Bowling is a popular sport that people of all ages enjoy across the world. The satisfying crash of bowling pins toppling over after a well-executed roll keeps bowling enthusiasts coming back.
One of the keys to succeeding in bowling is being able to consistently pick up strikes. A strike refers to knocking down all 10 pins with the first roll in a frame. While strikes are always worth 10 points, the bonus scoring system in bowling allows strikes to be worth much more than just 10 points.
One of the most exciting achievements in bowling is a turkey. A turkey refers to getting three consecutive strikes in three frames in a row. But how many points exactly is a turkey worth in bowling?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down exactly how strikes and bonus points work so you can understand how much scoring power a turkey holds.
How Strikes Are Scored in Bowling
The goal in a traditional 10-pin bowling game is to knock over as many pins as possible with each roll per frame. There are 10 frames in a complete game.
Within each frame, bowlers get two chances to roll the ball down the lane towards the pins. The number of pins knocked down with each roll is tallied up as points.
If a bowler manages to knock down all 10 pins on the very first roll, it’s called a strike. A strike results in an automatic 10 points for that frame. Additionally, because all the pins were cleared on just the first roll, the bonus scoring system comes into play.
With a strike, you don’t get to roll the ball a second time in that frame since all the pins were knocked down. So what happens is the pinfall total of your next two rolls in the following frames count as bonus points for the strike.
Let’s break this down further. Say in Frame 1 you roll a strike, knocking over all 10 pins on your first throw. This gives you 10 points instantly for Frame 1.
But since you didn’t get a second throw in Frame 1, you also get to count the total pinfall from your next two rolls as bonus points. So if in Frame 2 you knock down 6 pins and 3 pins between the two throws, that’s 9 more points.
The 10 points for the strike in Frame 1 plus the 9 bonus points gives you 19 total points from your strike in Frame 1 and the first two throws of Frame 2.
Without strikes, the most points you can score per frame is 10 if you get a spare (knocking down all 10 pins between two rolls). But as you can see, strikes unlock bonus scoring opportunities, allowing highly skilled bowlers to rack up points.
How Bonus Points Are Calculated After a Strike
To summarize strike scoring and bonuses:
- A strike earns 10 points instantly for knocking down all 10 pins in the first roll of a frame
- Additionally, the bowler earns a bonus equal to the total pinfall from their next two rolls
- This equates to the pinfall total from the bowler’s next two rolls being added to the 10 points from the strike
- For example, if your next two rolls after a strike are 6 pins and 3 pins (9 pins total), your strike frame would be worth 10 + 9, which is 19 points
- Strikes in the first frame allow you to score bonus points in the second frame. Strikes in the second frame allow you to score bonus points in the third frame, and so on.
- If you bowl multiple strikes in a row, you can keep adding more bonus points from subsequent rolls
Knowing exactly how these strike bonus scoring works is key to fully maximizing your scoring potential in bowling. Skilled bowlers aim for strings of strikes to keep amplifying their scores through bonus points.
Scoring Example for a Turkey in Bowling
A turkey refers to getting three consecutive strikes in three frames in a row. It’s a significant achievement in bowling, but how does the bonus scoring work out for a turkey? Let’s walk through an example:
- In Frame 1 the bowler rolls a strike, knocking down all 10 pins. This earns 10 points.
- In Frame 2 the bowler rolls another strike for 10 points. Plus this frame, the bowler gets to count the pinfall from the two rolls in Frame 3 as a bonus.
- In Frame 3 the bowler rolls a third strike for 10 points. Plus this frame, the bowler picks up the bonus points from the two rolls in Frame 4.
- So the three strikes in a row earn the bowler 30 points – 10 points for each strike.
- The key is that each subsequent strike allows you to count the following two rolls as bonus points on top of the 10 points per strike.
In this example, if the bowler’s rolls in Frame 4 were 5 pins and 4 pins (9 total), the bowler’s turkey scoring would be:
Frame 1 Strike: 10 points Frame 2 Strike: 10 points + 9 point bonus from Frame 4 rolls = 19 points
Frame 3 Strike: 10 points + 9 point bonus from Frame 4 rolls = 19 points
Total for 3 Strikes/Turkey = 30 points
As you can see, three consecutive strikes earn 30 points with the bonus scoring. Turkeys give you a strong opportunity to rack up high scores.
Variations in Scoring Turkeys
The above example covers how a turkey is generally scored in a complete 10-frame bowling game. However, there are certain nuances and variations in games where a turkey occurs across the last few frames:
- If you roll a turkey that starts in Frame 8, the bonus points might be different since Frame 10 only allows up to three rolls.
- Other variations in turkey scoring can occur if you bowl an extra strike or spare in the 10th frame when bonus balls are allowed.
Here are two example scoring scenarios for turkeys when factoring in final frames:
Example 1:
Frame 8 – Strike (10 points) Frame 9 – Strike (10 points + bonus roll points in Frame 10) Frame 10 – Strike (10 points + bonus of second roll in Frame 10)
Example 2:
Frame 8 – Strike (10 points) Frame 9 – Strike (10 points) Frame 10 – Strike (10 points) Spare (10 points) Strike (10 points)
In these end-of-game turkeys, the scoring totals can vary from 30 points based on the number of available bonus rolls in the 10th frame.
The key takeaway is that while in most cases a turkey is worth 30 points, you have to account for any nuances when strikes spill over into the final 1 or 2 frames in some games.
Conclusion
A turkey in bowling – scoring three consecutive strikes in a row across three frames – is an exciting achievement. The unique bonus scoring system in bowling means that three strikes in a row earn you 30 total points – 10 points for each strike.
Knocking down all 10 pins on the first roll of a frame with a strike allows you to count the next two rolls as bonus points on top of the 10 points from the strike itself. Turkeys maximize this bonus scoring by stringing three strikes together, leading to high scores.
Understanding exactly how strikes and bonus scoring work is key to bowling success. Whether you are a casual once-a-week bowler or a seasoned league player, picking up turkeys should be on your list of bowling goals.
The thrill of seeing those pins fly on three solid strikes in a row, combined with racking up the 30 bonus points, makes bowling turkeys incredibly rewarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is 3 strikes?
Three consecutive strikes in bowling is called a turkey, and it’s worth 30 points due to the bonus scoring system. Each strike earns 10 points, plus the two rolls after each strike are counted as bonus points.
Why three strikes called a turkey?
There are a few theories about why three strikes in a row is called a turkey in bowling. One is that in the late 19th century, three strikes won a turkey as a prize. Another is that turkeys are associated with three leg joints—the drumstick, thigh, and wing.
Why is 4 strikes in a row called a hambone?
Getting four consecutive strikes is called a hambone. This may be related to the “hambone” rhythmic slapping used in some forms of African American music that has a pattern reminiscent of throwing four straight strikes.
Is a turkey only in the tenth frame?
No, a turkey can occur in any three consecutive frames in a bowling game. You can bowl a turkey starting as early as frames 1-3 or as late as frames 8-10. It doesn’t have to be limited to only the 10th frame.
What is 8 strikes in a row called?
Eight consecutive strikes are called an octopus. This bowling achievement continues the animal naming theme, likening eight strikes to an octopus’ eight legs/arms.
What is 4 strikes called?
Four strikes in a row is called a hambone in bowling slang. It continues the tradition of using food-inspired nicknames.
What is a dinosaur in bowling?
A dinosaur refers to getting nine strikes in a row. It’s an extremely rare bowling feat named after prehistoric creatures.
What is a hambone in bowling?
A hambone is getting four strikes in consecutive frames. Ham refers to the four leg joints on a pig – shoulder, hip, thigh, and shank.
What is 3 spares in a row called in bowling?
Three consecutive spares in bowling are called a “triplicate”. A spare refers to knocking down all remaining pins in two rolls within a frame.
