# Are all bowling scores 0 to 300 possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 8, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492 "2006-11-08T00:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/21 "2006-11-08T15:54:16Z")
I found this link quite interesting about possibilities. [http://www.egr.msu.edu/~drazkows/bowlprob.htm](http://www.egr.msu.edu/~drazkows/bowlprob.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/22 "2006-11-08T15:59:09Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] Looks more like a 12 to me! [/QUOTE] Indeed it is. But of course, you could get 9- | 11 | then gutter balls for an 11. And so on for higher scores. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/23 "2006-11-08T16:39:03Z")
Although if you are in New England and bowling Candlepins, in which your bowl three balls a frame, the way to get the scores from l to 300 is a whole different story. Of course the higher scores are just about impossible. I don’t know what the highest score on record is these days, but when I was bowling it was less than 200. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/24 "2006-11-08T16:44:32Z")
[QUOTE=USCDiver] as others have said, it IS possible. but since you’re refuting my post, I’m going to refute yours… X | 1/0 | 0 | 0 | etc would give you 11… in short, a strike scores 10+sum of next 2 rolls. If the sum of the next 2 rolls is 1-10 you get 11-20 [/QUOTE] True, but to clarify the “looks like a 12” to me posts, you forgot to add the pin from the second frame. In other words your scorecard would have 11 for the first frame, and 1 for the second frame, for a total of 12. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/25 "2006-11-09T03:21:17Z")
[QUOTE=SCSimmons] Two questions: 1) what was your friend’s reaction to bowling eleven strikes in a row, then knocking down eight pins with the twelfth (I’m guessing something like :smack: ); and 2) how did you manage a negative 134? 😉 [/QUOTE] 1. yes, it was a :smack: 2. the - was meant as a dash, not a negative sign. :smack: My best score ever was 134. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/26 "2006-11-09T03:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] The answer to your question is yes, although in some cases it would be stupid hard. I mean, imagine trying to get a score of 1? That would be hard for anybody. [/QUOTE] Obviously, you haven’t seen me bowl. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/27 "2006-11-09T04:26:03Z")
[QUOTE=kanicbird] Well I never really had the need to learn about advanced math in regards to bowling, but wouldn’t this be higher: X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X,X,9 [/QUOTE] Yes, but once you make that second strike in frame 10 you are finished. You never throw another ball in that game. Here is the scoring of the game in your question. ```auto Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Score x x x x x x x x x xx = 300 ``` ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/28 "2006-11-09T04:28:17Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Yes, but once you make that second strike in frame 10 you are finished. You never throw another ball in that game. Here is the scoring of the game in your question. ```auto Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Score x x x x x x x x x xx = 300 ``` [/QUOTE] Oops. That 10th frame should have three strikes in it. Your score is 299. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/29 "2006-11-09T19:29:21Z")
As a former bowler…several nights a week for many years, and also as a former bowling center employee, from mechanic behind the machines to front desk and manager, I’ve probably seen every score possible. When I managed on Saturdays and Sundays when the kids were bowling on the junior leagues, I saw the final scores from 1 to 10 come up occasionally. A friend of mine who is a really good bowler shot his first 300 on a Sunday night, while substituting on our team. Two days later, he shot 11 strikes in a row and then chunked the ball out for a 3-count and got a 293. (Since then, he’s shot a couple each of 298, 299 and 300). ABC (American Bowling Congress) and WIBC (Women’s International Bowling Congress) awards a ring for a 300, 299 or 298. We used to give a pin to league bowlers who shot a 299…we always told them it was the pin they left standing, but once the machine was reset, it was a 1 in 20 chance that it was the actual pin if we even pulled it out of that pinsetter. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![black\_floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@black\_floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_floyd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/30 "2012-07-03T20:49:04Z")
> [@David\_Simmons](#): > > Yes, but once you make that second strike in frame 10 you are finished. You never throw another ball in that game. Here is the scoring of the game in your question. > > ```auto > > Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > Score x x x x x x x x x xx = 300 > > ``` Forgive me if I misunderstood your post but it sounds like you’re implying that you only get to throw two balls in the tenth frame. If you get either a strike or a spare, you get to throw a third ball. The only way to end up just being able to throw two balls in the tenth frame is if you have an open frame. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/31 "2012-07-03T21:01:16Z")
Here I was hoping **Hockey Monkey** bumped this to post a new high score.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/32 "2012-07-03T21:38:36Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > An overall score of “2” is not that much harder: all gutter balls except two balls that knock down one pin. When I first started bowling at age 5 I didn’t know anything about bumpers (which might not have existed back then) or the bowl-from-below method. My first game I got a 2 on. From ONE ball. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/33 "2012-07-03T21:43:40Z")
> [@black\_floyd](#): > > Forgive me if I misunderstood your post but it sounds like you’re implying that you only get to throw two balls in the tenth frame. If you get either a strike or a spare, you get to throw a third ball. The only way to end up just being able to throw two balls in the tenth frame is if you have an open frame. Hi and welcome. Just to let you know, you responded to a six year old post that was written by a man who died a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/34 "2012-07-03T22:20:25Z")
And if he replied we would have our first _real_ zombie thread! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/35 "2012-07-03T22:25:59Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Hi and welcome. Just to let you know, you responded to a six year old post that was written by a man who died a couple of years ago. And who actually corrected his own mistake in _the very next reply_. How did the person bumping this thread miss that? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![black\_floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@black\_floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_floyd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/36 "2012-07-03T23:14:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And who actually corrected his own mistake in _the very next reply_. How did the person bumping this thread miss that? 😕 Yes, I did misunderstand his post. The line “Oops. That 10th frame should have three strikes in it. Your score is 299.” threw me off as well because it accidentally came off like it was possible to get a 299 with a tenth frame turkey so my point of reference was a little off. I wasn’t trying to be a semantic asshole or anything. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/37 "2012-07-04T00:13:42Z")
This site ([All About Bowling Scores](http://www.balmoralsoftware.com/bowling/bowling.htm)) has everything you’d want to know and more about bowling scores, including the number of ways that exist to obtain every possible score. The only scores with only one way to obtain them are 291 and above, which require you to miss some pins on your 12th ball. Also, the most common score to obtain probabilistically is 77. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/38 "2012-07-04T01:06:10Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > This site ([All About Bowling Scores](http://www.balmoralsoftware.com/bowling/bowling.htm)) has everything you’d want to know and more about bowling scores, including the number of ways that exist to obtain every possible score. The only scores with only one way to obtain them are 291 and above, which require you to miss some pins on your 12th ball. Also, the most common score to obtain probabilistically is 77. Cool! I’m glad the thread was revived just for that link. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/39 "2012-07-04T02:39:06Z")
I bowled a 301 once. Not saying how many games that took. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492/40 "2012-07-04T04:45:58Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > Cool! I’m glad the thread was revived just for that link. 🙂 Ditto. Although some of the math issues in this thread gave me a headache. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-bowling-scores-0-to-300-possible/379492.md?page=3)