zealand: Monarch. Event occurs at 1:09:27.
^ESPN broadcast of 2007 WPBA Great Lakes Classic, second semi-final. Helena Thornfeldt vs.Ga-Young Kim. In-context commentary on rack 10 by pool pro Dawn Hopkins.
^abFSN New York broadcast of 2006Mosconi Cup (August 21, 2007). Team USA members (Johnny Archer andCorey Deuel) vs. Team Europe members (Thomas Engert andDavid Alcaide). In-context commentary on rack 7 by pool prosJim Wych and Jerry Forsyth: "You try and overcut it a little bit if you miss it...if you hit it thick you'll sell out...this is called missing it on the pro side."
^"Van Boening Wins 10-Ball Ring Game". "Independent Event" section.AZBilliards.com. Avondale, AZ: AZBilliards, Inc. January 5, 2008. Archived fromthe original on January 7, 2008. RetrievedMay 24, 2008.
^MSG Plus broadcast of day 3 of the 2008Mosconi Cup.Mika Immonen vs.Rodney Morris. In-context commentary by pro player and pool writer Jerry Forsyth on rack 4: "What a beautiful layout for Immonen. He could not have asked for a better pattern to play. The first five balls are all down at the same end of the table; he doesn't need to make the cue ball do a lot of work; this is a road map". Rebroadcast on April 5, 2009
^ESPN Classic broadcast of 1995 Gordon's 9-Ball Championship (August 10, 2007), first semi-final. (Jeanette Lee (quoted) vs.Vivian Villarreal). In-context commentary by pool pro Vicki Paski on rack six: "there's good rolls and bad rolls..."
^Rule Book: Snooker, Devil's Pool, Billiards, American Pool, Eight Ball, Fifteen Ball, Continuous and Rotation Pool. Fortitude Valley, Queensland: Webb & Sons / NPC Amusements. 2007 [c. 1950s]. pp. 6–7. This appears to be a reprint of an older work, of unknown provenance. It has also been reprinted, under a slightly different title, and again c. 2007, by Australian gaming equipment dealer PowerPlay.
^Varner, Nick (February 2008). "Killing Me Softly?: The Outbreak of the Soft Break Threatens the Game of 9-ball".Billiards Digest. Vol. 30, no. 3. Chicago: Luby Publishing. pp. 34–35.ISSN0164-761X.
Stein, Victor; Rubino, Paul (2008) [1994].The Billiard Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). New York: Balkline Press.ISBN9780615170923.
Stooke, Michael P. (March 14, 2010)."Definitions of Terms used in Snooker and English Billiards".SnookerGames.co.uk. Dorset, England. Archived fromthe original on April 17, 2012.Thistertiary source reuses information from other sources without citing them in detail. Stooke is a snooker instructor and writer whose work appears to be presumptively reliable, based on the sources he does cite throughout his materials.
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