Ten-pin bowling ball contacts only the 1, 3, 5 and 9 pins; for a left-hander, the 1, 2, 5 and 8 pins. In order to count, a pin must be knocked over entirely. If the pin is wobbling as the automatic pin machine picks it up (or the machine itself knocks over the pin while it is wobbling), it is still considered standing and is not scored. Also, if a pin is moved, it does not change its designation. For example, if the 10 pin were still standing and the 7 pin slid into the 8 pin position, converting this spare would
Ten-pin bowling speed and certain type of bowling balls. If a bowler has a specific form of bowling suitable for a specific oil pattern, coupled with the right bowling ball, his margin of error is highly increased versus other bowlers. The result is that sometimes the bowler throwing the more accurate shot loses to the bowler who has created a larger "target area". Some advanced bowlers simplified this to: "To a large degree, the equipment and oil pattern determines the winner." At the end of 2007, the USBC completed a two-year study on bowling ball motion and how advanced, high-tech equipment may