The Basics of Curling Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called rocks, across the ice (curling sheet) towards the house, a circular target marked on the ice.

The purpose of a game is to score points by getting stones closer to the house centre, or the “button”, than the other team’s stones. Players from either team alternate in taking shots from the far side of the sheet. An end is complete when all eight rocks from each team have been delivered, a total of sixteen stones.

In curling, a 42-pound stone is pushed down a sheet of ice, while two players sweep the surface in front of the stone. The goal is to get the stone closest to the target, called a ‘house. ‘ Sweeping warms up the ice and reduces friction, which makes the rock curl less and therefore move straighter.

Curling is named after the unique turning that occurs at the end of the stone’s path on the ice. The curling stone, or rock, is made of dense polished granite from Ailsa Craig, Scotland, and in the Olympics, each rock weighs 19.1 kg (44 lbs).

There are three primary types of shots in curling: a guard, a draw and a takeout. Each type of shot serves a different function.

Curling’s recent popularity has swelled the USCA to 185 curling clubs and approximately 23,500 curlers in the United States….Where is curling the most popular?

Curling Rink

In curling, the team you play on is called a rink.

Depending on the event curling teams can be composed of both sexes and all ages, and like golf, sailing, etc., curling is a lifetime sport. …

How much do curling stones cost? According to CurlingStone.com a new stone will set you back around $450 (£322) whilst you can get a used one for about $295 (£211), although this will depend on quality and condition.

In these games, a tie cannot occur; there must be a winner. Therefore, curlers will play an extra end.

A game of curling is divided into ends, usually eight or ten ends, lasting 15 minutes each. Teams alternate throwing eight stones each, for a total of 16 stones. The Vice from each team will score the end. …

If any part of the throwing team’s broom, articles of clothing, etc. touch the stone as it moves down the ice, the stone is considered to be burned and is immediately removed from play. This is because anything that touches the stone will alter its trajectory, no matter how large or small.

The Free Guard Rule states that a guard cannot be removed from play until the first five stones of the end are thrown. If a guard is removed from play before such stones are thrown, the guard is placed back in its original position, and the opponent’s stone that hit the guard is removed from play.

The violation meant the stone was removed from play to leave Sweden a free shot at winning the match, which they took to claim an 8-6 victory. The stone’s red lights are programmed to flash if it is released after the hog line – the equivalent of a no-ball in cricket – or if the stone is touched twice.

The last shot of

The hammer for the first end is awarded to the team that puts two rocks closest to the button in a pre-game shootout. (Officials measure the combined distance.) As the match wears on, the hammer goes to the team that did not score in the previous end.