Ten-pin bowling starts simple: send the ball down the lane and knock down as many pins as you can. A game has ten frames of up to two rolls each, but the real points come from strikes and spares, which add your next rolls to the frame. That is why good games are built on steady, repeatable rolls.
In Hamdor you can bowl online against real players, invite a friend to a private room with a code, practise offline against a bot, or play two on one phone. Players take turns frame by frame and both scorecards stay in view.
How to play Bowling
- Ten frames of up to two rolls to knock down ten pins.
- Strike (all ten on the first roll): 10 plus your next two rolls. Spare (in two rolls): 10 plus your next roll.
- In the tenth frame a strike or spare earns bonus rolls. A perfect game is 300.
These are the exact rules Hamdor plays by; the app shows them too, under each game's How to play tab.
Ten-pin bowling in Hamdor
- Ten frames, two players: each frame has up to two rolls, and players alternate frame by frame.
- Strike: all ten pins on the first roll; 10 plus your next two rolls.
- Spare: all ten pins in two rolls; 10 plus your next roll.
- Tenth frame: a strike or spare in the last frame earns bonus rolls. A perfect game is 300.
- One-finger controls: drag the ball left or right to choose where you start, then flick up and let go. The direction of the flick sets the line, its speed sets the power and a curve in it puts hook on the ball.
Tips to bowl better
- Aim for the pocket, not the nose. A dead-centre hit on the head pin often leaves pins standing on both sides. Aim just beside the head pin, between it and the pin behind it.
- Find a repeatable roll. When a start spot, line and speed work, repeat them. Consistency matters more than power.
- Hook gently. A slight curve in your flick bends the ball a little; a big curve can carry it into the gutter.
- Respect the spare. A spare is 10 plus your next roll. Spare every frame with seven pins on each first ball and you score 170. On the second roll, move your start spot to line up straight at the pins left.
- Plan for the tenth frame. A strike or spare there earns bonus rolls, so it is no place for needless risks.
- Read the scorecard. Strikes and spares aren't fully scored until the next rolls; work out how far behind you really are before gambling on a shot.
Bowling in Hamdor
- Online, ranked: play real opponents and earn a rating. If nobody turns up within a few seconds, a bot takes the seat and is labelled as a bot.
- Private rooms: create a room, send the code to your friends and chat with stickers and reactions while you play.
- Bots: play offline against bots, to practise or when nobody is online.
- Two on one phone: pass the phone and play face to face.
- Stats and streaks: your win rate, best winning streak and this game's leaderboard.
- Your own look: change how the table and pieces look in the Hamdor shop. It is cosmetic only and never affects who wins.
Bowling FAQ
How is bowling scored?
Each pin is one point. A strike scores 10 plus your next two rolls, a spare 10 plus your next roll. The total after ten frames is your score.
What is the highest score in bowling?
300: twelve strikes in a row, one in each frame plus the two bonus rolls of the tenth.
How do I hook the ball in Hamdor?
Curve your finger slightly as you flick up. The more curve, the more the ball bends that way.
How many players is bowling?
Two, taking turns frame by frame, online, in a private room, against a bot or on one phone.