Why Is 292 the Rarest Score in Bowling: An Analysis

The score of 292 in bowling is considered rare because it is one pin shy of the more common scores of 290 and 300, both of which are significant milestones. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of why achieving a 292 is particularly uncommon:

Scoring System

In ten-pin bowling, a perfect game scores 300, achieved by striking in every frame. A score of 290 is achieved with strikes in the first nine frames and a spare in the tenth. To achieve 292, a bowler needs a similar performance but must leave two pins standing on the last roll of the tenth frame. This requires precise control and timing that are significantly less likely to occur, making 292 a rare score.

Game Dynamics

The way scores accumulate in bowling means that most high scores cluster around certain milestones like 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, and 300. Scores like 292 do not fit neatly into these patterns, making them less frequent. Bowling's scoring pattern is designed to reward consistent and high-level performance, and 292 falls outside the typical range.

Bowlers aiming for high scores often focus on achieving strikes or spares that lead to these more common scores. The specific scenario that leads to a 292 is less likely to be a target in practice or competition. Bowlers are more inclined to perfect their skills in more achievable scenarios, such as scoring 290 or 300, making 292 an anomaly.

Statistical Rarity

Many bowlers aim for 300 or even 290, and the specific combination of strikes and spares that results in a 292 is statistically less likely to occur compared to achieving these more straightforward scoring paths. The probability of leaving exactly two pins standing in the tenth frame, after eleven consecutive strikes, is very low.

One Exact Path to a 292 Score

The score of 292 is only possible when a bowler rolls twelve consecutive strikes in a single game. This is also known as a perfect game. To achieve this, a bowler must knock down exactly two pins on the twelfth ball with all ten pins standing.

Two pins is the least likely result. To intentionally fell two pins requires a very well-placed ball. There are a number of ways to do this, with the most common being a ball barely missing the 2-pin to the left, striking the 4, and driving it straight back past the 8. The ball also takes the 7, felling both the 2 and the 8.

However, the area on the lane where the ball will leave both the 2 and the 8 standing is very small. More commonly, a bowler will fall more pins, such as hitting the 2 and a minimum of three or four pins, or hitting the 4 in a manner that takes out the 8. The opposite can occur on the right side, with the intent being to fell only the 6 and 10 while leaving the 3 and 9 standing.

Rare Occurrences and Introducing Reactive Bowling Balls

When reactive bowling balls were introduced, it became more likely to place a ball between the 3 and 10, hooking leftward to take out the 6 and 9. This requires great precision, but some skilled bowlers have sent the ball too far wide, where it hooks back and takes out the 2 and 8 on the left side, or the 4 and 8 on the right side, thus felling just two pins on a full setup. Achieving this intentionally after eleven strikes is very difficult.

Another rare possibility is a 7-10 bounce conversion. Modern players throw the ball much faster, making it possible for a pin to return to the lane. The 7-10 has been converted this way many times, with Mark Roth being famous for doing so and having such conversions televised. However, achieving this after eleven strikes and specifically taking out just the corner pins is challenging and requires the ball to be very surgical and precise.

Rare Achievements in Bowling

According to a bowling magazine from the 1990s, there were only five known 292 games played at that time, and the number has likely increased as it has become a common challenge for many bowlers to attempt and achieve a 292 score.

For my personal experience, I have exactly one 300 game (1999) and exactly one 298 (2004). I have witnessed everything from 296 on up, including a gutter ball on the twelfth frame in the past season.