Definitions of terms (A-B) used in Snooker and English Billiards
The early cue movements a player makes as he settles into the playing position and prepares to strike the cue-ball.
See:- Cue-Action · Feather · Follow-Through (A)
Angle of Incidence
The angle from which a ball travels before it contacts another ball or cushion.
Angle of Reflection
The angle that a ball travels after it has contacted another ball or cushion.
When playing at a cushion, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection when the stroke is played without spin and at low to medium strength.
See:- Check Side · Running Side
Angled - Snooker
The striker is said to be "angled" when the cue-ball lies so close to, or touching, the jaw of a pocket, that the cushion prevents a direct shot being played at the ball "on". In snooker, the option of playing from "Hand" when angled after a foul was removed from the rule book in September 1995.
Attacking Safety - Snooker
A safety stroke where the cue-ball could be rolled gently up to the ball "on" but is played with more force to bring other balls out into open play.
Another example would be leaving your opponent completely snookered with several loose reds in potable positions.
See:- Containing Safety · Safety
Applied by striking the cue-ball below centre, causing it to revolve, or spin, in the opposite direction to that in which it is travelling.
See:- Bottom · Drag · Screw · Stun
Although the cue-ball can strike the object-ball at any point from one outside edge to the other, only four of these contacts - 'full ball', 'three-quarter ball', 'half ball', and 'quarter ball' are commonly named.
See:- Full Ball · Half Ball · Quarter Ball · Three-Quarter Ball
The area between the baulk-line and the bottom cushion including the "D". The baulk area has no significance in Snooker and is only used in the game of English Billiards; an object-ball within this area is considered to be "In-Baulk", and cannot be played at directly if the striker is "In-Hand".
See:- Baulk-Line · 'D' · Double-Baulk · In-Hand
Shows the extent of the "Baulk" area. On a full-sized table the baulk-line is drawn 29 inches from, and parallel to, the face of the bottom cushion.
See:- Baulk · Line Ball
The three spots on the baulk-line. The left and righthand spots are always described as if you were standing at the baulk end of the table and looking towards the top of the table.
See:- Centre Spot of the Baulk-Line · Left-Hand Spot of the 'D' · Right-Hand Spot of the 'D' · Spots
The surface on which the cloth is laid, and the playing area inside the cushions. The beds of full-sized tables are made from five pieces of perfectly matched slate, with each piece weighing nearly four hundred pounds.
When an object-ball close to a pocket gives the player a wider margin of error when playing to pot another ball into that pocket. The diagram shows the pink close to the pocket where the red is about to be played. Even if the red strikes the cushion near the black cross the pot will still be made as the red will bounce off the pink into the pocket.
See:- Pocket/s · Spots
Black Ball Game - Snooker
Refers to the end of a frame when only the black remains and the players scores have less than seven points between them. The first pot or foul on the black then ends the game.
See:- Tied Frame
Black Spot - Snooker
The spot at the top of the table on which the black is spotted.
See:- Spots · The 'Spot'
Blue Spot - Snooker
The spot in the centre of the table on which the blue is spotted.
See:- Centre Spot · Spots
The lower half of the cue-ball. Can also be used to describe back-spin.
See:- Back-spin · Drag · Screw · Stun
The cushion at the baulk end of the table.
See:- Baulk · Top Cushion
Bottom of the Table
The Baulk end of the table.
See:- Baulk · Top of the Table
The two corner pockets at the Baulk end of the table.
See:- Baulk · Pocket/s · Top Pockets
Brown Spot - Snooker
The spot in the centre of the baulk-line on which the brown is spotted.
See:- Centre Spot of the Baulk-Line · Spots
A - The opening stroke in a game of Snooker.
B - A consecutive run of scoring strokes and the points that are scored from them.
Sometimes used to describe the part of the cushion that curves to form the pocket opening.
See:- Cushion/s · Pocket/s
The thicker end of the cue which is normally made of ebony or another hardwood in a quality cue. On two-piece cues the butt ends at the joint.
See:- Cue · Half-Butt · Long-Butt · Shaft · Tip
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This section last updated 21st July 2012 Site designed, created, and maintained by Mike Stooke. © All Rights Reserved.