Definition of Bank

A players skill level, ball advantage or match advantage when using a handicapping system.

This is to win a game by pocketing enough balls before you opponent.

When the contact between the cue ball and object ball is dead center.

A shot in which the cue ball is driven to one or more rails (cushions in British English) before reaching its intended target-usually an object ball. Sometimes also known as "Kick Out" or "Skid" (British)

This is a particular shot where the potential for a miscue is higher because of the amount of draw that is attempted on the cue ball.

This is a shot that is meant to remove one of your opponent's balls that lies near their pocket in the game of one pocket.

When two or more object balls are frozen or nearly frozen, such that cue-ball contact with one object ball, without the necessity of great accuracy, will almost certainly pocket an intended object ball in the cluster. The most common form of dead arrangements are the dead combination or dead combo (a combination shot in which contact with the first object ball will pocket another one), and the dead kiss, in which contact with the first object ball will pocket it off of another one. See also wired.

When a ball is in firm contact with a cushion or another ball.

Same as solids, in New Zealand. Compare little, small, reds, low, spots, dots; contrast overs.

Either to hit the balls hard with no intention in mind other than to get lucky (or 'hit-and-hope'), or to shoot hard at the money ball ball with the same intention. Compare slop and fluke.

To apply chalk to the tip of your cue before a shot.

A misnomer for hand talc.

Also goose neck rest. Same as swan.

A set practice routine.
In British terminology, a bank shot.

Describes tightly woven and well-used (but clean) billiard table cloth (baize), upon which the balls move quickly and roll farther, as they experience less friction than with fuzzy or dirty cloth. May be used more extendedly, as in "this is a really fast table". Fast cloth makes draw (screw) shots somewhat less effective, as there is less purchase for the cue ball's back spin. By the same token, slide and stop shots are easier on fast cloth because it is so comparatively smooth.

See two-shot carry.

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

Used with an amount to signify money added to a tournament prize fund in addition to the amount accumulated from entry fees (e.g. "$500 added").

Technique using different wood inlays to create picture designs on the butt of the cue.

Side spin on the cue ball that causes it to unnaturally roll off a cushion (contacted at an angle) against rather than with the ball's momentum and direction of travel. If angling into a cushion that is on the right, then reverse english would be right english, and vice versa. The angle of deflection will be steeper (narrower) than if no english were applied. The opposite of running english, which has effects other than simply the opposites of those of reverse english.

A game that basically cannot be lost based on disparity of skill levels; "this game is a lock for him."

The use of the correct amount of cue ball speed in position play to achieve proper shape for a subsequent shot.

Alternate name for the cue ball.
In carom billiards games, a term for the opponent's cue ball, which for the shooting player is another object ball along with the red.

A bye is a missing team or player on a league schedule or tournament bracket. In other words, a person or team does not have an opponent that date (schedule) or round (tournament bracket). If a team or player has a bye on a scheduled date, they will not be playing that day. If a team or player has a bye on a tournament bracket, they automaticly advance to the next round without having to play another team or person.