Snooker Glossary A–Z | Every Term Explained

Baulk: The bottom quarter of the snooker table, marked by a line running across the width. Players play from the baulk after a foul or at the start of the frame. The three spots (yellow, green, brown) are positioned along the baulk line.
Black: The highest-value ball on the snooker table, worth 7 points. Black is used as a scoring choice after each red is potted, and is the final ball to be potted in a frame.
Blue: A coloured ball worth 5 points. Blue is positioned on the centre spot of the table.
Break: A sequence of consecutive successful shots and potted balls in a single turn at the table. A player's break ends when they fail to pot a ball or commit a foul.
Brown: A coloured ball worth 4 points. Brown is positioned on the baulk line to the right of the triangle (as viewed from the player's stance).
Butt: The thicker end of the snooker cue, held by the player's hand. It is the end opposite the tip that strikes the cue ball.

Century Break: A break of 100 or more points scored in a single visit to the table. Century breaks are celebrated achievements marking a high level of skill and consistency.
Cue Ball: The white ball struck by the cue. The cue ball is the only ball controlled directly by the player.
Cue Action: The technique and mechanics of how a player strikes the cue ball with the cue. Good cue action involves a smooth, controlled motion and consistent follow-through.
Cushion: The rubber-lined edges of the snooker table that cause balls to rebound when struck against them. Skilled use of cushions is essential for positioning and defence.

D: The D-shaped area at the baulk end of the table from which a player must play the cue ball after a foul. The cue ball must be placed within the D.
Double: Potting a ball off a cushion (or multiple cushions) before it reaches the pocket. This is a legitimate pot and awards full points.

Extension: An extra piece of cue that can be attached to the butt to increase the reach of the cue. Used for difficult shots where the player cannot comfortably reach.

Fluke: A ball that is potted unintentionally. For example, a player attempts a safety shot but accidentally pots a ball. Flukes still count as legitimate pots and award points.
Foul: An illegal shot that incurs a penalty. Common fouls include missing the ball on, potting the cue ball, and hitting the wrong ball first. The minimum foul penalty is 4 points.
Frame: One complete game of snooker, from the initial rack through to one player winning by accumulating more points.
Free Ball: After a foul, if the incoming player is snookered, they may nominate any ball on the table as a "free ball" worth 1 point, treated as if it were a red ball.

Green: A coloured ball worth 3 points. Green is positioned on the baulk line to the left of the triangle (as viewed from the player's stance).

Half-butt: A type of long cue support (rest) that extends approximately half the length of the cue. Used for shots where a full rest would be unwieldy.
Hazard: An old-fashioned term for a successful pot, whether by striking a red ball (an "in-hazard") or a coloured ball (an "out-hazard"). Rarely used in modern snooker terminology.

In-off: Potting the cue ball into a pocket. This is always a foul, incurring a penalty of at least 4 points.

Jaws: The area of the cushion at a pocket opening. The jaws curve inward to guide balls into the pocket.

Kick: An unexpected deviation in the path of a cue ball due to contact with chalk dust or marks on the ball. A kicked ball moves in an unpredictable direction.

Maximum Break: A break of 147 points, the highest possible score in a single frame. Achieved by potting all 15 reds with black after each, then all six colours in order. Extremely rare in professional play.
Miss Rule: A rule allowing the referee to call "miss" if a player fails to make a genuine attempt to hit the ball on. The balls are then replaced and the opponent may choose to replay the shot or nominate the next player.
Masse: A shot with extreme side spin, where the cue is held at a steep angle to the cue ball. A masse shot causes the cue ball to curve dramatically around obstacles.

Nominate: To declare which colour a player intends to play after potting a red. The nominated colour becomes the object ball for that shot.

Object Ball: The ball a player is attempting to hit on a particular shot. The object ball is determined by the rules of play (red first, then a nominated colour, then colours in sequence).

Pink: A coloured ball worth 6 points. Pink is positioned on the baulk line between red and black.
Plant: Using one ball to cannon into another ball to pot it. For example, striking a red ball to hit another red ball into a pocket. A plant counts as potting both balls involved.
Pocket: One of six openings in the snooker table into which balls are potted. There are corner pockets and centre pockets along each long side.

Red: The lowest-value ball, worth 1 point. There are 15 red balls on the table. A red must be potted before a coloured ball on each turn (until all reds are cleared).
Rest: A cue support used for difficult shots where a player cannot comfortably strike the cue ball by hand. Common rests include the spider, the half-butt, and the extension.
Re-rack: To gather and re-arrange the balls into their starting positions for a new frame. Also used when the balls are replaced after a miss is called.

Safety Play: A defensive shot intended to leave the opponent in a difficult position, typically by placing them in a snooker. Safety play prioritises position over scoring points.
Session: A period of snooker play, typically lasting 2–3 hours and covering a predetermined number of frames. Multi-frame matches are split across several sessions.
Snooker: A position where the direct path from the cue ball to the ball on is blocked by another ball. A player is snookered and must either attempt a difficult shot or risk a foul.
Spider: A type of cue rest with an elevated head, used for shots where the cue ball is obstructed. The spider allows the cue to pass over other balls.
Spot: A marked position on the snooker table where coloured balls are placed. Each colour has a designated spot (e.g., blue on the centre spot, pink on the baulk line).

Triangle: The wooden or plastic frame used to rack (arrange) the 15 red balls into a tight triangular formation at the start of a frame.
Total Clearance: Potting all remaining balls on the table in a single turn. Also called clearing the table or running out.

White: The cue ball. The white is the only ball a player controls directly; all other balls are object balls to be potted.

Looking for more detail? Check out the Rules of Snooker or explore our other snooker guides.