I was first told about this rule at a IAB boot camp. Recently, I watched a Kegel video on YouTube that talked about it and explained it. But there was a part that confused me, which was a reference about adding 7 boards based on your fishing slide foot.

Can someone explain this to me please. Lets use a 41 foot pattern, so minus 31 we are at 10. How do I apply the 7 board info I heard in the video?

Thanks

I understand it but not sure I can properly explain it, but here goes.

Let's say you want to play straight up the ten board on that 41 minus 31 pattern.  The laydown point of the ball will have to be the ten board.  The average man's width is about 7-8 boards, so that means that the sliding foot will be that far from the laydown point.  Assuming RH bowler, that means to lay the ball down on the ten board, the sliding foot will be about 7-8 boards left of that, or on the 17-18 board. 

Don't forget that if you are factoring in where to stand on the approach, you have to take into account your drift factor.  I don't drift, so mine is zero.  I think if you drift two boards right, then you have to add 2 to the 7-8, so your starting point on the approach would be on the 19-20 board in order to end up at the 17-18 board so that the ball laydown will be on the ten board.  If you drift left, subtract that number.

If I am incorrect on this, someone here will correct me.

Just an an FYI....Mo Pinel doesn't agree with the rule because of the pattern reverse oil that is applied.  I'll have to find the post don't have time tonight. 

Great post Scott, I also use Mo's breakpoint system if the pattern breakdown is available. Both systems are useful, I've just had more success with his.

Correct Gary I forgot about my post last night and to correct it..  It is still not the 31 rule though. 

Also, if you really want to understand the more technical aspects of bowling BC.net is head above any other site.  There are other topics on that site that refer to why 31 is just a starting point and other lane conditioning situations with ball reaction.

Scott, Mo corrects himself later in that topic.  It is forward oil, not reverse that determines the breakpoint.   Below taken from two later posts:
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My bad! It's the red bar (the forward oil) that I meant to refer to. The forward oil controls the breakpoint location. I'm getting either senile or color blind.


Look for the highest corners of the red bars on the bar graph and subtract 3. That's the place to start with the breakpoint. Remember that the loads are applied to the buffer brush, so ALL the forward loads affect the breakpoint.

The rule of 31 = pattern play ie a 43 foot shot is usually played well by hitting board 12 at the breakpoint.  43-31 = 12.

Rule of 31 relates to the exit point from the pattern, not the breakpoint.  2 totally different things.  Trust me, I've been corrected on this myself.

What is the difference between the exit point and the breakpoint? As I understand it the exit point is just where the oil ends on the lane. The breakpoint is the point where the ball starts it's hook. I guess I am a little confused. I have been told using the 31' rule that that is where I want my ball at when leaving the pattern (exp 41-31=10 board), would that also be where my break point is also. Or if swinging the ball would I want to exit the pattern at 10 using example above but my breakpoint may be at 5 board.

Lookingforaleftywall, thanks the video helped tremendously.

When the lanes start to transition, would I look to move my exit point, my breakpoint or both?