2torial #0732:
Learn2 Score a Bowling Game (continued)

Record a spare

A spare is when pins that are left standing after a bowler's first ball in a frame are completely knocked down by the second ball of that same frame. To mark a spare, record the score for the first ball in the small left-hand square at the top of the frame's box. In the small right-hand square, make a diagonal line. Leave the large box for that frame blank for now.

For the next frame, you'll take whatever you score on the first ball of the frame, and add ten to it. That is the score you earned for the previous frame. For instance, you earn a spare in frame three. In frame four, you bowl an eight on the first ball. Your total for frame three is 18. You can add that to the 16 that you scored for frames one and two, and mark a "34" in the box for frame three. But you still have two pins left standing and another ball in frame four. You roll your second ball, and knock down one additional pin, giving you a total of nine for the frame. You now add that "9" to the "34" and mark a "43" in the large box for frame four.