What does "in-hand" mean in billiards?
I · Intermediate · Playing the game · 2 of 5A player whose ball is off the table, after an in-off or at the start, is in-hand and plays from the D. The cue-ball must hit a ball or cushion out of baulk before it can hit a ball in baulk or come back to rest there. A ball in baulk cannot be hit directly.
How it works
- When a player is in-hand: at the start of a game, after the cue-ball has gone into a pocket or off the table, and after a touching ball or a foul with balls spotted.
- Where: the cue-ball is placed on or within the lines of the D.
- Out of baulk first: the cue-ball must contact a ball or a cushion out of baulk before contacting a ball in baulk or coming to rest in baulk.
- A cushion in baulk first: allowed, before hitting a ball out of baulk.
- Hitting a ball out of baulk: counts as playing out of baulk, even if the cue-ball never crosses the line.
- A ball in baulk: may not be played on directly from in-hand, even the part of it that lies over the line.
- Positioning: a touch of the cue tip while placing the ball does not put it in play.
- Asking the referee: whether the ball is properly placed, and whether a ball near the line is in baulk.
The glossary has the in-hand, the playing from in-hand, the D, the baulk, the direct and indirect stroke and the cue-ball.
Tricky cases
The opponent's ball sits inside baulk, close to the D. Can the in-hand player hit it directly?
No. A ball in baulk may not be played on directly from in-hand.
Can an in-hand player bounce the cue-ball off the top cushion back on to a ball in baulk?
Yes. Once it has touched a cushion out of baulk, it may come back and hit a ball in baulk.
The player places the cue-ball half outside the D. Is that allowed?
No. It must be on or within the lines of the D. The referee will say, if asked, whether it is properly placed.
Does an in-off end the break?
No. The striker scores the in-off and plays the next shot from in-hand.
Why the rule exists
Making the in-hand player go up the table first stops them from picking off balls that sit close to the D. It also creates the main defensive tactic of billiards: leaving both balls in baulk so that the next player has to score off a cushion.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In-hand | Play from the D, out of baulk | WPBSA Billiards 3.6 |
| Ball in baulk | No direct shot from in-hand | WPBSA Billiards 3.6(f) |
| Playing improperly from in-hand | Foul | WPBSA Billiards 3.15(f) |
| Snooker | In-hand when the cue-ball is pocketed; played from the D in any direction, at the ball on | WPBSA Snooker 2.9, 3.5 |
From the rule book
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards (May 2022 update), English Billiards part, English Billiards Section 2 Rules 13 and 15 and Section 3 Rules 3, 6 and 7. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the association's rule book, which covers snooker and English billiards together.