cheat the pocket 

A term used in pocket billiards (or pool) that refers to hitting a ball with hard left or right English so as to create an angle off the cue ball on an otherwise straight-in shot.

The reason this is called "cheating" the pocket is because you are taking away the natural flow that cue ball would ordinarily travel (to the pocket) by altering the shot.

He left himself straight in -- he's gonna have to cheat the pocket to get to his next ball.

cheat the pocket by Giskard July 2, 2004