BASIC CONCEPTS
Before you go to play, you have to understand the dimensions of a bowling alley. The bowling alley has a length of 18 m (60 feet) from the throw line (the line closest to the player) to the main bolus (the bolus closest to the player).
There are channels on both sides of the bowling alley. If the ball deviates, it falls into the channels and leaves the game.
The approach zone is 4.5 m (15 feet) long and ends at the throw line. The player may not step on the throw line during his run or his shot will be invalid.
If a ball falls into the channels and then bounces and hits the pins, the shot is invalid.
Tenpins is organized at the end of the court in each of the innings. They are organized with a triangular formation, with the tip of the triangle facing the player. There is only one bolus in the first row, this is the main bolus, two boluses in the second row, three in the third and four in the last.
Numbers 1 through 10 are assigned to the location of the pins. The pins in the back have numbers 7 to 10, the pins in front of the last row are numbered 4 to 6, the pins in the second row are numbered 2 and 3 and the main bolus carries the number 1.
All pins are worth one point if the player hits them successfully. Numbers are based on their location, not their value in points.
Learn bowling jargon
To be a true bowler, you must learn the different terms used in the game. Knowing these terms also makes it easier for you to understand the rules. Here they are:
A strike is when you knock down all the pins with the ball on the first try.
A spare is when you knock down all the pins on the second attempt.
Split is when the first ball in the square hits the main bolus (the bolus closest to the player) but leaves two or more non-adjacent boluses standing. It is difficult to convert a banderilla, especially if bowls 7 and 10 are standing.
A triple (“turkey“) is three full in a row.
If there are any boluses left after the player’s turn, it is called an open frame.
Understands how bowling works.
A bowling alley consists of 10 squares. Each square is equivalent to a player’s turn. The player’s objective is to knock down as many pins as possible in a square, ideally knocking them all down. The player has two throws per square, assuming he doesn’t get a full one.
Learn how to keep score.
If the player gets an open frame, then he receives points equivalent to the number of pins he knocked down. If the player knocks down 6 pins after two turns, he simply receives two turns. However, if the player gets a full or banners, the rules get a little more complicated. If the player gets banners, he must place a slash (/) on his scorecard. After his next turn, he will receive 10 points in addition to the number of pins he knocked down that turn. For example, if you knocked down 3 pins after your first turn, you receive 13 points before your second turn. If you then knock down 2 pins in your second turn, you get a total of 15 points in that round.
If the player gets a full score, he must place an X on his scorecard. The plenum gives the player 10 points plus the number of pins the player knocks down in his next two turns in the next round.
The highest possible score is 300 points. To achieve this, you must get 12 full points in a row or 120 pins in 12 squares. A perfect game has 12 plenums and not ten, because if the player gets a plenum in his last square, then he gets two more turns. If in those two turns he also gets a full, then he gets 300 points. If the player gets banderillas in his last square, then he gets an additional turn.
Next Steps and Where to Purchase Equipment
When you’re ready to make the leap, you can read these articles to learn what bowling equipment we recommend for every different kind of player and choose what suits you better. We try to review the best bowling equipment in the market every few weeks to keep up-to-date with the current trends.
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