| Curling is played between two teams of
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| | advantage at the beginning of a game. The
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| four curlers each, with team members
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| | winner of the toss has the option to pick
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| named for the usual order in which they
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| | either last rock, or the colour of the
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| play. The lead plays first, then the
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| | rocks they wish to play with. In major
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| second, the third, and finally the
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| | tournaments, these decisions are usually
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| fourth; the fourth is typically the skip
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| | made beforehand.
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| (team captain) but not always. For
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| | Skip
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| example, Randy Ferbey throws third and
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| | The skip is the captain of the team and
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| Russ Howard throws second. The position
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| | determines strategy. Based on the
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| at which the skip (team captain) throws
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| | strategy, the skip holds the broom
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| will be renamed with skip. For example,
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| | indicating where the player throwing must
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| Randy Ferbey's team will be lead, second,
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| | aim ("calling the shot"). When it is the
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| skip, fourth, while Russ Howard's team
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| | skip's turn to throw, the vice-skip
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| will be lead, skip, third, fourth.
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| | (usually the third) holds the broom. The
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| Lead
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| | skip usually throws the last two rocks of
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| The lead, or first, throws the team's
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| | the end, however some teams have the skip
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| first two stones of an end, and sweeps
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| | throwing in other positions.
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| for the other team members.
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| | The skip rarely does any sweeping, except
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| Strategically, the lead usually has
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| | in the house and behind the tee line. The
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| similar shots from end to end, usually
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| | skip is required to stay out of the
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| throwing guards or draws.
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| | playing area when it is the other team's
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| Second
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| | turn, but he is allowed to sweep stones
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| The Second throws the team's Third and
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| | in motion behind the tee line as a result
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| Fourth stones and sweeps for all other
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| | of their shot. (In International rules,
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| players.
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| | the player in charge of the house is the
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| Third
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| | only player allowed to sweep their
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| Also called the vice-skip, vice or mate,
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| | opponent's stones behind the tee-line.
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| the third throws the team's fifth and
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| | For most of the end that is the skip, but
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| sixth stones, and usually sweeps for the
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| | when the skip is throwing the vice-skip
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| second and the lead. The third usually
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| | takes charge of the house.)
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| assists the skip in his or her duties.
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| | Fourth
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| When it is the skip's turn to throw, it
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| | The "fourth" refers to the thrower of the
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| is usually the third who holds the broom
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| | last two stones in each end for a team if
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| for the skip.
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| | that player is not the skip. That is, if
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| After each end (round of play), the
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| | the skip does not play last rocks in each
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| thirds for both teams must reach an
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| | end, the last player to throw is known as
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| agreement about which team scored and how
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| | Fourth.
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| many points. If there is a disagreement,
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| | Team naming
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| or uncertainty, the thirds may measure
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| | Except in international or some national
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| the rocks to see which ones are closer.
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| | and provincial events in Canada and the
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| At this time, only the thirds are allowed
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| | United States, a team will usually be
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| in the house. In major tournaments, the
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| | identified by the last name of the skip.
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| scorekeeping is left to an official.
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| | For example, Cassandra Johnson's foursome
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| Depending on the tradition, when the
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| | is known as "Team Johnson," unless they
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| third's team scores, the third will
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| | are representing the United States in the
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| record it on the score-board.
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| | World Championships or the Olympics, in
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| Depending on the tradition, the third may
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| | which case they would be known as "Team
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| flip a coin with the opposing third to
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| | USA".
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| determine who will have last rock
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