Pool Terms Glossary: 74 Billiards Words Explained
Pool has its own language, and you will hear most of it at your first tournament. Here are 74 common pool and billiards terms, in plain English.
A
- Action
- Betting on pool, or the money being played for. "Looking for action" means looking for a money game.
- Angle
- The cut angle of a shot. Also used for having a good angle on the next ball to get position.
- APA, BCA, VNEA
- The best-known amateur pool leagues and rule-making groups in North America. Each has its own rules and handicaps.
B
- Bank shot
- A shot where the object ball hits one or more cushions before it goes in the pocket.
- Bar box
- A 7-foot table, usually coin-operated, as found in most bars.
- Break
- The opening shot of a rack, where the cue ball is driven into the racked balls.
- Break and run
- Breaking and then running every ball to win without the opponent shooting.
- Bridge
- The hand that supports the front of the cue. Also the mechanical "rake" used for long reaches.
- Bye
- A free pass to the next round of a bracket when there are not enough players to fill it.
C
- Calcutta
- An auction before a tournament where people bid on players, and the pot is paid to whoever "owns" the winners. See our Calcutta guide.
- Call shot
- A rule that you must name the ball and pocket before shooting. Obvious shots usually do not need to be said out loud.
- Carom
- When the cue ball or an object ball glances off one ball into another. A "carom shot" uses a ball to redirect another into a pocket.
- Chalk
- The cube rubbed on the cue tip so it grips the cue ball and does not miscue.
- Cheat the pocket
- Aiming at one side of the pocket instead of the center to change the cue ball path.
- Chip tournament
- A format where each player starts with chips, loses one with each loss, and is out when the chips are gone. See our chip tournament guide.
- Cling
- Extra friction between two balls (often from bad chalk marks) that makes the object ball go thicker than expected. Also called "skid."
- Cluster
- Two or more balls touching or close together, which usually need to be broken apart.
- Combination
- A shot where the cue ball hits one object ball into another, which then goes in.
- Cut shot
- A shot where the object ball is hit at an angle, off center.
D
- Dead ball
- A shot or combination that cannot miss if hit correctly.
- Deflection (squirt)
- The cue ball pushing off the aiming line when you hit it with side spin. Low-deflection shafts reduce it.
- Diamond
- The markers on the rails, used for aiming kicks and banks and for describing positions.
- Double elimination
- A bracket where a player is out only after two losses. See our bracket guide.
- Double hit
- A foul where the cue tip touches the cue ball twice on one stroke, common when the cue ball is very close to an object ball.
- Draw
- Backspin. Hitting the cue ball below center so it comes back after contact.
- Dry break
- A break that does not make a ball.
E
- English
- Side spin, from hitting the cue ball left or right of center.
F
- FargoRate
- A rating system for pool players. A 100-point gap means the stronger player wins about two games for every one. See our Fargo guide.
- Follow
- Topspin. Hitting the cue ball above center so it rolls forward after contact.
- Foot spot
- The spot where the front ball of the rack sits, two diamonds from the foot rail.
- Foul
- A rule break such as scratching, hitting the wrong ball first, or no rail after contact. It usually gives the opponent ball in hand.
- Frozen
- A ball touching another ball or a cushion.
G
- Ghost ball
- The imaginary ball where the cue ball needs to be at contact to pocket the object ball. Also a practice game: "playing the ghost."
- Greens fee
- Money from each entry kept by the room for table time, separate from the prize fund.
H
- Hanger
- A ball sitting in the jaws of a pocket, easy to make.
- Head string
- The imaginary line two diamonds from the head rail. The cue ball is placed behind it for the break.
- Hill
- Needing one more game to win the match. "Hill-hill" means both players need one game.
- House cue
- A cue that belongs to the room, usually on the wall rack.
J
- Jump shot
- Hitting down on the cue ball so it hops over a blocking ball. Usually done with a short jump cue.
K
- Kick shot
- A shot where the cue ball hits a cushion before the object ball.
- Kiss
- When a ball touches another ball on its way, often changing its path.
L
- Lag
- Both players shoot a ball up and back the length of the table; the one closest to the head rail chooses who breaks.
M
- Masse
- A shot with an elevated cue and heavy spin that curves the cue ball around a blocker.
- Miscue
- When the tip slips off the cue ball, often from too little chalk or hitting too far from center.
N
- Nine-ball
- A rotation game where the lowest-numbered ball must be hit first and the 9 wins. See our 9-Ball rules.
- Nit
- A player who will only play when they are sure to have the advantage.
O
- Object ball
- Any ball other than the cue ball.
- One Pocket
- A game where each player has one pocket and needs eight balls. See our One Pocket guide.
- Open table
- In 8-Ball, the time after the break before groups are chosen.
P
- Position
- Where the cue ball ends up for the next shot. "Playing position" means controlling it.
- Push out
- In 9-Ball and 10-Ball, a special shot right after the break where the shooter can move the cue ball without hitting the lowest ball. The opponent picks who shoots next.
R
- Race
- The number of games needed to win a match, as in "race to 5." Handicaps change the race for each player.
- Rack
- The triangle or template used to set up the balls, and the set of balls in one game.
- Rail
- The cushion around the edge of the table. "Rail first" means hitting the cushion before a ball.
- Rail bird
- A spectator, especially one who watches money games.
- Rotation
- Any game where balls must be hit in number order, such as 9-Ball and 10-Ball.
- Run out
- Making all the remaining balls in one turn to win the game.
S
- Safety
- A defensive shot meant to leave the opponent with no good shot.
- Scotch doubles
- A team game where two partners take turns shooting. See our Scotch Doubles guide.
- Scratch
- When the cue ball goes in a pocket or off the table. It is a foul.
- Distracting an opponent on purpose, or a strong player who hides their skill.
- Slop
- Balls that go in by accident. Some games count them, others do not.
- Snooker (snookered)
- Being left with no direct path from the cue ball to the ball you must hit.
- Speed
- How hard a player hits the ball, and also slang for how good a player really is ("I don't know his speed").
- Spot
- A handicap. In money games, a stronger player "gives a spot," such as the 8-ball or extra games.
- Stake
- Money put up to back a player in a match or tournament in return for a share of winnings.
- Stop shot
- Hitting the cue ball so it stops dead where it hits a straight-in object ball.
- Stroke
- The motion of the cue. "A good stroke" means a smooth, straight delivery.
T
- Ten-ball
- A call-shot rotation game with 10 balls. See our 10-Ball rules.
- Three-foul rule
- In many games, three fouls in a row by the same player lose the game.
- Throw
- The object ball being pushed slightly off line by friction at contact, especially on cut shots and with side spin.
- Tip
- The leather piece on the end of the cue that hits the cue ball.
- True double
- A double-elimination final where the losers-side player must win twice. See our bracket guide.
W
- Wing ball
- The balls at the side corners of the rack. In 9-Ball, a wing ball often goes in on a good break.
Know the words, now learn the games: 8-Ball, 9-Ball and 10-Ball rules, or read what to expect at your first tournament.