cut shot

A cut shot is a stroke in billiards, pool, or snooker where the cue ball strikes the object ball at an angle rather than head-on, sending it toward a pocket along a diagonal path: He sank the eight ball with a sharp cut shot to the corner.

The term also appears in other sports—in tennis or table tennis, a cut shot imparts backspin, while in basketball it describes a quick release while moving laterally.