Scoring – TalkBowling Scroll Up Scoring Ten-pin bowling has a unique scoring system that can be complex for newcomers who try to score the game themselves. Because of the various multiplier effects and bonus roles that can be attained in the game, scoring is not always intuitive. A player generally receives one point for every pin knocked down on each roll of a frame. For a pin to count, it must be knocked over entirely. If it wobbles but stays standing, or moves without being toppled over completely, it is still considered standing and a score is not awarded for that pin. If a player knocked down seven pins on their first roll and one of the remaining three pins on their second, they would have a count of eight points for that frame. The number of pins knocked down in the frame is referred to as the “pinfall”. A player who rolls a ball into the gutter or fails to knock down any pins will receive a zero for their roll. In the event that pins are left standing at the end of the frame, it is referred to as an “open frame”. The score for each frame is added up at the end of the game to give a cumulative total.

The maximum score attainable is 300 (see below), while professional level bowling starts with scores of 200. Scorecard On the bowling scorecard, each frame is divided into two boxes in which the individual score from each delivery is recorded. The cumulative score after each frame is written underneath. The pinfall for each roll must be entered into the scorecard straight after the roll, and electronic scoreboards do so automatically. However, the current total cannot always be entered until the value of strikes and spares have been decided by subsequent shots (see below for further details). If a player knocked down nine pins, they would mark down a “9”. A strike is designated in the first box of the frame by an “X”. A spare is marked down on the scorecard with a “/”. A zero is recorded with a “-“. Fouls are recorded with an “F” on the scorecard. If the first roll of a frame results in a split, then this is usually recorded on the scorecard by enclosing the pinfall in parenthesis.

For example if a player knocked down eight pins and was left with a 7-9 split on the second shot, the first box of the frame would be filled with “(8)”. See below for more information on splits. 1 120 Splits A split is the name given to the pins left standing on the second ball in a frame if the head-pin (1-pin) was knocked down on the first delivery and either of the following two conditions are true: The standing pins are separated by at least one fallen pin. For instance, if the 7-pin and 9-pin were left standing, there would be a 7-9 split. A 3-10 split is another example. At least one pin is down immediately ahead of two or more standing pins, for instance a 5-6 split. There are 459 possible split combinations in ten-pin bowling. Some of the more notable include: Baby Split: 2-7 or 3-10 Bed Posts/Goal Posts: 7-10 Christmas Tree: 2-7-10 or 3-7-10 Clothesline: Any group of four pins in a line, e.g.

1-3-6-10 Greek Church: Any split in which two pins remain standing on one side and three on the other. The 5-pin must be knocked down. Lily/Sour Apple: 5-7-10 Poison Ivy: 3-6-10 The hardest shot in bowling is generally considered to be the 7-10 split, because the two remaining pins are at the furthest possible distance apart. It is extremely difficult to deliver the ball so that it hits the outside of one pin hard enough to deflect it into the other. This is particularly so because the pins are standing at the very edge of the lane and players who miscalculate their target line by even a few centimetres will end up rolling a gutter ball Strikes If a player knocks down all ten pins on their first roll, they are awarded a strike. When a strike is achieved, a player is given ten points for the ten downed pins, plus the total of their next two rolls. For this reason, the value of a strike is not known until the end of the next frame. Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame one (ten points awarded). Player knocks over five pins on ball one of frame two (five points awarded).

Player knocks down two pins on ball two of frame two (two points awarded). Player earns an additional seven points (total from frame two) for the strike in frame one. The total pinfall for frame one is 17 (10 + 7).The total pinfall for frame two is 7 points. After two frames, the player has 24 points. 1 17 24 For larger points, players must score multiple strikes in a row. Two consecutive strikes are referred to as a “double”, while three strikes in a row are called a “triple”, or “turkey”. A perfect game (12 strikes) is referred to in the US as a “Thanksgiving Turkey”. Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame one (ten points awarded). Player rolls a strike on ball one of frame two (ten points awarded). Player rolls a 3 on ball one of frame three (three points awarded). Player receives 13 extra points for the two rolls after the first strike. Player rolls a 4 on ball two of frame three (four points awarded). Player receives seven extra points for the two rolls after the second strike.

Total pinfall for frame one is 23 points, frame two pinfall is 17 points, frame three pinfall is 7 points. After three frames, player scores 47 points. 1 40 47 If a player scored three strikes in a row, they would receive a total of 30 points for the first frame strikes. This is the largest number of points that can be scored in any one frame. Spares If a player knocks down all ten pins in a frame after two rolls, they are awarded with a spare, which earns the player ten points for the ten pins that have been knocked over as well as the score of the next ball. Player bowls a 6 on ball one of frame one (six points awarded). Player bowls a 4 on ball two of frame one (four points awarded). Player bowls a 7 on ball one of frame two (seven points awarded). Player awarded seven extra points for the roll after the spare. Player rolls a gutter ball on ball two of frame two (zero points awarded). The total pinfall for frame one is now 17 (6 + 4 + 7) while frame two is worth 7 points. After two frames, player scores 24.

1 How To Identify Bowling Pin Formations Use and distribution of this article is subject to our terms and conditions whereby bowlingball.com's information and copyright must be included. How To Identify Bowling Pin Formations If you are learning how to identify bowling pin formations , then beginning with information about pin locations on the pin deck will be helpful. The pin deck is the portion of the lane at the back end of the lane where the pinsetter sets pins for each new frame of bowling. The triangular formation of the pins is established by the location of the pin spots on the pin deck. Pin spots are round and match the base of a standard United States Bowling Congress certified bowling pin. Since there are ten pins set each time the pinsetter recycles a frame of bowling, the pins are, therefore, best referred to by an identifying number. The pin nearest you when all ten pins are standing is commonly referred to as the "Head Pin" and is also known as the "No. 1 pin". Since a lane is typically about 40 boards across the lane in width and since the center board is referred to as the "20 Board", the center of the Head Pin is spotted directly on the twenty board, or in the exact center of the lane.

The Head Pin is the first of four rows of pins configuring the triangular formation of pins and is by itself in the first row of pins. The next row back from the foul line is the second row of pins. The second row of pins are identified by the "No. 2 Pin" and the "No. 3 Pin" from bowler's left to right. The center of the No. 2 Pin is located five board left of the head pin and directly spotted on the "25 board" of the lane, if you count boards from right to left at the foul line. The center of the No. 3 Pin is located five boards to the right of the head pin on the "15 Board", if you count boards from right to left at the foul line. The center of each pin spot for the No. 2 Pin and the No. 3 Pin are 12 inches diagonally from the Head Pin spot on the pin deck. The centers of the the No. 2 Pin and the No. 3 Pin are eleven boards apart and are directly positioned across from one another the same distance from the end of the pin deck. The third row of pins are positioned behind the second row of pins and are are numbered as the "No.

4 Pin", the "No. 5 Pin", and the "No. 6 Pin." In the third row of pins, the No. 5 Pin is aligned directly behind the Head Pin in the first row of pins. When a pin is aligned directly behind another pin and is difficult to see when viewing the entire pin formation from the center portion of the foul line, the pin directly behind another pin, such as the No. 5 Pin is behind the Head Pin, is commonly referred to as a "Sleeper" pin. The No. 4 Pin is positioned and centered on the pin deck located in the third row of pins and on the "30 Board" of the lane, if you are counting from bowler's right to left, and is 12 inches diagonally behind the No. 2 Pin in second row of pins. The No. 5 Pin is located on the "20 Board" in the third row of pins, same as the Head Pin and directly behind the Head Pin on the 20 Board of the lane. The No.

6 Pin is positioned and centered on the "10 Board" of the lane in the third row of pins, if you are counting from bowler's right to left at the foul line, and is 12 inches diagonally from the No. 3 Pin. The fourth row of pins contains four total pins in the formation. The "No. 7 Pin" is located to the far left of the formation from the foul line and is positioned directly on the "35 Board" of the lane and is diagonally positioned 12 inches behind the No. 4 Pin in the third row of pins. The "No. 8 Pin" is positioned on the "25 Board" of the lane directly behind the No. 2 Pin located in the second row of pins. The No. 8 Pin is another "Sleeper" pin in the formation, as is the No. 9 Pin. The "No. 9 Pin" is located in the fourth row of pins and is positioned on the "15 Board" of the lane and directly behind the No. 3 Pin located in the second row of pins. The "No. 10 Pin" is positioned diagonally 12 inches behind the No. 6 Pin and is located on the No.

5 Board of the lane, if you count from bowler's right to left at the foul line. Keep in mind the width of one board on the lane is about one inch wide, close enough for discussion purposes. Although some pins such as the No. 7 Pin or the No. 10 Pin appear to be positioned on the edge of the lane, the pin spots are centered five boards from the lane edges on both sides of the pin deck. Since the lane is about 60 feet from the foul line to the Head Pin, the pins will appear to the bowler closer to one another than they actually are positioned. It helps to understand that the diameter of a bowling ball is just about nine inches wide across at the ball center. If two pins remain standing in the same row, such as the No. 2 Pin and No. 3 Pin in the second row of pins, it is possible for the ball to contact both pins and knock them over if the pins are in front of the No. 2 and No. 3 pins, such as the Head Pin is not standing. If the No. 4 Pin and No.

5 Pin in the third row of pins remain standing with no other pins are left standing in the first or second rows of pins,the bowling ball can contact both pins is arriving in a centered position at contact and knock over both the No. 4 and No. 5 pins. The same holds true for an example of the No. 5 and No. 6 pins of the third row of pins and for examples in the back row of pins for the combination of the No. 7 and No. 8 pins, the No. 8 and No. 9 pins, and the No. 9 and the No. 10 pins, all positioned in the fourth row of pins. The pin combination where the ball can contact both pins in the same row of pins and knock them over are known as a "Split" combination. Of course, "Splits" may also be pins remaining standing which are located farther apart or not in the same row of pins than the previous example such as the No. 7 and No. 10 pin, the "Split" with two pins being the farthest apart of any possible combination of pins. There are several other "Split" combination of pins possible and all multiple pin combination leaves, by the way, are known as a "Spare" combination.

A "Spare" is defined as a pin or pins remaining standing after the first ball delivery of any given frame of bowling. Understanding how to identify bowling pin formations will help you learn to align yourself for strike ball deliveries, for spare combination deliveries, and to set overall strategies for lane adjustments for strikes and for spares. We hope this information helps you become more knowledgeable about "Ten Pin" bowling pin formations! While you are visiting our site today, please check out the vast menu of bowling consumer products we offer at great prices, with no shipping charges, and delivery right to your doorstep! bowlingball.com has become the No. 1 “e-tailer” of choice for bowling equipment by the consumers of America. Ordering is an easy process by following simple online instructions available 24 hours a day, every day of the year! Thanks for visiting bowlingball.com ! Customer Service Bowling 101 | PBA.com Bowling 101 (Courtesy World Ten Pin Bowling Association) The Lane and Equipment The playing surface is a lane, 60 feet long from the foul line to the head pin 42 inches wide.

On either side of the lane are gutters; if the ball goes off the edge of the lane, it will drop into the gutter and be carried past the pins. The approach is an area 15 feet long, ending at the foul line. The bowler, in making the approach, must not step over the line; 60 feet beyond it is the headpin. The pins are arranged in four rows, with one pin in the first row, two in the second, three in the third, and four in the fourth. They are numbered 1-10; the pins themselves don't carry specific numbers, but the spots on which they are placed do. The regulation pin is made of hard maple; it is 15 inches high and has a diameter of 2 ¼ inches at the base and a circumference of 15 inches at its widest point. Weight must be between 3 pounds, 6 ounces and 3 pounds, 10 ounces. The regulation ball is of solid composition, has a circumference of no more than 27 inches, and weighs 10 to 16 pounds.

A ball may have two or three finger holes; most bowlers use the three-holed ball, inserting the two middle fingers and the thumb into the holes. Bowling in ordinary shoes isn't permitted, because it can damage the lanes. The peculiarities of the sport demand an unmatched pair of shoes. The right-handed bowler wears a left shoe with a relatively slippery sole, usually of hard leather or vinyl, and a right shoe with a rubber sole that will help "brake." Progress of Play A game is made up of 10 frames. Each frame represents one turn for the bowler, and in each turn the player is allowed to roll the ball twice. If the player knocks down all the pins with the first roll, it is a strike; if not, a second roll at the pins still standing is attempted. If all the pins are knocked down with two balls, it is a spare; if any pins are left standing, it is an "open frame." If a bowler commits a foul, by stepping over the foul line during delivery, it counts as a shot, and any pins knocked down are re-spotted without counting.

If pins are knocked down by a ball that has entered the gutter, or by a ball bouncing off the rear cushion, they do not count, and are re-spotted. Scoring In an open frame, a bowler simply gets credit for the number of pins knocked down. In the case of a spare, a slash mark is recorded in a small square in the upper right-hand corner of that frame on the score sheet, and no score is entered until the first ball of the next frame is rolled. Then credit is given for 10 plus the number of pins knocked down with that next ball. For example, a player rolls a spare in the first frame; with the first ball of the second frame, the player knocks down seven pins. The first frame, then, gets 17 points. If two of the remaining three pins get knocked down, 9 pins are added, for a total of 26 in the second frame. If a bowler gets a strike, it is recorded with an X in the small square, the score being 10 plus the total number of pins knocked down in the next two rolls.

Thus, the bowler who rolls three strikes in a row in the first three frames gets credit for 30 points in the first frame. Bowling's perfect score, a 300 game, represents 12 strikes in a row--a total of 120 pins knocked down. Why 12 strikes, instead of 10? Because, if a bowler gets a strike in the last frame, the score for that frame can't be recorded before rolling twice more. Similarly, if a bowler rolls a spare in the last frame, one more roll is required before the final score can be tallied. Lane Etiquette Wait for the bowler to your right to deliver his/her ball if you're both bowling at about the same time. Remain behind your fellow bowler while he/she is bowling. Confine your bowling to your own lane. Observe the foul line, even in casual play. Play fair. Never bowl in street shoes. Avoid using someone else's ball without permission. Limit swearing and bad language as much as possible. Be ready when it's your turn. History of Bowling Bowing has been popular with millions of people for thousands of years.

Bowling balls and pins were found in the tomb of an Egyptian king who died in 5,200 B.C. The ancient Polynesians bowled on lanes that were 60 feet long, the same as today. Bowling was part of a religious ceremony in fourth century Germany. Those who could knock down the pins were said to be of good character. Those who missed had to do penance. Even Martin Luther was a bowler. British kings Edward II and Richard II banned bowling because they said people were wasting too much time playing the sport. But Sir Francis Drake played a game of bowls before he went to war against the Spanish Armada. Bowling has been popular in America since Colonial days. The British imported lawn bowling but German settlers introduced ninepins, the ancient game that evolved into today's modern tenpin sport. Because of confusion over playing standards, the top bowlers of the 19th century decided that the sport needed a standard set of rules. They started the American Bowling Congress in 1895 (now the United States Bowling Congress). The Women's International Bowling Congress was started in 1916.

Links United States Bowling Congress: International Bowling Hall of Fame: Follow the PBA | Catch the Action in Real Time Email Signup This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn't support. Sign up here instead Our Sponsors: How to Bowl (with Pictures) - wikiHow Learning the Basics of Bowling 1 Understand the bowling lane. Before you begin to bowl, you have to understand the function of the bowling lane. A bowling lane is 60 feet (18.3 m) long from the foul line, the line closest to the bowler, to the head pin, the pin closest to the bowler. There are gutters on either side of the bowling lane. If a ball veers off the lane, it goes into the gutters and is out of play. The approach area is 15 feet (4.6 m) long and ends at the foul line. The bowler cannot overstep the foul line during their approach or their shot won't count. If a ball goes into the gutters and then bounces out and hits the pins, it won't count. 2 Understand the bowling pins. Ten pins are arranged at the end of the bowling lane at the beginning of every frame.

They are arranged in a triangle formation, with the point of the triangle facing the bowler. There is one pin in the first row, which is the head pin, two pins in the second row, three in the third, and four in the fourth. [1] The locations of the pins are assigned numbers 1-10. The pins in the back row have the numbers 7-10, the pins in the row above the back row are numbered 4-6, the pins in the second row are numbered 2-3, and the head pin is pin 1. All pins will earn the bowler one point if they are hit. The numbers are based on location, not value. 3 Learn the lingo. Before you can call yourself a true bowler, you should be aware of a few different bowling terms. Knowing these terms will also make it much easier for you to understand the rules. Here they are: A strike is when you knock down all the pins with the ball on your first try. A spare is when you knock down all the pins on your second try.

A split is when the first ball of a frame knocks down the headpin (the pin closest to you) but leaves two or more pins that are non-adjacent. It's tough to hit a spare in this situation, especially if you have a 7-10 split, which is the hardest split to hit. A turkey is three strikes in a row. If any pins remain after the bowler's turn, it's called an "open frame." 4 Understand how a game of bowling works. One bowling game consists of 10 frames. Each frame is equal to one turn for the bowler. The bowler's objective is to knock down as many pins as possible in a frame, ideally all of them. A bowler can roll the ball twice in each frame, provided that they do not hit a strike. 5 Learn the scoring. If a bowler has an open frame, then they simply get credit for the number of pins they knocked down. If a bowler knocked down 6 pins after two turns, they simply get two turns. However, if a bowler hits a spare or a strike, the rules get slightly more complicated.

[2] If a bowler hits a spare, then they should place a slash mark on their score sheet. After their next turn, they will receive 10 points plus the number of pins they knock down with that turn. So if they knock down 3 pins after their first turn, then they will get 13 points before their second turn. If they then knock down 2 pins in their second turn, they get a total of 15 points for that round. If a bowler hits a strike, they should record an X on their scoresheet. The strike will earn the bowler ten points plus the number of pins knocked down on the player's next two turns in the following round. The most a bowler can score in one game is 300 points. This represents 12 strikes in a row, or 120 pins that were knocked down in 12 frames. A perfect game has 12 strikes and not ten, because if the bowler gets a strike on the last frame, then they can take two more turns. If those two turns are also strikes, they will have 300 points.

If a player rolls a spare in the last frame, then they can take one more turn. Part 2 Preparing to Bowl 1 Find a bowling alley. Go online to find a local bowling alley that suits your needs. Try to find a place that offers bowling lessons or has beginner bowling leagues. If you want to go bowling with friends, find a place that's rated for having a fun environment and maybe some food and snacks as well. 2 Go to the bowling alley you've chosen. Talk to the fellow bowlers and staff, and see if you can even join a game. Alternately, you can go to an alley with a group of friends. If you ask a crowd if you can join their game, make sure it isn't too competitive. You may even make new friends at the alley. 3 Get some bowling shoes. If you're a beginner, you can just rent shoes at the alley. If you want to kick up your game, you can buy a pair of your own shoes. Street shoes won't work for bowling because they'll either make you stick to the floor instead of sliding naturally, or they'll make you slip too much and injure yourself.

If you don't wear bowling shoes, you can also damage or leave scuff marks on the alley floor. Rent a pair of shoes unless you want to get in trouble before you even start bowling. Don't forget to wear socks or bring socks to the alley. Some alleys sell socks, but they will be expensive. 4 Choose the right ball. Before you can begin to bowl, you need to find a ball that is the right weight for you and which is the right size for your fingers. The balls will be labeled based on their weight, so a ball with "8" written on it will weigh 8 pounds. Here's how to find a ball of the right size and weight: [3] Weight. A 14-16 lb ball would work for most adults with bigger hands, and a 10-14 lb ball would work for most adults with smaller hands. Generally, it's better to have a ball that is a little heavier because it will help you gain momentum. A general rule is that a ball should weigh 10% as much as your body, so if you weigh 140 pounds, you should bowl with a 14 lb ball. Size of the thumb hole.

Your thumb should fit snugly into the single thumb hole. You should be able to take it out of the hole without it snagging or getting stuck, but the hole shouldn't be so large that you have to squeeze your thumb in the hole to hang on. Size of the middle finger holes. Once you've inserted your thumb, you should lay your middle and ring finger across the other two holes. If the span is correct, your two fingers should easily and comfortably lay over the two holes so the middle joint lines up with the side of the hole closest to your thumb. Curl your two fingers into the holes to make sure they fit snugly in the hole like your thumb. 5 Find your bowling lane. Once you've signed up at the alley and put on your shoes, you will be directed to a bowling lane. If you get to choose your lane, pick a lane that is away from loud or noisy people. But it's your choice: you may be able to bowl better if you're surrounded by other bowlers. Part 3 Starting Bowling 1 Hold the ball correctly. First, pick up your ball and head to the right spot in front of the bowling lane.

Place your middle and ring finger in the top 2 holes and place your thumb into the bottom hole. Hold the ball slightly to your side with your bowling hand underneath the ball and your other hand resting on the bottom side of the ball for extra support. Keep your thumb on top of the ball at 10:00 position if you're right-handed. Use the 2:00 position if you're a lefty. 2 Approach the foul line. The standard approach consists of standing with your back straight, your shoulders centered squarely towards your target, and your knees slightly bent. Your ball arm should hand straight down by your side. Your back should be tilted slightly forward. Your feet should be slightly apart and your "slide foot" should be placed slightly in front of the other foot. Your slide foot will be the opposite of the hand you use to bowl (a right handed bowler will slide with their left foot). 3 Work on aiming the ball. Your bowling lane should have a series of dots 7 feet (2.1 m) down the lane, and black arrows about fifteen feet down the lane. If you're a beginning bowler, you should aim to roll the ball in the center of these marks.

Once you develop your bowling skills, you can aim to the left or the right of the marks when you hook the ball. Even if you aim your ball through the center of the marks, you may not be able to hit the pins because the ball can slow down or roll off toward the gutters. Just notice where the ball rolls when you do and don't bowl a solid frame and adjust your aim accordingly. Focus on aiming at the marks, not the pins. 4 Release the ball. Maintain a straight forward, non-twisting approach of your body, as your ball and hand position should be held relatively the same -- underneath and behind the ball during the swing. Swing your ball arm smoothly back and then forward to release the ball. Release the ball when your arm has moved as far forward as it can go. When released properly, your thumb should come out first, followed by the fingers. This should help get rotation on the ball, which should help the ball hook and carry once it gets down the lane. Keep your eye on the target you're aiming towards as you release the ball. If you look down at your feet or the ball, you will lose balance and won't be able to aim your ball correctly.

5 Wipe your hands after your turn is over. Make sure your hands are completely dry before you pick up the ball to start bowl each time. Use a cloth to wipe your hands, or at least wipe your hands on your pants if you don't have one. If your hands are still sweaty, the ball can slip out of your hands. You can also use rosin, which can be found in most pro bowling shops, to make your fingers and thumb slightly tacky and less slippery. 6 Keep score throughout the game. Most bowling alleys will have a computer near the sitting area that allows you to keep score. If an alley doesn't have a computer, then you will be given a score sheet to record your scores. Either way, the process is the same. Here's how to keep score: The area in the upper left of each frame is to record the first ball, and the box to the left is for the second ball and if you have a strike. A strike is marked with a "X" and a spare with a "/". 7 Finish close to the foul line. The distance between the delivery line and you should be of about 6 inches if you want to have an optimal release.

This means that the ball is lofted a small distance over the foul line before it makes contact with the lane. Thus, the ball gets further down the lane and it preserves energy when hitting the pins. Finishing too far from the foul line means you’ll have to move closer to it when you start in the stance. Remember that a strike is 10 plus the next two balls, whereas a spare is 10 plus the next ball. If you strike in the first ball in the 10th frame, you get two more balls to determine your final score. 300 is the highest score you can get. Part 4 Improving Your Bowling Game 1 Watch bowling on TV. Carefully observe the professionals and see what techniques they use. You can also watch video clips of expert bowlers online. Try to imitate the bowler's stances in your own home. Just remember that you're watching experts, and that your bowling technique will be much simpler than theirs. 2 Ask for advice. If you want to really improve your game, seek out help from other, more advanced bowlers and from coaches. It will always help to have a critical eye watching you and you will gain new insight. 3 Join a bowling league.

This is a great way to keep up a regular practice and to make new friends. Part 5 Bowling etiquette Just like any other game, bowling is supposed to be fun! While browsing through the following rules of etiquette, keep in mind that they have been established to help the game run smoothly. 1 Read carefully and follow all the specific rules that are posted at the alley. 2 While on the lanes, wear only bowling shoes. 3 Don’t start bowling until the pin-setting machine has finished its cycle. 4 Allow the bowler in an adjacent lane to play first if you both approach the runway at the same time. Otherwise, the player who arrives first goes first. 5 Don’t step or go beyond the foul line, even in casual play. Bowling is a sport so play fair. 6 The ball should be bowled down the lane. Avoid any throwing or tossing of the, as it may damage the lane. 7 Don’t play your game on another lane, you should have enough space on your own. 8 Always ask for permission first when using someone else’s ball. 9 Avoid distracting other players while they are bowling. Check your language and limit swearing as much as you can. 10 Be ready when it's your turn to bowl.

11 If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips Keep your eye on your target as you are about to bowl. Follow-through is important... for example, if you finish your swing with your hand turned like you are going to give a handshake, it will hook the ball. Bend your knees when you do your approach. This will help you get a straight ball or a little curvy. Ideally, you want the ball to hook into the pocket (1-3 for right handers) to get the best carry for strike, and straighter is usually better for spares, especially single pin. A ball that is drilled for you by a professional experienced driller will help you not strain yourself trying to hold onto the ball, as well as getting a clean release-which is key to consistently scoring well. Stepping is a very important part in bowling. When you start your turn, have the ball at your waist in both hands with your left foot on the center marker. If you are right handed, step out with your right foot, and move the ball outward too. Then next step, you start tossing the ball backwards.

Then your third step, the ball is behind you with a swinging motion in progress. Then your final, fourth step, should be your left leg, about three to eight inches away from the foul line, as you quickly swing the ball outward in front of you in however way you are aiming at the pins. To make your ball go left, turn your hand a little to the left, same with the right hand if you want it to go right. Warnings Continue your swing through after releasing the ball to help in preventing injury. Don't lose your grip on the ball or it may go flying. Don't swing your shoulder too far back or it may get hurt. Things You'll Need Bowling Score Calculator A strike (X) is when the bowler knocked down all 10 pins on the first try. (i.e. the first ball rolled). Since it's a strike there is no need to roll the ball for a second try for that frame! A spare (/) is when the bowler knocked down less than 10 pins with the first try (the first ball rolled) but knocked down the remaining pins with the second ball for a total of 10 pins knocked down for that frame.

The maximum score for a game = 300 Examples of scoring Take a simple game where you have no strikes and no spares. You just throw 2 balls per frame knocking down 5 on your first ball and 3 on your second ball. And.. by chance you do this for all 10 frames of the game. So... each frame would be worth 8 points for a grand total score of 80 for the whole game Let's hope you are a bit better than that and get a strike. Strikes are worth more and are a little more complicated to score The rule for a strike score is as follows: The score for the strike frame = 10 plus the total of the next TWO BALLS THROWN plus the previous frame score. What??

Say you have the following scores frame #1 = 8 (you rolled two balls but only knocked down 8 pins) frame #2 = X (strike!) You knocked down all 10 pins with the first ball) frame #3 (ball 1) = 7 pins knocked down and ball 2 = (only 1 more pin knocked down) Your score for frame #1 = 8 Your score for frame #2 = 10 + frame3(ball1) + frame3(ball2) + frame #1 score = 10 + 7 + 1 + 8 = 26 (this is the score you write down in the frame #2 box) Your score for frame 3 is just simple math or frame 2 + frame 3 = 34 (the score written in frame #3 box) Remember you can't compute frame 2's score UNTIL you have thrown TWO more balls (in frame 3)!!! Try this on the calculator and watch the scores appear. Now you get a spare Spares are almost the same as strikes except they are worth 10 points plus the value of the next ball thrown. What??

Continue with frame #4 frame #4 you roll ball 1 and knock down 5 pins so ball 1 = 5 on your second ball for Frame #4 you knock down the remaining pins ball2 = 5 (all pins knocked down - 2 balls spare!) you can't total frame 4 yet because you need the value of your next ball in upcoming frame#5 Say in frame #5 you roll your ball and knock down 8 pins on the first roll. Ball 1 in Frame # 5 = 8 Now we can determine Frame #4s score. Now frame #4 score = 10 + frame 5(ball 1 value) + the score total in frame#3 = 10 + 8 + 34 Continuing on you roll your second ball in Frame#5 and you knock down 1 more pin. So the total score for frame #5 will be: frame #5 score = 52 (from frame#4) + 9 from frame #5 total = 61 Try this on the calculator and watch the scores appear.

Another tricky part is the 10th frame if you get a strike on your FIRST ball - you must throw TWO more balls so you can compute the 10th frame score. (If these balls are strikes also, they only count as 10 each. They are just needed to get your next ball values.) You get a spare by a combination of your first and your SECOND ball you must throw a third ball to compute the spare equation. YOU ONLY THROW UP TO 3 balls in the 10th frame. Hope this helps, try it out on the calculator Close We are bowlers and we strive to make this the Internet's best bowling score calculator. Today we have a calculator for the 10 Pin bowlers out there and another calculator for Duck Pin bowlers. Of course one of the main reasons for this application is to answer the "what if's". At work the next day after league play from the previous night those missed spares nag at me. Have you ever wondered - What if I just picked up one more spare? Well, this website is for you. Try it on on your mobile device!

Please send us your feedback - bowlinggenius@bowlinggenius.com Close How to use this calculator This is a website that calculates a bowling score based upon your input. You can have as many as 12 simultaneous games on the screen at one time. Simply click the button that says <Start Another Game> If you want more games to appear then click the <Start Another Game> button again and again. Scoring This website is designed to allow you to enter valid scores only for a normal 10 Pin bowling game. It enforces the normal rules of bowling as if you were actually at the bowling ally. You must progress to enter scores from Frame #1 through Frame #10 just as you would if actually bowling in a game. The current frame you are bowling, the frame you can enter a value in, is highlighted in light blue. To enter a value in the current active frame simply click a ball score button located above indicating how many pins you knocked down. The calculator will automatically put the correct ball score value in the correct spot on the bowling sheet. Ball 1 score appears on the left side of the frame and ball 2 score appears in the small box on the right side of the frame.

Strikes appear as an X and spares appear as a / Your total score for the frame appears below the ball score values just as it does on normal scoring at the bowling ally. Total score for the game appears in the last active frame. Rescoring and Corrections Simply click with your mouse any frame to rescore the value and see what the new score for the game calculates to. This allows extremely easy what if scenarios. Max Score Possible As you enter values you will notice the Max Possible value changing. This box is intended to show you what score would be possible if you made strikes for the remaining frames left in the game. Handicap Information Click the icon in the upper left area near frame #1 and when the popup menu appears enter handicap and bowler name information for this game. Once you enter a handicap value the total handicap score should compute. The bowling games are draggable objects. Simply move the whole game with your mouse to organize your screen. Too many games appearing? Click the up arrow icon to minimize a game. A down arrow icon will appear to restore the game. To delete a game simply click the trash can icon. Mobile devices This website has been designed to automatically scale to most devices.

If it does not appear normal on your device please let us know. Errors If you find an error, we hope you do not, but Please let us know! This website has been to designed with the intent you have an connection to the Internet. If you disconnect from the Internet your current active games should continue to work but you will not be able to start new games. Offline modes are in the works. Close Bowling Pin Specifications Use and distribution of this article is subject to our terms and conditions whereby bowlingball.com's information and copyright must be included. Bowling Pin Specifications Everyone should learn about bowling pin specifications . Since knowledge is always key in the path to improvement, let's examine useful bits of information about United States Bowling Congress (USBC) bowling pin specifications. First, bowling pins are made of hard maple wood and are either plastic coated or constructed in one piece or laminated in two or more pieces? Of course, as pins age or wear from use and constant collisions with bowling balls, there are maintenance procedures allowed by USBC which preserve the life and usefulness of the pins. The use of steel wool or sandpaper to remove dirt and surface splinters and the application of finish and/or the patching of plastic coated pins are permitted but must meet USBC specifications.

The weight of a standard wood pin or a plastic coated pin is not less than 3 lbs 6 ounces and not more than 3 lbs 10 ounces. The average weight pin is about 24% of the weight of a 15 lb. bowling ball. It is easy to understand how a ball will deflect excessively upon contact with a pin if a fairly precise bowling ball angle of entry is not created. Allowing for pin deflection is an important part of strike and spare alignment systems. It is also easy to understand that if a bowling ball is not delivered with a sufficient average velocity, either too much speed or not enough speed, the ball will deflect more than a ball deflects if delivered in an optimum speed range. Typically, a ball measured from the release point to impact with the pocket should be between 2.1 seconds elapsed time and 2.4 seconds or about an average speed of 18-21 m.p.h. at release and about 16-18 m.p.h. at impact with the pins. Bowling balls are manufactured to be delivered in this optimum speed range to maximize pin carry and produce a consistent ball motion traveling down the lane.

The height of a bowling pin is 15" but certainly appears much shorter when viewing the pins from the lane approach area. The diameter of the cup at the base of the pin is 3/4". The base diameter of a pin is 2 1/4". The narrowest pin diameter is 1.8" and about 10" above the base of the pin and is sometimes referred to as the "neck" of the pin. The Center of Gravity of a pin, measured from the bottom of the pin, is 5 5/16" or about one third way up the height of the pin and approximately one inch above the widest pin diameter area of 4.76" measured 4.5" above the pin base. The CG of a bowling pin and the widest part of the pin diameter are both very near the same point where a bowling ball contacts the pin given that the radius measurement of a bowling ball is also about 4.5 inches above the lane surface. Because of this, pins can deflect more predictably than one might expect. The bowling ball manufacturing engineers, therefore, can use core and coverstock technology to create ideal ranges of bowling ball entry angles to optimize pin carry.

A bowling ball entering the pocket in a straight line parallel to the edges of the lane will deflect more than a ball hooking into the pocket and is at a disadvantage to produce a "strike" result to due to the deflection factor. For a right handed bowler, the straight line delivery reduces the ability of the bowling ball to also contact the 5 pin in the second row of pins and the 9 pin in the third row of pins (in most cases the 9 pin and in some cases the 8 pin as well) due to excessive deflection off of the head pin on strike deliveries which also may result in reducing the pin carry and the likelihood of getting a strike. It is also useful to know something about the pin spots on the pindeck and their relative locations to the edges of the lane and back of the lane. The center of the 7 and the 10 pin spots are located 2.75" from the edge of the lane. The pin spots are 2 1/4" in diameter and must be spaced 12" apart in an equilateral triangle formation.

The 7, 8, 9, & 10 pins center of spot is 3" from the pit at the back edge of the pindeck. The distance from the center of the 7 and 10 pin spots to the nearest kickback panel is 12 1/16". This 12' distance from the kickback panel plus the additional 2 3/4" the ten pin is spotted on the pindeck from the edge of the lane yield total of 15" a pin must travel from the kickback to also contact the 10 pin and produce a strike result. The term "weak 10" (for right handed bowlers) refers to the 10 pin remaining standing on a good pocket delivery. Because the pin deflecting off of the right side kick panel (usually the 6 pin) did not make it back to also contact the 10 pin due to the excessive room between the kickback panel and the 10 pin on the pindeck and generally remains in the channel, the bowler thereby leaves the "weak 10 pin" spare to convert.

The head pin is equidistant from both kickbacks and edges of the lane and is located 34 3/16" from the center of the pin spot to the pit. The overall lane width is 41.5", not including the channel measurements. With these bowling pin specifications and lane measurements in mind, it is easier to understand how a bowling ball is wide enough to contact both adjacent pins in the same row of pins such as the 4-5 pin combination or the 5-6 pin combination. A bowling ball can deflect enough if it contacts the right edge of the 3 pin to also contact the left edge of the 10 pin for the right handed bowler's "baby split." Same on the left side of the lane with the 2 and 7 pins for left and handed bowlers. If, however, a bowling ball hooks too sharply just prior to impact with the 3 pin, then it will not contact the 10 pin as well. That is why most top-flight amateur and professional bowlers will use a cross angle delivery and/or a non-aggressive coverstock bowling ball to avoid the bowling ball hooking too severely upon impact when attempting to convert the 3-10 pin split.

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Question: How many pins are in the back row in ten-pin bowling?
Answer: Four