Are jump shots legal in pool?
A · Advanced · Fouls · 3 of 8A legal jump shot is played by raising the cue and driving the cue ball down into the cloth so it bounces over an obstacle. Scooping under the cue ball, with the tip meeting cloth and ball together, is treated as a miscue. An accidental miscue that lifts the cue ball counts as a legal jump. A deliberate miscue is unsportsmanlike conduct.
How it works
- Jump shot: the cue ball goes over an obstacle, such as an object ball or part of a cushion.
- Legal: depends on how it is done and the shooter's intention.
- The legal way: elevate the cue and drive the cue ball down into the playing surface.
- Scoop shot: the tip meets the cloth and the ball at once, lifting the ball; treated as a miscue.
- Miscue: the tip slides off the cue ball, usually with a sharp sound and a mark on the tip.
- Side of the cue: contact by the side of the cue is assumed not to happen unless plainly seen.
- Accidental miscues: if one lifts the cue ball off the cloth, it is treated as a legal jump shot.
- Deliberate miscues: unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Jump cues: players may switch between break, jump and playing cues during a match.
The glossary has the jump shot, the frozen ball, the safety, the standard fouls, the scratch and the inning.
Tricky cases
The player miscues and the cue ball hops over a ball. Foul?
No, if the miscue was not intended. It is treated as a legal jump shot.
Can a player bring a special jump cue?
Yes. Players may switch between break, jump and normal cues in a match.
The tip slides off and a faint click is heard from the side of the cue. Foul?
Not unless contact with the side of the cue is plainly visible.
Are jump shots allowed at blackball?
No. Making the cue ball jump over any ball is a foul at blackball.
Why the rule exists
A proper jump shot is a skill, so it is allowed. Scooping under the ball is easier and damages the cloth, so it is not.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jump shot | Legal when done properly | WPA 2.9 |
| Miscue and scoop shot | Defined; deliberate miscues penalised | WPA 2.11, 3.16(c) |
| Blackball | Jumping over a ball is a foul | WPA 8.13.3 |
| Snooker | A jump shot is a foul | WPBSA Snooker 3.11(a)(x) |
From the rule book
World Pool-Billiard Association, Rules of Play (effective 15 September 2025), General Rule 1.4(a) and Definitions 2.9 and 2.11. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WPA Rules of Play, revised from time to time.