The Game

Curling is played between two teams of four curlers. A game usually consists of ten 'ends'. In each end, each player on both teams casts two rocks in turn, the players on each side alternating shots. When throwing the rock, it must be released in the middle of the sheet before the near hogline is reached (players usually slide while releasing their shots) and must cross the far hogline; otherwise it is removed from play. On each shot, two players are equipped with brushes or brooms with which they can vigorously sweep the ice in front of the rock so as to alter its trajectory or increase the distance of travel. A player in the house, either the skip (captain) or vice-skip (also known as the third), has the final say in deciding whether the sweepers should sweep.

Four-Rock Rule

Until four rocks have been played, guard rocks left in the area between the hog and tee lines, excluding the house - known as the free guard zone - may not be removed by an opponent's stone. If they are removed, they are replaced and the opponent's rock is removed from play. This rule is known as the four-rock rule.

The intent of the four-rock rule is to keep games from being monotonous. Otherwise each stone played could be taken out by the next stone, and most ends would be blanked. It is not always necessary at lower levels of skill, and may have been introduced particularly to enhance the experience of televised curling games.

Scoring

After both teams have delivered eight rocks each, the team with the rock closest to the button is awarded one point for each rock that is closer than the opponent's closest. The winner is the team with the highest score after an even number of ends - usually in high level curling this is ten, however at club play it is usually eight, or less.

The score is usually marked on a scoreboard of some sort. There are two different types of scoreboards used for curling. One is the baseball type scoreboard, which is usually used for televised games. On this scoreboard the ends are marked by columns 1 through 10 (or 11 for the possibility of an extra-end to break ties) plus an additional column for the total. Below this are two rows - one for each team. The number of points each team gets in an end is marked this way.

The other form of scoreboard is the one used in most curling clubs. It is set up in the same way, except the numbered row indicated points not ends, and it can be found between the rows for the team. The numbers placed are indicative of the end. If the red team scores 3 points in the first end (called a three-ender), then a one (indicating the first end) is placed beside the number three in the red row. If they score two more in the second end, then a two will be placed beside the five in the red row indicating that the red team has five points in total (3+2). This scoreboard works because only one team can get points in an end. However, some confusion can exist if no team gets points in an end. This is called a blank end and the end number usually goes in the furthest column on the right in the row of the team who has the hammer (last rock advantage).

When a team feels it is impossible , or near impossible to win a game, they will shake hands with the opposing team to indicate surrender. This may occur at any point during the game, but usually happens near the end. When a game is ended by normal means, both teams will shake hands as well. This is often accompanied with saying "Good Game!". Hands are also shaken prior to the game and is accompanied by saying "Good Curling!" to the opposing team.

Last Rock

The right to throw the last rock in an end is called the hammer. For the first end of the game is decided by coin toss or other similar method. In all subsequent ends, the hammer belongs to the team that did not score in the preceding end. In the event that neither team scores, the hammer remains with the same team.

Naturally, it is easier to score points with the hammer than without; in tournament play, the team with the hammer generally tries to score two or more points. If only one point is possible, the skip will often try to avoid scoring at all in order to retain the hammer until the next end, when two or more points may be possible. This is often called a blank end. Scoring without the hammer is commonly referred to as stealing, or a steal, and is much more difficult.

Dispute Resolution

Most decisions about rules are left to the skips. In tournament play, the most frequent circumstance in which a decision has to be made by someone other than the skips is the failure of the skips to agree on which rock is closest to the button. An independent official then measures the distances.