Most modern bowling alleys have electric score counters, but understanding how to calculate bowling scores is important when electric scorers aren't available or when you're just playing for fun in your backyard. Knowing how to calculate bowling scores also gives players a better understanding of the game and how to score points.
Step
Method 1 of 2: General Knowledge
Step 1. Learn the basics of how games are structured
One bowling game has 10 frames. Within each frame, each player has 2 chances to drop all 10 pins.
- If all 10 pins are dropped by one player on the first throw of a frame, this player gets a strike and does not need a second throw in that frame.
- If a player uses two balls to drop all 10 pins in one frame, this player gets a spare. For example, a player might drop 7 pins on the first throw and 3 pins on the second throw.
- If a player misses all 10 pins on the first throw and then drops all 10 pins on the second throw, it is still considered a spare (not a strike) because it takes 2 balls to drop the pin.
- An open frame is when a player does not drop all 10 pins on two occasions.
Step 2. Understand the format of the bowling scorecard
Value cards have a place for each player, followed by 10 squares (one for each frame) and a final score box. Each of the 10 squares has a set of two smaller squares; this small box to record the number of pins dropped for each throw in one frame.
The final score box has one smaller square, which represents the third throw in frame 10 -- used only if the pitcher gets a spare or strike in the tenth frame
Step 3. Know the extras
Depending on the rules you and your friends set, you may need to decide how to mark variations in the game. Once in a while, something out of the ordinary happens -- how are you going to react to it?
- The "F" can indicate when a pitcher crosses a line (literally) -- the line that separates the take off from the actual line. If they do, they get 0 points for the turn.
- If the thrower receives a split, you can mark an "O" around the number to indicate the pin arrangement. Alternatively, mark an "S" in front of the number of pins dropped. A "split" occurs when the first pin has been successfully dropped, but there is still some distance between all those still standing.
- If the first pin misses, sometimes the terms "wide" or "washout" are used. "W" may be indicated on the card, but in general, this annotation is rarely used in normal usage.
Method 2 of 2: Getting Value
Step 1. Get the value from the open frame
To get the value of the open frame on the scorecard is simply to increase the number of pins dropped by the player on the first throw by the number of pins dropped on the second throw. This is the total for that frame.
In bowling, the number of runs is kept. The provisional value of each player is added and placed in the box designated for each frame. For example, if a player drops 3 pins on the first throw and 2 pins on the second throw, the number 5 is placed in the box for frame 1. If the player drops a total of 7 pins in the second frame, the number 12 is placed in the box for frame 2
Step 2. Record the spare
If a player gets a spare, the number of pins dropped by the player on the first throw is written in the first box, and slashes are written in the second box.
Spare is worth 10 pins plus the number of pins the player drops on the next throw. For example, if a player gets a spare in the first frame and then drops 7 pins on the first throw of the second frame, record 17 in frame 1
Step 3. Record strikes
If the player gets a strike, write an X in the box for the first throw.
- When recording a strike, the strike is worth 10 pins plus the number of pins dropped by the player on the next 2 throws. For example, if a player hits a strike on frame 1, then drops 5 pins on the first throw in frame 2 and 4 pins on the second throw, record 19 on frame 1.
- If the player creates a strike and it is followed by another strike, the player still adds value on the next throw. Therefore, if the player gets a strike in frames 1, 2 and 3, the total for the first frame is 30.
Step 4. Record the combination
Sometimes it gets a little messy. Let's do some concept checking: if you create a strike in the first frame, split (7|/) in the second, and 9 in the third, what is the final value?
