Nine-pin skittles uses nine pins in a diamond. Our nine-pin game is part of Bowling Plus and accessible through Variants. It provides short recreational browser rules. The variants and competition guides separately explain sporting lane types and longer competitive series.
In this guide
A diamond instead of a ten-pin triangle
Viewed from the approaching ball, the nine positions form five rows: 1–2–3–2–1, with the king in the centre. Our diagram is a top view with the ball arriving from below. Similarity to bowling does not transfer its bonuses: an all-nine throw in standard nine-pin mode earns no extra rolls.
Position as text
Top view, approach from below. Five rows of 1, 2, 3, 2 and 1 pins; king in the centre.
Full Rack: ten fresh racks
Our standard variant has exactly ten throws. All nine pins are reset before each throw. Without multipliers each fallen pin scores one point; ten all-nine throws give a maximum of 90. A miss scores zero and uses a throw. A good final throw does not extend the round.
With multipliers, pins knocked down by a throw are multiplied by 3, 2, 1, 2 or 3 according to starting spot. The displayed points are then a Plus score. Turn multipliers off in Variants to compare plain pinfall.
Clear the Rack: remaining pins stay
Clear the Rack has ten rounds of up to three throws per rack. Standing pins remain for the next attempt. A new nine-pin rack starts once all are down or the third attempt is used. Every fallen pin counts; clearing earns no extra completion bonus. The three-throw limit is our browser rule.
How to select and control this mode
Open Bowling Plus, start the game and choose a nine-pin game in Variants. Links from this guide open that shared page without automatically changing its mode. Drag sideways to choose a spot; sliders also adjust direction, spin and power. The i beside Throw opens the scorecard.
After a completed round or formation, its last starting spot is locked for the next round. This does not force another spot within the same clearing round. The aiming guide, rendering quality, timer visibility, reduced motion and sound are shared page settings.