Skittles is a popular game played at pubs in regions across the United Kingdom. Like ten-pin bowling, the object of the game is to simply hit as many pins over as you can – however that is where the similarities between ten-pin and skittles end.

Firstly skittles differs by having nine pins and instead of large bowling balls you would use smaller ‘Malteaser’ balls which can fit in one hand. On each turn (or roll, as it is termed) you have three attempts (or balls) to hit  as many pins down as you can. In our league skittles teams consist of 12 players and have 5 rolls in all. The team with the highest score over all rolls have been completed is the winner.

As you will see from the image, the pins are arranged at the end of the alley in a diamond shape with various gaps in between. Therefore it isn’t as easy as it first looks – it is indeed possible to roll the ball in between the pins and miss them completely. A ball that fails to hit a pin is known as a bolter.  Many a player before now has suffered the embarrassment and indignity of a sunshine; the shameful act of failing to hit any of the pins by having three successive bolters in a roll. On the other hand if you are skilful (or lucky) enough to hit all nine pins down before all your three balls have been rolled, then you will have earned yourself a spare. The pins are then reset and any remaining balls left can add to the nine already scored for the roll – so for example if I hit all the pins down by my second ball and I hit 4 on my final ball after the pins had been reset, I would have scored 13 for the roll (9+4).

In South Wales, there are a variety of leagues in which to take part. The Hopefuls currently play in the Division Four of the Cardiff Combined Clubs Skittles League.