Curling basics

Curling is played on a rectangular sheet ofby 14 feet 2 inches (4.318 m) to 15 feet 7 inches
prepared ice into which two round, painted,(4.75 m) in width, carefully prepared to be
archery-like targets (called the house) have beenabsolutely level so as to allow the rocks to glide
embedded. The game involves two teams of fourwith as little friction as possible. A key part of the
players. These teams are called rinks and namedpreparation is the spraying of fine water droplets
for theonto the ice, called pebble. Due to the friction
€žÂ¢s captain, who is known as thebetween the stone and pebble, the stone turns to
¿Â¾. Each team has eight polished granitethe inside or outside, causing the stone's path to
stones, called stones or rocks, with which they'curl'. The curl changes during a game as the
try to score.pebble wears out. The ice also has to be
During each round of play, called an end, eachmaintained at a temperature of -6
player slides two stones along the surface of the°C.
ice. Play alternates between teams, each throwingMaintaining perfect ice conditions at a curling club is
one stone on their turn. The person throwing thea science. Most curling clubs have an ice keeper
stone influences where the stone stops by thewhose main job is to care for the ice. At the
amount of force used, called the weight, the spinmajor curling championships, ice maintenace is
(turn), and the direction of the throw. Additionally,extremely important. Two well known
the final position of the stone is changed byprofessional ice makers Shorty Jenkins and Hans
sweeping or brushing the path in front of theWuthrich reside in Canada. Large events such as
stone to reduce curl and increase distance. Oncethe Brier or other national championships are
all the stones have been thrown during an end,typically held in an arena which presents a
the score is determined and the play reverseschallenge to the ice maker as they must
direction back to the other house.constantly monitor and adjust the ice and air
The players are known as the lead, second, thirdtemperatures as well as air humidity levels to
and skip, and traditionally throw stones in thatensure a good playing surface. It is common for
order . The skip acts as theeach sheet of ice to have multiple sensors
€žÂ¢s captain, determining the positionembedded to monitor surface temperature as
played by each player, strategy during the game,well as probes set up in the seating area to
holding the broom in the house as a target formonitor humidity and in the compressor room to
the shooters, and representing the rink. However,monitor brine supply and return temperatures.
there is nothing in the rules to say where in theOccasionally, small ice crystals, "ice picks", will bond
order the skip plays and in recent years the skipon the bottom of the stone (called the "running
has thrown second or third stones on somesurface"), which increase friction and change the
teams.stone's path. As the pebble wears down, more ice
The basic goal of each end is to have your curlingpicks develop, especially if the water is not
stones nearer to the center of the target once alltreated to remove excess minerals.
the stones from both teams have been thrownOn the sheet, a 12 foot (3.7 m) wide set of
for that end. Therefore, the maximum number ofconcentric rings, called the house, is painted near
points a team can earn per end is eight, thougheach end of the rink. The centre of the house is
this is extremely rare because only the closestmarked by the junction of two lines that divide
stones belonging to one of the two teams arethe house into quarters and is known as the
counted. Strategies used during play, such asbutton. The two lines are the centre line, which is
blocking (guard) and hitting rocks to repositiondrawn lengthwise down the centre of the sheet,
them (bump) or remove them from playand the tee line, drawn 16 feet (4.9 m) from the
(take-out) lead to lower scores. The term draw isbackboard and parallel to it. Two other lines, the
used to describe a shot that comes to rest in thehoglines, are drawn parallel to each backboard and
house without making contact with another stone.37 feet (11.3 m) from it.
To peel means to remove both the target stoneThe rings that surround the button are defined by
and the shooter's stone from play. For moretheir diameter as the four-foot, eight-foot, and
information, see Types of shots below.twelve-foot rings. They are usually distinguished
To help ensure the stone lands where intended,by colour. The inner rings are merely a visual aid
the skip stands in the house and indicates to thefor judging which stone is closer to the centre;
player throwing where to aim given the desiredthey do not affect scoring; however, a stone that
effect of the shot. The other two players sweepis not at least touching the outside of the 12-foot
in front of the rock. Once thrown, players mayring (i.e. more than 6 feet from the centre) is not
not touch a stone while it is moving, so sweepingin the house and therefore does not score (see
is the only way to influence the stone oncebelow).
thrown. Games, called matches, usually last eightTwelve feet behind the button are located the
ends, though in competitive curling there arehacks. A hack is a device used to provide traction
usually ten ends and some recreational games lastto the curler making a shot; the curler places the
six ends.foot he or she will push off with in the hack. On
Playing surfaceindoor rinks there are usually two fixed hacks,
The playing area in curling is shown here. Rocksrubber-lined holes, one each side of the centre line
must land between the hog line (bottom of photo)with the inside edge no more than three inches
and the back line (behind the rings) and between(7.6 cm) from the centre line and the front edge
the boards or out lines (on the sides).The curlingon the hack line. A single moveable hack may also
arena is a sheet of ice 146 feet (45.5 m) in lengthbe used.