Rules! We all know they are part of the game of bowling, but how much do you truly know about certain rules? Today we will talk about the most common one being the foul? What is the rule and what is considered a foul or not? What is a legal strike and what is not a legal strike? These will be 2 rules we will hit and try to clarify for you if you did not know.

The Foul

USBC Rulebook - "Rule 5 - A foul occurs when a part of the player's body encroaches on or goes beyond the foul line and touches any part of the lane, equipment or building during or after a delivery. A ball is in play after a delivery until the same or another player is on the approach in position to make a succeeding delivery.

The certification and inspection committee of a local association can require that the foul line be plainly marked on the walls, posts, division boards or any other structure in a bowling center on a line with the regular foul line. When a foul is recorded the delivery counts, but the player is not credited with any pins knocked down by that delivery.

NOTE: The foul line is of infinite length including walls, floors, posts and ball returns. A foul is not committed when foreign objects such as pens, jewelry, coins, cigarettes, etc., drop from a bowler's pocket or fall from a person's body or clothing. (Footwear and clothing are considered part of the body.) A player should request permission to cross the foul line to retrieve any items that have fallen beyond the foul line."

So with that being said in the rule book, what can we take out of that? The easy one is, if any part of your body (toes), your hand while trying to balance yourself, goes past the foul line.... FOUL! A tricky one is, anything that falls off your body like your Hat, Wrist Brace, or Shoe(I saw it happen lol) is also considered a FOUL! In the note posted above, they are talking about accessories held within the pocket falling out which does not count as a foul. Here is another one, what if your bowling in a center that the lane is basically on top of the wall(not literally). You release your shot and fall off balance so you try to catch yourself with the wall, if your hand is past the foul line...FOUL! That foul line extends across the entire bowling center and not where you see the foul line. What if you NEVER let go of the bowling ball but end up half-way down the lane? NOT A FOUL! You never made a proper delivery.

Strike

A strike is made when the full setup of 10 pins is knocked down with the first delivery in a frame. It is marked by an (x) in the small square in the upper right-hand corner of the frame where it was made. The count for one strike is 10 plus the number of pins knocked down on the player's next two deliveries.

That is the basic rule of the strike.

What makes the strike legal or illegal?

6a. Legal Pinfall
Pins to be credited to a player following a legal delivery shall include:
1. Pins knocked down or off the lane surface by the ball or another pin.
2. Pins knocked down or off the lane surface by a pin rebounding from a side partition or rear cushion.
3. Pins knocked down or off the lane surface by a pin rebounding from the sweep bar when it is at rest on the pin deck before sweeping dead wood from the pin deck.
4. Pins that lean and touch the kickback or side partition. All such pins are termed dead wood and must be removed before the next delivery. No pins may be conceded, and only pins actually knocked down or moved entirely off the playing area of the lane surface as a result of a legal delivery may be counted.

6b. Illegal Pinfall When any of the following occur, the delivery counts but the resulting pinfall does not:
1. A ball leaves the lane before reaching the pins.
2. A ball rebounds from the rear cushion.
3. A pin rebounds after coming in contact with the body, arms or legs of a human pinsetter.
4. A pin is touched by mechanical pinsetting equipment.
5. Any pin knocked down when dead wood is being removed.
6. Any pin knocked down by a human pinsetter.
7. The player commits a foul.
8. A delivery is made with dead wood on the lane or in the gutter and the bowling ball contacts such dead wood before leaving the lane surface.
9. A delivery is made with dead wood on the lane or in the gutter, and a pin, after coming into contact with the dead wood, knocks down one or more pins.

So now with that being said, flush shot(Strike!), messenger takes out the corner pin(Strike!), or miss the head pin but the pins domino down(Strike!). Now what if the ball bounces out of the gutter but ends up getting a strike? Not a Strike! That is considered a dead ball since the ball went into the gutter. What if you throw your shot and the pin is wobbling but the deck comes down and knocks it over? Not a Strike! The pin must be spotted in it's original spot for example: You throw your shot and your about to trip the 4 pin and it slides back almost off the pin deck by the 8 pin spot and the pinsetter comes down and knocks it over, must be set back up as the 4 pin and not where it ended up! What if you have the domino affect about to happen and lets say the 4 falls forwards rolls into the sweep, then rolls back into the head which falls into the 2 pin? That is a Strike!

This is just a small tip of the iceberg about the rules of 10 pin bowling. Remember to enjoy the game of bowling and always Practice, Practice, Practice!