The 3-6-9 spare system

The basic concept

Move your feet toward the side you are standing on, keep throwing at your normal target, and the angle across the lane changes just enough to reach the pin.

Say you are right handed and your strike shot starts with standing on the 20 board and aiming at the 2nd arrow. If you leave the 10 pin, move your feet 9 boards to the left and stand on the 29 board and throw the same ball at the same 2nd arrow target. You'll throw a sharper angle and target the 10 pin.

Which pin gets which move

Find the frontmost pin standing and count how many rows behind the head pin it sits.

• One row behind the head pin (the 2 and 3): move 3 boards.
• Two rows behind (the 4 and 6): move 6 boards.
• Three rows behind (the 7 and 10): move 9 boards.

People may tend to get confused about the direction. Just remember to move your feet away from the pin. A right hander moves left for the 3, 6 and 10 (the pins on the right of the deck) and right for the 2, 4 and 7.

The 9 pin plays like the 3, because it hides behind it. The head pin, the 5 pin and the 8 pin get your strike shot with no move at all.

For lefties, everything simply flips. Left handers count boards from the left instead of from the right, and the pins swap sides. A lefty's 7 pin is the 9 board move.

Lane diagrams

Every diagram below uses the same example strike line: stand on 20, aim at the 2nd arrow. Your setup will differ but the moves will not.

The 6 pin is a smaller move in the same direction.

For the left side pins the feet move the other way. The ball still goes over the 2nd arrow and hooks from there to the pin, so this shot needs the same ball and the same release as your strike shot.

Why the app needs your strike line

A move of "9 boards left" is only useful if you know where you started. Advanced Bowling Tracker can show 3-6-9 two ways:

• With your strike line set, the second ball line will show exact targeting like: "10 Pin · Stand 29 · 2nd arrow".
• Without your strike line set, the app will show your relative adjustment: "10 Pin · Feet 9 left · Same target".

Both will work and it's up to your personal preference which you prefer. The first one might be easier to remember if you can't always remember your strike targeting, for instance if you are making lots of adjustments.

Your strike line lives in Targeting Reminders. You can adjust them at any time by tapping the targeting icon next to the ball selector. Turn on Starting Board and Arrow Target, set your boards, and the Learn screen and the in-game line switch from moves to boards. If you bowl on a pair of lanes and your line differs by lane, turn on "Different targets per lane" and the app uses the right one for each lane.

What to do on multi pin leaves and splits

Play the front pin. On a 3-6-10 the 3 is in front, so move 3 boards left and throw your strike ball. It goes through the 3 into the 6 and the 10 comes with them.

On a 2-4-5-8 bucket, the 2 is in front. Move 3 boards right.

3-6-9 has no answer for splits, and the app says so. It is a system for moving off your strike line toward the six pins that can be hit with a hooking ball, and a split is a different problem. When you leave one, the line reads "Pick one pin and play it straight". Take the pin that is worth the most and shoot it with a straight ball.

Adjust for your own game

The 3, 6 and 9 boards are a starting point built for a moderate hook. If your ball hooks a lot, you may need a little more than 9 boards for the 10 pin, or you may find it easier to throw the corner pins with a plastic ball and a straight release. If you throw straight already, 9 boards can be too many.

Adjust one board at a time and keep your target fixed. The moment you start changing both your feet and your target, you are no longer using a system. The app's spare stats show your make percentage for every spare, so you can see over time how your spare game is improving.

Turning on the spare system in your app settings

The 3-6-9 system is free for every bowler in Advanced Bowling Tracker.

1. Open Settings, then Game Options, then tap Spare System. The same chooser opens from the Targeting Reminders sheet at the start of a session.
2. Tap Learn more on the 3-6-9 card to read the chart and try the diagram, or tap Use 3-6-9 to turn it on.
3. Answer the handedness prompt the first time. The app mirrors every board for a left hander.
4. Set a Starting Board and an Arrow Target in Targeting Reminders so the app can show exact boards.
5. Bowl. After a first ball that leaves pins, the Spare Target line above the pin deck names the leave, the board to stand on, and your target.

Using the spare system during a game

Tapping the Spare Target line reopens the chooser. On Apple Watch the same plan shows as a Stand board and an Aim board after the first ball. To turn guidance off, open the chooser and tap Turn Off Spare Guidance.

FAQ

Do I move my feet or my target?

Your feet. The whole point of 3-6-9 is that your target and your release stay the same, so the shot feels like your strike shot. If you find yourself aiming at a different arrow, you have drifted into a different system.

Which direction do I move?

Away from the pin. A right hander moves left for pins on the right side of the deck (3, 6, 10) and right for pins on the left (2, 4, 7). A left hander does the opposite.

Why 3, 6 and 9 and not some other numbers?

The rack is laid out on a grid: each row of pins is about three boards further from the center line than the row in front of it. Moving your feet three boards per row keeps the ball's angle through the arrows in step with the pin you want. It is a rule of thumb, and it works for most bowlers with a moderate hook.

Does 3-6-9 work with a plastic spare ball?

It works, but the moves are sized for a ball that hooks a little from the arrows to the pins. With a plastic ball and a straight release you will usually need fewer boards for the corner pins. Try 7 or 8 for the 10 pin and adjust from there.

What are some other common spare systems?

The middle arrow spare system and triax spare system are also popular systems. All three are available within Advanced Bowling Tracker. Try them all out and see which one you prefer!