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How does duckpin bowling differ from tenpin bowling?

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bowling Tommy Jones competing in the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions final in Uncasville, Conn., April 1, 2007.

Duckpin bowling and tenpin bowling are both played on standard lanes, but they differ significantly in equipment and rules.12

Key Differences

Pins: Duckpins are shorter (9.4 inches) and proportionately wider than standard tenpins.13
Balls: Duckpin balls are smaller, with a maximum diameter of 5 inches and no finger holes, whereas tenpin balls are larger and include finger holes.1
Attempts per Frame: In duckpin bowling, players are allowed three balls per frame, compared to the two balls typically allowed in tenpin bowling.1
Scoring: While both games share a maximum score of 300, there is no bonus in duckpins for knocking down all 10 pins with three balls.1

Although these variations exist, both games share the fundamental objective of bowling: rolling a ball down a lane to knock down as many pins as possible.2

Would you like to know more about other variations, such as candlepins or ninepins?