Rules for 10 Pin Bowling

Bowling is a popular sport for the beginner or expert. It can be a family night affair or a competitive week-long tournament. Scoring your bowling game takes some basic knowledge, but once you get the hang of it, bowling rules and scoring are as easy as learning how to roll the ball down the alley.

  1. Bowling order and length of games

    • Depending on the number of players (usually one to four per lane), each bowler will take turns on an alley. The bowler has two shots per frame, with 10 frames bowled. If the bowler should knock down all 10 pins in the first roll, referred to as a strike, a second shot isn't necessary. Once every bowler gets their turn(s) per frame, begin the same process for the next frame.

    The difference between strikes and spares

    • The number of pins you knock down is the number you will get on your scorecard. For instance, if you get six pins for two rolls, you'll add six to your scorecard. If you knock down 10 pins in two rolls, that's considered a spare. If you get a strike or spare, those throws will be added with additional rolls. A strike is written as an "X" while a spare would be written in the second throw as a "/."

      In the tenth frame, if you spare, you get one additional shot. If you get a strike on the first ball of the tenth, you get two additional throws.

    Scoring spares and strikes

    • Scoring open frames is fairly simple. If your score for a frame is eight and then the next frame is six, the total for the two frames are 14.

      Scoring spares and strikes is different. When you score a one-pin spare, you mark it "9" and "/." At that time, you don't add 10 pins to the previous frame. With a spare, you will add 10 pins to your first throw following the next throw. For example, if you have a score of 100 entering the seventh frame, throw a spare in the eighth, then a five in your first roll of the ninth frame, you would wait to post your score in the eighth until that first roll of the ninth. So your score would be 15 added to the 100 from the seventh, giving you 115 for your score in the eighth.

      Scoring strikes is similar to spares, but you're adding two throws, not one. If you throw a strike, you'll add pins from your next two throws. If you throw continuous strikes, you'll add up 10 pins per frame, for 30 pins maximum. For example, if you have a score of 100 entering the seventh frame, throw a strike in the eighth, and throw a "4" and "5" the next two throws, you'll add 19 in the eighth to your 100, then add the nine pins you threw in the ninth.

    Fouls

    • There is a line at the end of your approach before the actual lane itself. If on your release you cross this line with your toe, you've committed a foul. The pins you've knocked down are nullified and you must re-rack your pins. Your score for that throw is zero.