All games of 9-pin are manually set by a human pin-setter. The pins : As noted, the pins are configured in a diamond shape, with a red pin in the middle. The ball : Similar to a 10-pin ball, complete with finger holes Kegel remains popular in Europe and enjoys a cult-like following in central Texas, thanks to the large German population that settled there. Nine-pin was actually one of the most popular types of bowling in the US until the early 20th century, when authorities linked it to organized crime and thus made it illegal. However, if they manage to knock down all the pins except the red pin, they are awarded 12 points, as this is a much harder feat. The pins are white, except for the center pin, which is red and is known as a '12-pin' or 'redhead.' If a player knocks down every pin in one turn, they are awarded 9 points. Instead, the next player simply picks up where the previous player left off until all the pins have been knocked down, at which point the pins are re-set.Īnother twist in 9-pin: the pins are set up in a diamond formation instead of a triangle. Another major difference from 10-pin bowling games is that the pins in 9-pin are not re-set between each player. There are six players on a team, and each player takes two turns. For example, 9-pin is a team game, so there are no individual scores. Nine-pin bowling (also known as kegel) is very different from 10-pin, and not just because there's one less pin. In 2012, Businessweek estimated that there were 4,061 10-pin bowling alleys across the US, and more have surely sprung up since. You should try it if: You need to bowl and you need to bowl right now. Number of turns each frame : 2 (unless a strike is rolled on the first turn) The 10 pins are arranged in a triangular formation known as the 'frame.' The pins : Though pins may be made of wood or plastic, rules dictate that each one must weigh between 3 pounds, 6 ounces and 3 pounds, 10 ounces, and that each one measures 15' tall and 4.7' wide. The ball : Heavy, typically about 6–16 pounds, with three finger holes While some version of 10-pin has existed in the United States since before the Civil War, the rules of the game as they stand today were officially drafted by the American Bowling Congress in 1895. Known to most Americans simply as 'bowling,' 10-pin is the most ubiquitous style of the game. We've investigated five common (and not-so-common) types of bowling and explain why you might want to give them a try. Plenty of regional variations exist, however, and most are interesting enough to warrant a round or two. Today, most Americans play a variation known as 10-pin bowling, in which the objective is to bulldoze 10 pins in pursuit of a perfect score of 300.

There's something timeless and altogether human, it would seem, about hurling a ball at a row of inert objects. The sport of bowling dates back thousands of years, with everyone from ancient Egyptians to Roman legionnaires captivated by its more primitive forms.

Duck pin bowling