Definition of Insurance ball

To enter the loser bracket in a double elimination tournament, or otherwise slip in standing in other tournament formats (i.e., to lose a game/frame/round/match, but still remain in the competition).

More commonly known as "straight pool", it was for many years the most popular game in pool and the game on which all World Championships were based.
14.1 is a call-shot game played with all 15 numbered balls and cue ball. Every ball pocketed counts as one point and a game is played to a agreed up score, generally 50, 100, or 150 points.
Traditional straight pool matches are played to 150 points.14.1 is also called "continuous pool" because, after the opening break, play continues until a player reaches the winning score. When only one numbered ball is left on the table, the remaining 14 are racked (with the apex ball missing), and play continues.

A shot where the cue ball must hit the object ball so as to make it travel out of a straight line, at a different angle, toward its destination.

Competition between an individual player and an individual opponent, as opposed to team play such as scotch doubles and other multi-player variants.
A team play format in which an individual player from the home team plays a race against an individual player from the visiting team, and then is finished for that match. Several large leagues use this format, including APA/CPA and USAPL.

(Chiefly British) Said of an object ball that can easily be reached by the cue ball, or of a pocket that can easily be reached by a selected object ball, usually directly (i.e. without intervening kick, bank, carom, kiss or combination shots).

Also known as Free-stroking. This is slang for when a player begins to play untroubled and relaxed because they have built up a substantial lead.

Slang for the cue ball.

This is when it is necessary to change a set handicap after play indicates it favors one player more than the other.

See overcut.

This is a shot that attempts to move a number of balls onto your side of the table in a kind of herding attempt.

The lamentable practice of not following through with the cue straight, but veering off in the direction of the shot's travel or the side english is applied, away from the proper aiming line; a common source of missed shots.

This is an imaginary player that you can attempt to run a rack against when playing a practice or training game.

When the object ball lies behind another ball which makes it impossible to be struck by the cue with a direct hit.

Also money-added. Said of a tournament in which the pot of money to pay out to the winner(s) contains sponsor monies in addition to competitor entry fees. Often used as an adjective: "a money-added event".

The pocket chosen to house the selected ball in your called shot.

Same as center spot.

This is to miss your shot but either luckily or on purpose leave your opponent with nothing to shoot at.

Actual wire or string with multiple beads strung (like an abacus) used for keeping score. Points "on the wire" are a type of handicap used, where a weaker player will be given a certain number of points before the start of the game.

Used when describing perfect play. "as if the balls had strings on them"

The point in match play where both players (or teams) need only one more game (frame) victory to win the match or race.

The triangular device, generally plastic, used to group the balls in a pyramid form prior to the beginning of a game.

A shot played slowly and with heavy draw and follow-through so that the cue ball can be struck firmly but with a lot of the pace taken out, allowing more control than just a gentle tap that would travel as far. Also called "Drag Draw".

This describes a shot where you bank the object ball off of a rail and then sink it in a side pocket.