Let us remember the definition of bowling according to the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA). A bowling game of ten pins consists of 10 frames. A player throws two balls in each of the first nine frames unless a strike is marked.
In the tenth frame, a player throws the ball three times if a spare or strike is scored. Each frame will be completed by each player in a regular order.
During an inning or frame, five things can happen when the ball is thrown. Tear down all the pins in a single throw. Tear down the pins standing on the second throw. Leave pins standing after two throws. Throw the ball into the channel. Committing a foul.
To record the events that occur in a frame there is a symbology. The symbology used is the following: Strike: is marked with an X (x) Spare: is marked with a diagonal line (/)
Fault: is marked with a horizontal line (-)
Split: is marked with a circle surrounding the number of pins knocked down (0)
Foul: is marked with an F (f)
This symbology is recorded in a cumulative table launch by launch. In some bowling alleys, the registration is done automatically, this registration is obtained by the information transmitted from the cameras and sensors on the track to the pinsetter. In other bowling alleys the player or a notebook makes the manual record of what happened in each frame, for this purpose is provided a form of annotation In both cases, the record is made a table like this:
The boxes marked from one to ten indicate the frame or entry. In each frame, there are two squares at the top and a space at the bottom. In the small squares of the high part, the pins demolished in each launch of the frame will be registered. In the box below, the count of pins shot down cumulatively will be kept.
The number of pins knocked down by the player on the first throw of a frame will be recorded in the small box in the upper left corner of each frame.
If no pin is knocked down on the second throw of a frame a horizontal line (-) will be marked. In that case, the count for the two pitches will be recorded immediately.
In the second frame the number of pins knocked down in the second throw will be recorded, in the space, at the bottom, the sum of pins knocked down in the two throws will be recorded, in that space, the accumulated frame per frame will also be recorded.
A strike will be counted when all the pins are knocked down in the first throw, the record will be made in the box destined for the record of the first throw.
The spare will be written down when ten pins are completed in the second throw, its record will be made in the box on the right in the upper corner of each frame.
The conversion of strikes and spares has additional bonuses. A strike adds 10 points and has a bonus, those 10 points will be added to the number of pins knocked down in the next two throws.
The spare also adds 10 points that will be added to the number of pins knocked down on the next pitch. In both cases, the space for the sum must be left blank. This space will be filled only when the player has taken the next throw, for the spare, or the next two, if a strike was scored. With the following example it will be easy to understand:
Frame n°1
On the first pitch, a strike is recorded, which is recorded in the first box. The sum square is left to be filled until the player makes the next two throws. The next two throws correspond to frame number two. In the two throws, he knocked down 9 and one pin respectively, converting the spare, in this case, the sum will be: 9 of the first throw, plus 1 of the following one. To this sum of pins, we add the 10 of the strike noted in the previous frame; we will then have (9+1) + 10= 20
Frame n°2
As we saw in the first release of this frame the player knocked down 9 pins and in the second he knocked down the pin standing to do the spare. As in the first frame, we must leave without filling in the sum box. We will wait until we know how many pins it will knockdown in the next release. The number of pins knocked down in the first release of the third frame is six. To that number of pins, we add the 10 spare points.
We will know what is the value of the second frame, this will be 10 of the spare plus 6 of the first launch of the third entry, the value of the second frame will be 10 + 6 = 16.
This result must be added to the first frame to carry the accumulated. Doing that sum we will be able to fill the box of the second frame.
The result will be 20 + (9 + 1) + 6 = 36
Frame n°3
In the first throw the player knocked down 6 and in the second throw 2 pins, leaving two standing.
In all, in that frame, he knocked down 8 pins. As there is no strike or spare there will be no bonus. Since there is no bonus, we will be able to establish the value of the entry. This value will correspond to the accumulated up to the second frame plus the 8 pins.
Frame n°4
On the first pitch the player knocked down 8 pins leaving a split. In the second throw, he didn’t hit any pins. The register will be like this: The value to register in this frame will correspond to the accumulated until the third inning. Adding the 8 pins knocked down. The sum will be: 20 + 16 + 8 + 8 = 52
Frame no.5
In this inning the player knocked down all the pins by striking. Therefore we must wait to know how many pins he will knockdown in the next two throws to add the 10 bonus points. In the next throw, he strikes again. We must wait for the next throw before adding it.
Now we can set the value of the fifth frame. The sum of the two pitches is 20. Ten of the first pitch in frame 6, plus 10 of the second pitch in frame 7. The value of the fifth frame will be 30 and it is determined this way:
On the next pitch, he again scores a strike.
10 of the bonus of the first strike plus 20 of the following two pitches: 10 + (10 + 10) = 30. Now we can record accumulated up to that frame. We will have to add the total of pins knocked down until the fourth frame with the value of the fifth, the sum will be: 52 + 30 = 82.
Frame n° 6
In this frame the player knocked down all the pins by striking. We already know that in the next pitch he also took a strike.
Now we have to wait to know how many pins he will knockdown in the next throw, throw the player throws the ball into the channel.
We can now determine the value of the sixth frame as follows: 10 + (10 + 0) =20
The value of accumulated up to the fifth frame plus the value of the sixth will give us the total number of pins demolished so far. The sum will be: 82 + 20 = 102
Frame n° 7
In this frame the player converted strike. To be able to add and accumulate in this inning, we must know how many pins he throws in the next two throws, which correspond to the eighth inning.
The first throw is a ball into the channel. The second throw knocks down all the pins. In this case for knocking down all the pins after two pitches is not strike, it is spare. Already made the two pitches we can add to establish the value of the seventh frame. Once determining the value of that frame, we must accumulate the sum. The final value will be 10 of the spare in the eighth inning, plus 10 of the strike. In summary 10 + 0 + 10 = 20 The accumulated will be 102+20 = 122
Frame No. 8
The first shot registers a ball to the channel, i.e. zero pins. In the second throw, the 10 pins are thrown. It is not a strike because it knocks down the pins in the second throw, in this case, it is counted as a spare. The value of the eighth frame will be 10.
To add we must wait for the first release of the next frame.
The first release of the eighth frame is 9 pins so the value of the eighth frame will be 19 which is obtained from the sum of the 9 pins of the next release to the spare. The 10 bonus points per spare are added. Finally, the value of the eighth frame will be 10 + 9 = 19. Accumulating the score that was brought up to the seventh frame will add: 122 + 19 = 141
Frame n°9
In the first launch it drops 9 pins and in the second launch, the spare conversion fails. The value of the ninth frame will be 9 pins. When there is a failure only the accumulated one must be added, plus the demolished pins.
This will be a bonus for having converted the spare. The value of the frame results from adding (9 + 1) + 9. That will be the value to add to the accumulated. Continuing with our example, the final result of the game would be:
Frame n°10
This frame has multiple possibilities: Spare: when after the first throw it leaves pins standing, then it throws them in a second shot and marks spare. In this example, we see that in two pitches he knocked down the ten pins. In the next throw, he knocked down 9.
Failure: another possibility is that after having knocked down any number of pins, the player fails the spare. In that case, he will not be entitled to any more throws.
At that moment the game will end and will only add to the accumulated number of pins knocked down in the first valid pitch.
Ball to the channel: the player throws the ball to the channel in the first turn of that frame and in the second throw leave pins standing. The value to be added to the accumulated will be simply the number of pins knocked down.
It can also happen that the player, after having thrown a ball into the channel on the first shot, knocks down all ten pins on his second attempt. In this way a spare will be registered, in this case, it will be necessary to add the number of pins knocked down in the two throws. As a bonus will be added the pins knocked down in one next, in equal knocked down all the pins (strike). In this opportunity the value of the tenth frame will be: (0 + 10) + 10 = 20
Another possibility can be given in the tenth frame. When the player throws two balls into the channel consecutively, in that case, the value of the frame would be zero.
Foul: if the player commits a foul on the first throw of the frame it will be marked as zero downed pins.
In that case, it will be necessary to restart the cycle and make all the pins stand up. Then it will execute its second throw and later the fallen pins will be added. To add, all the options described above will be taken into account when there is a ball in the channel.
Strike: When a strike is scored on the first turn of the tenth frame the player has a bonus. This bonus entitles the player to execute two new throws. That first throw will have a value of 10. In order to add to the frame and add to the accumulated, it is necessary to wait for the player to execute the next two shots. Once the two throws have been executed, the value of frame #10 can be determined.
From the second shot of the frame, you can have several options. For example, leave pins in place and convert the spare.
The value of the frame will be 10 + (9+1) = 20 Throw ball to the channel the value of the frame will be 10 + (0 + 10) = 20
Commit foul the value of the frame will be: 10 + (0 + 9) = 19 Do one or two more strikes. In this case the sum inside the frame will be: 10 + (10 + 10) = 30
A perfect game: It is said that a game is perfect when the athlete converts twelve consecutive strikes into one game. Each strike must be achieved on the first pitch of each frame.
Next Steps and Where to Purchase Equipment
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