Lets say you mark through the first 9 frames... Then the tenth frame you spare, then get 8 pins.

Or you go X X 8.

Is that still considered a clean game?
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I'd say once you got a mark in the 10th it would be considered clean, everything else is considered fill....if i may add this question...if you were going for a dutch 200 and you had to have the 1st strike in the 10th and got it would you have to throw a bad shot on the 2nd ball to try to leave pins to get the spare? and if so wouldn't that be against ABC rules for throwing a bad shot on purpose? or could you get credit for the dutch by striking out and shooting 210

As far as I know, a clean game has a mark in each of the 10 frames of bowling. If, in the 10th frame, you threw a X, 9, miss, that should still be clean, since the 10th frame had a strike.

We talk of the 11th and 12th frames because we need some reference for the 2nd and 3rd ball thrown in the 10th frame, but technically  there are 10 frames in each game.

Only because the scoring rules say a strike is 10 plus whatever you throw in the next 2 balls, do you get to throw 2 more balls in the 10th frame. Same for a spare: you already threw 2 balls; the next ball is needed solely to determine the score.

To be safe, check the "ABC" rules on their website to see the formal definition of a clean game, if there is one.

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Clean means NO opens 9 and an OPEN means not clean
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