Curling Book: Game - Equipment - Glossary - History

HOW TO PLAY

Two teams, consisting of 4 athletes each, face each other on a frozen rink 44.5 metres in length.
The match is played from one end to the other: each player throws two stones (made from a special granite coming from a small Scottish island, each weighing around 19 Kg and equipped with a handle), alternating with their adversary and trying to get as close as possible to the centre of a target marked out on the ice.
The skip is the one who throws the last two stones and works out the strategy of the game.
After the throw, two players move over the rink closely preceding the stone and, with the aid of horsehair or cloth brushes, assist their trajectory.

After the 16 stones have been thrown and the points counted (the number of stones near the centre compared to those of the adversary), play is resumed. In official competitions 10 ends are played, although in many tournaments 8 ends are played in a match lasting around two and a half hours. It is a sport of skill that requires the players to think carefully, studying the moves of the adversary and utilising the best tactic, and hence the fundamental element is concentration.

The basics:
DRAW: the image here is of a perfect draw exactly on the tee line, in the centre of the “house”.
GUARD the guard allows for a draw to be covered, defending it. In this image the yellow team’s stone outside the house goes to protect the yellow stone.

TAKEOUT in this image the red stone is taking out the yellow stone. The takeout is stronger than the draw and serves to take the adversary’s stone out of the game.

Each end must be carefully planned by the team so as to place the last stone as near to the centre as possible.
There are several key factors that affect the strategy:
Which team has the last stone?
Which end are we playing?
What is the score to now?

1. The last shot
In each end, the strategy is based above all on which delivers the last stone, since in this case that team will attempt to score more than one point.
Normally, when the team has the last stone, they try to keep the centre of the ice rink open so as to be able to get into the centre of the house with the last shot.
In contrast, the team that does not have the last stone will try to steal and so get the point. To do this the team without last rock will try to gain control of the central part of the rink, making guards
(stones out of the house) in this area.
2. The End
The strategy of the game is often more defensive at the start of play, becoming more attacking towards the end of the match. This allows the players to get used to the conditions of the ice and to get to know the weaknesses of the opponent, keeping the score under control. Many matches are won or lost in the last ends.
The “Free Guard Zone” Rule
No stone positioned in the free guard zone can be removed from the game by the opponent until the first 4 stones of the end have been played. The free guard zone is the area facing the house, between
the latter and the hog line.
In this way both teams are forced to play with one or more stones in front of the house. This makes for more aggressive strategies.

Privacy/Disclaimer - Credits - Links - Sponsor
Organising Committee Capital One World Men's Curling Championship