What bowling games are recognized as variations of tenpins?

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Tenpins is the most widely played form of bowling, and several other games are recognized as variations within the broader framework of the sport. These variations include:

  • Duckpins: Played on a standard tenpin lane using smaller pins and balls without finger holes.12
  • Candlepins: Utilizes slender, cylindrical pins that are tapered at both ends.13
  • Fivepins: A variation that uses five pins rather than ten.1
  • Skittles: A traditional form of bowling that involves rolling a ball at a set of pins.1
  • Ninepins: An older variation that was historically popular before the rise of tenpins.14

Each of these games maintains distinct rules and equipment specifications while operating within the general concept of rolling a ball down a lane to knock down pins.1