Below average?  On what sort of a shot is that average built on?  A THS average usually doesn't translate into a tournament average, unless the tournament is a THS too.

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"A word to the wise ain't necessary -- it's the stupid ones that need the advice."  Bill Cosby
"Never argue with an idiot. They bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."

Averages don't always translate to different surfaces and houses that well either.
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"A word to the wise ain't necessary -- it's the stupid ones that need the advice."  Bill Cosby
"Never argue with an idiot. They bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."

I'd assume a "mental" thing, too. 190 vs. 202 is not that much of difference to worry about, IMHO, but 2 things I'd second from the pervious posts: challenge yourself in training, even on a THS, to read the lanes and the ball reaction properly, also your training pal's. In tournament, this is very helpful to make the right adjustments and decisions way in time. Second thing is that one might simply want too much while playing, eager for a high game and wide hooks - maybe even subconsciously. I had been a bit like this, but I realized after 1 year and my first league season that, when it counts, a conservative approach is simply (literally) the best: small, controlled hook with trustworthy balls (not the newest and strongest bling ball in the bag), and a keen eye on what the piece is doing. Less is more, and high results will come by themselves when you can play this "simple" ball with consistency. It takes also the pressure from you because the "great" ball has too hook and score a lot. Take a step back, relax, and just let it roll. Helped me to improve my offcial average from 162 last year to 180 now
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section

It is very hard for someone not watching you bowl to say what is happening with your tourney scoring.  Aside from different conditions than what you normally bowl on, there are other variables at play here.

You are probably the best judge of your game.  Sit back and answer these questions to yourself about your tourney performances.

What is happening in terms of ball reaction from games 1-2 to 3-4  to 5-6 that is dropping your carry percentage as you go on?   Could be a failure to properly compensate for lane transitions?

Are you still hitting your mark with a consistent release? (speed and revs staying consistent?)?  Could be mental lapses.  Try to concentrate on 1 shot at a time, and not look at the overall score.

Are you tiring out? Could be physical, changing your practice habits to bowl more games in each set should help you get through the physical stress.

How do you convert your spares?  Improving your spare conversion rates will help keep your scores up when you're not making strikes consistently.

There are many good tips listed from the people here.  But, you have to honestly assess your performances and figure out what exactly is causing your scores to drop.  Then, you will know what is causing the problem and can make the appropriate changes to fix the problem.

Good Luck on your Mission.
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"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."     Ben Franklin  

Enjoy,
Bob