What Is a Masse Shot in Billiards?

What Is a Masse Shot?

A masse shot (also written as massé) is a technique where the player elevates the back of the cue to a steep angle — often 45° to 90° — and strikes the cue ball well off-centre. The severe side-spin this creates curves the cue ball around an obstacle ball or along a curved path that would be impossible with a standard horizontal stroke.

The word comes from the French masse, meaning a heavy hammer blow, referring to the downward stabbing action used in the extreme version of the shot.

How to Execute a Masse Shot

The key variables are cue elevation and contact point:

• Cue elevation: The higher you elevate (closer to vertical), the tighter the curve. A 45° angle produces a gentle arc; 80–90° creates a near U-turn.
• Contact point: Strike the cue ball to the side and slightly below centre. The exact position determines whether the ball curves left or right.
• Force: Less is often more. A lighter stroke with high elevation produces a controlled curve; overpowering it causes the ball to skid unpredictably.
• Tip contact: Use a well-chalked tip. Side-spin shots applied at steep angles are especially prone to miscuing.

Practice the shot on a private table first — the downward force can damage cheap felt, and tournament venues understandably have strict policies about it.

Is a Masse Shot Legal?

Legality depends on the ruleset and the venue:

• 9-ball and 8-ball (WPA rules): Masse shots are legal as long as the shot is played cleanly (no double hit, no push stroke) and you call it in advance when house rules require called shots.
• Snooker: Legal under WPBSA rules, but rarely used because the heavier snooker balls and tighter pockets make it far more difficult to control.
• Carom billiards: Fully legal and a common advanced technique — no pockets means ball control is everything, and the masse is a legitimate competitive tool.
• House rules / bar leagues: Many venues ban masse shots outright to protect the cloth. Always check local rules before attempting one.

The World Pool-Billiard Association rulebook covers legal stroke requirements in detail if you need the exact wording for a dispute.

Masse Shots Across Disciplines

The masse is most commonly associated with American pool, where trick-shot artists like Efren Reyes and Shane Van Boening have used it to escape seemingly impossible snookers. In carom billiards it is a standard professional tool. In snooker it appears occasionally under the name “swerve shot,” though players rarely execute the full 90° version due to the table’s tight requirements.

If you are new to American pool, focus on the fundamentals before adding masse to your game — the shot looks spectacular but requires solid tip control and a good understanding of English (side-spin) first. Our full resources section covers all the foundational techniques you need.

Common Mistakes

• Too much power — speed kills the curve effect.
• Incorrect contact point — striking too far from the equator produces a jump rather than a curve.
• No chalk — a miscue at a steep elevation sends the cue ball flying sideways at speed.
• Wrong cue — a soft tip helps, but a shaft with too much flex becomes uncontrollable at steep elevations.

The masse shot rewards patience. Practise the 45° gentle arc first, then gradually steepen the elevation as your feel for the spin develops.