Jump shots and massé shots.

Jump shots

A legal jump shot strikes the cue ball downward so it bounces off the slate and over the obstacle. The illegal version is the "scoop," where the tip digs under the ball and touches the cloth and cue ball at the same time. Under WPA rule 2.11, as explained on Dr. Dave Alciatore's site, a scoop is treated as a miscue. Dr. Dave's site describes an intentional miscue as a foul; the 2025 WPA rulebook treats an accidental miscue that lifts the cue ball as a legal jump and a deliberate miscue as unsportsmanlike conduct. APA and CSI league rules make an intentional scoop a foul. Check the rules overview for how your league treats jumps.

Dr. Dave's technique:

• A short, light jump cue with a hard tip.
• A high, stable bridge.
• The tip aligned on the cue ball's vertical centerline.
• A relaxed grip and a quick, finesse "throwing" motion.
• For steeply elevated jumps, a wrist-driven "dart stroke," holding the cue like a dart.

Common errors are moving the shoulder or elbow, lunging, and pulling the hand toward or away from your body. Jumping is harder on worn, thin cloth.

Massé shots

A massé uses an elevated cue and bottom side spin to make the cue ball curve around an obstacle. The keys, per Dr. Dave: a high, stable bridge, a smooth but quick stroke, and an accurate tip contact point.

Elevation and speed interact. A steeper cue lowers the cue ball's speed, and a slower cue ball starts curving sooner. So more elevation makes the curve begin sooner.