Bowling spare chart
The leaves bowlers see most, drawn pin by pin, with a simple plan for each. Directions are for a right-handed bowler; left-handers can flip them.
The idea that makes spares easier
Shoot across the lane. For pins on the right, stand toward the left side of the approach and throw toward the right. For pins on the left, do the opposite. Throwing across the lane gives the ball the most room to reach a corner pin before it can fall into the gutter. Many bowlers also throw spares straighter, or with a plastic ball, so the ball doesn't hook away from the target.
A common way to do this is the 3-6-9 system: from your strike position, move about 3 boards left for the 3 pin, 6 for the 6 pin and 9 for the 10 pin, keeping the same target on the lane. Coaches tweak the numbers for each bowler, so treat it as a starting point.
Single pins
10 pin
The most common leaveStand far left, throw cross-lane at the 10 and keep the ball straight. Missing to the left is common; a straighter ball is the usual fix.
7 pin
Corner pinMirror of the 10: stand right, throw across to the 7. Hooking balls tend to cross in front of it, so throw straighter.
5 pin
CenterUse your strike line and hit it head-on. Easy to overthink.
4 pin
Left sideMove right a few boards from your strike position and aim through the 4.
6 pin
Right sideMove left about 6 boards and throw at the 6, the same angle as the 10 but shorter.
Common multi-pin spares
6-10
Right sideThe 10-pin angle, hitting the 6 on its left so the ball carries on to the 10.
3-6-10
Right sideCross-lane, hit the 3 slightly on its left side. The ball takes the 6 and 10 behind it.
2-4-7
Left sideMirror of the 3-6-10: from the right, hit the 2 on its right side.
2-4-5-8 bucket
ClusterHit the 2 nearly full so the ball drives through the 5 and 8 while the 2 takes the 4.
3-5-6-9 bucket
ClusterThe same on the right side: hit the 3 nearly full.
2-8 sleeper
Hidden pinThe 8 hides behind the 2. Hit the 2 nearly head-on so the ball carries straight through to the 8.
3-9 sleeper
Hidden pinSame as the 2-8 on the right side.
2-4-5
Left sideAim between the 2 and 5 and let the ball take the 2 into the 4.
Washout (1-2-4-10)
Not a splitThe headpin is still up, so it isn't a split. Hit the headpin thin on its right side so it slides across into the 10.
Picket fence (1-3-6-10)
Line of pinsHit the headpin on its right side and let the ball run down the line.
Splits
When the headpin is down and there's a gap between the standing pins, it's a split, and the plan changes. See the bowling splits guide for the 7-10, the big four, baby splits and the rest.
Find out which spares you actually miss
Most bowlers guess wrong about this. StrikeKeeper records every leave you tap in and shows your make rate on each one, so you can see whether it's the 10 pin or the 3-6-10 that's costing you.