Billiard Terminology

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Call - to designate a specific pocket for a shot.

Called Ball - refers to object ball designated to be pocketed.

Carom - a shot in which an object ball glances off another object ball before proceeding to the pocket.

Chalk - a tacky material applied on the cue tip to prevent miscues.

Choke - refers to a situation when a player missed would have been a normal, doable shot due to pressure.

Closed Bridge - a type of bridge where the shaft is enclosed by the thumb and index finger.

Combination - a shot that involves two or more object ball with the first ball being the designated legal ball.

Contact Point - a tangential point on the object ball with which the cue ball must contact inorder to pocket the ball.

Cross corner - a bank shot to one of the corner pockets.

Cue - the stick used for shooting.

Cue Ball - the white ball .

Cushion - the raised surface that surrounds the playing surface of the billiard table. It is made from rubber material and is covered by the same cloth used for the bed.

Dead Combination - a combination shot lined up to the pocket.

Dead Shot - a shot lined up to the pocket.

Diamonds - the inlay markings on the top of the rail used as reference points.

Double Elimination - a tournament rule in which a player must lose two games before eliminated.

Double Hit - a situation where the object ball hits the cueball two or more successive times- a foul.

Draw - a method in tournament used to determine the two players that will play against.

Draw Shot - a billiard shot achieved by hitting the cue ball below the center that will produce a backspin on the cue ball.

Duck - a very simple shot where the object ball is lying very close to the pocket.

Ducking - playing safety as opposed to having a tough shot.