A trick billiards shot is a shot in which the cue ball is made to spin around an obstacle, such as another ball, before hitting the target ball. The term 'masse' is used to describe this type of shot, and it is derived from the French word for mass or weight. Masse shots are often used to gain an advantage in a game of pool, as they can be used to alter the trajectory of the cue ball and make it more difficult for the opponent to predict where it will go.