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Why does a bowler receive extra deliveries in the 10th frame of tenpin bowling?
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Tommy Jones competing in the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions final in Uncasville, Conn., April 1, 2007.
In tenpin bowling, a bowler receives extra deliveries in the 10th frame to complete the scoring requirements for a strike or a spare.1
Because both a strike and a spare count as 10 pins plus the pins knocked down on subsequent deliveries, the 10th frame allows for these bonus rolls to be completed:1
- After a strike: The player is granted two additional deliveries to determine the total score for that frame.1
- After a spare: The player is granted one additional delivery to determine the total score for that frame.1
These extra rolls ensure that every strike and spare is properly accounted for according to the game's scoring rules, which is why a perfect game of 300 consists of 12 strikes in a row.1