THE GAME

The playing field (SHEET oder RINK) is marked with lines and rings. The start of the game is decided by a coin toss. The loser starts, the winner plays next and has therefore last rock advantage in the first END. The team which wins the END, starts the next END and so on. The LEADS of both teams play their stones alternately, followed by the SECONDS, the THIRDS and the SKIPS. A stone will count only if clearly released before the first Hogline, has passed the far Hogline and touches the outer edge of the Back Line. All stones, which come to rest in the House might count. Each stone that is closer to the center tee than an opponent's stone, counts one point. If none of the two teams can score a point in an END, the next END is started by the winner of the preceding END. 

IDENTIFYING THE TARGET

The Skip indicates to the player where his/her stone should come to rest by placing his/her broom onto the target. The sport is named Curling because on release it is rotated through its axis and it follows a curved path to its target. This rotation (TURN) is part of the release technique and is either an in-turn (clockwise) or an out-turn (counter clockwise). 

THE TEAM

Four players make up a team: Lead (No. 1), Second (No. 2) Third (No. 3) and Skip (No. 4 or team captain). Different skills are required for each position. Each player delivers, in rotation with the opposing team, two stones per end. The Lead starts, followed by the Second and the Third, and the last rocks are delivered by the skip. The Skip should be the most experienced player of the team. The Skip is responsible for the team strategy. All four players are involved in the delivery of each stone. Curling is a team sport and only the common effort of all four players will make a team successful. Team spirit, respect for your fellow curlers and self-confidence are important factors. 

THE HACK

The "Hack" refers to a foothold anchored to the ice at each end to assist in the delivery of the stones. 

STONES

Curling stones are made of Scottish and Welsh granite. A stone must not weigh more than 19,96 kgs. The circumference must not be greater than 91,44 cms, its height must be no less than 11,43 cms. Each stones has got a handle, which is used for lifting and/or delivering it. A stone does not sit flat on the ice, but slides on a narrow cutting edge, similar to the bottom surface of a dish. 

THE DELIVERY

Curling shoes have a special, slippery sole (SLIDER), to make it easier to slide on the Curing ice when delivering a stone. 

THE SWEEPING

Sweeping reduces the friction between stone and ice surface. Therefore, the stone will travel further. 

This is achieved through:

- smoothing the pebble (frozen water droplets applied to a sheet of ice before commencing play)

- removal of loose ice and dust

- melting the pebble, which produces a think water film between ice and stone

Because of sweeping the stone will travel further, its swing (turn) is supported and it will reach its target sooner. The curl of a stone (the curved path of a stone as it travels down the sheet of ice) is dependent on time. With sweeping the stone has less time and therefore the path of the stone will be much straighter.

THE SCOREBOARD

The scoreboard is located at the end of each sheet (rink) and consists of three parts. Three numbered rows indicate the score.

The middle row indicates the number of the end played, on the rows above and below, each team places the number of points they scored in that end. One team scores on the above row and the other on the row below, as indicated by the colour of the stones played.