Curling 101

Curling can look like shuffleboard on ice until you know what everyone is shouting about. Here is the game in plain English.

The object

Two teams of four slide 20-kilogram granite stones toward a set of rings called the house. After all sixteen stones are thrown, the team with a stone closest to the centre — the button — scores, counting one point for each stone nearer the button than the opponent’s best. A game is usually eight or ten of these ends.

Why they sweep

Sweeping briefly melts the pebble, cutting friction so the stone travels farther and curls less. How much influence a brush should have is exactly what the sport fought over in Broomgate.

Words you’ll hear

• Hammer — last-rock advantage in an end.
• Hog line — the release and validity line.
• Guard — a stone protecting another.
• Draw — a shot thrown to stop at a spot.
• Takeout — a shot thrown to remove a stone.
• Button — the dead centre of the house.