Billiards Vault

Definition of Points

The ornamentation on a cue, between the wrap and the joint, is often made by inlaying exotic materials into the wood so the inlays form points. The value of a cue is often based on the number points.

24 Random Essential Billiards Terms

This is the stick used to contact the cue ball in pool and billiards games. The cue stick is usually made of wood, features a special contact tip, and is usually tapered to slide through your hand. The price of these tools can range from oil change to transmission change depending on the quality of craftsmanship and design.
Any system for banking or kicking balls multiple rails which uses table diamonds as aiming references.
A tournament format in which a player is out of the tournament after a single match loss.
This is a bank in one pocket pool that is sitting at an angle that makes it unsafe to play.
Used in snooker in reference to the position of the cue ball. It is "below" the object ball if it is off-straight on the top cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. he will want to finish below the black in order to go into the reds).
This is a series of angled rails present within some pool tables that directs pocketed balls to a central location on the table for retrieval after the game.
Chiefly American: The short rail at the head of the table. Traditionally this is the rail on which the table manufacturer's logo appears. Compare bottom rail, baulk rail; contrast foot rail.
To apply chalk to the tip of your cue before a shot.
In snooker, the colour ball that is worth three points, being the second-least valuable colour behind the yellow. It is one of the baulk colours.
This is the International Billiards and Snooker Federation. This organization governs non-professional snooker and billiards play all over the world.
This game is played on a smaller octagonal table filled with bumpers in the middle and two more bumpers surrounding a hole on each side of the table. The game is played by trying to sink the balls into the opposite pocket by hitting the object ball directly instead of using a cue ball.
National Amateur Pool League.
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 terms hustler, for one who hustles, and hustling, describing the act, are just as common if not more so than this verb form.
A shot that only a novice or fool would take. Usually because it is a guaranteed scratch or other foul, or because it has a low percentage of being pocketed and is likely to leave the opponent in good position.
Also in the zone. Describes an extended period of functioning in dead stroke ("She's in the zone").
Also (chiefly British) shot programme. The enumerated trick shots that must be performed in the fields of artistic billiards (70 pre-determined shots) and artistic pool (56 tricks in 8 "disciplines").
This is to have control on the cue ball in your shots.
Anything that causes a foul according to the rules of a game.
This term is used to refer to a player missing a shot.
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."
This is the white ball in carom games which is separated from the clear ball by a marking (usually a dot or spot).
Same as solids, in New Zealand. Compare little, small, reds, low, spots, dots; contrast overs.
Local Bylaws are additional rules, policies, and procedures unique to an area in addition (or subtraction) to established Pool/Billiards/Snooker league rules. They are designed to cover local situations.
Slang for the cue ball.
A successful attempt to get out of a snooker.