Rules for Candlepin Bowling

Created in 1890 by Justin White and John Monsey, candlepin bowling is an alternative to traditional ten-pin bowling. The rules and appearance of the two games are similar, but candlepin bowling uses smaller pins and balls, making it more accessible to women, children and the elderly. Increased distance between the smaller pins also makes candlepin bowling a good test of skill for experienced traditional bowlers.

  1. Scoring

    • Players score in candlepin bowling by knocking down pins with the bowling ball; each pin knocked down equals a point. In each of the ten "frames" of candlepin bowling, players have three chances to knock down all ten pins. Knocking all ten down in one turn is a "strike," and doing the same in two turns is a "spare."

    Strike and Spare Scoring

    • Players who roll strikes end their turn and add the score of the next two throws, in the next frame, to both the strike frame and the frame that follows the strike. Players who throw spares also end their turn. Instead of adding the next two throws to the earlier spare frame's score, though, players add only their next throw.

    Fair Ball

    • A fairly thrown ball is any ball that rolls down the wooden lane and strikes the pins without ever entering the gutter on the side. The player must throw the ball before touching the foul line at the beginning of the lane, and the ball must make contact with the lane before the lob line located ten feet beyond the foul line--players may not hurl the ball at the pins.

    Downed Pins

    • In a significant shift from traditional ten-pin bowling, which sweeps away all downed pins before allowing players to throw another ball, candlepin bowling leaves downed pins on the lane and allows players to use them as a device to knock down the remaining pins. In light of the much smaller size of candlepins, this change was necessary and adds another level of skill to the game.