Types of Bowling Games

Most people think of bowling as a game where the players try and knock down 10 pins by rolling a ball down the lane. This is actually just one type of bowling called ten-pin. There are many other types of bowling games besides than ten-pin, with different rules or different balls and pins.

  1. Duckpin

    • Duckpin bowling is a game popular on the U.S. East Coast that has all the same rules as ten-pin but the pins are shorter and the ball is smaller.

    Five-pin

    • In five-pin, there are five pins placed in a V-shape and the pins have different point values. The pin in the middle is worth five points, the two on each side of that pin are each worth three points and the outside pins are two points each. Players get three chances to knock down the pins, but knocking them down in one roll is still a strike and two is still a spare. Those points carry over the same as in ten-pin.

    Candlepin

    • In candlepin, the pins are taller and thinner than in ten-pin. The ball is also lighter, smaller and has no holes, so it is much harder to roll the ball hard enough and with enough control to get a strike.

    Nine-pin

    • In nine-pin, there are nine pins set up in a diamond shape and the players actually try and knock down the eight pins on the outside without knocking down the middle pin. If a player succeeds, he gets 12 points, but if he fails, gets a point for each pin that is knocked down.

    Skittles

    • All these types of bowling games are based on a European game called skittles. There are many numerous types of Skittles that have different numbers of pins, ball sizes, pin sizes and scoring systems.