Q&A for How to Score in Curling

If a travelling rock is hit by the sweeper's broom, it is considered 'burned' and must be taken out of play. Etiquette and the honor system dictates that sweepers call their own burns.

The team that begun the end with the hammer would have the hammer in the next end.

You have to get rocks into the house. The rocks closest to the button (the middle dot), count for points. For example, if there are two red rocks closest to the button, the red team gets two points for that end. If there's a rock closer to the button than one of the two, only one counts for points.

A faster spin usually makes the rock curve, or "curl," less. If it's very rapid, it will be unstable and kind of wobble. A slower turn curls the rock harder. As far as the direction of the turn, it curls the same direction it is rotated.

No particular reason unless the skip called for that shot. Usually the first stone would be before the house to serve as a guard to start the game.

While it would be cool to have a curling equivalent to the 3-point shot, you can only score one point per rock (provided it it is closer than any opposing rock).

This indicates who had the hammer in the first end. This helps people determine the score every end.

It depends on the speed of play and if there are other games scheduled behind you. Typically 15 - 20 minutes per end. In club play, it is not uncommon to end a slow game early to allow the ice to be resurfaced and prepared for the next group of players.

The colors of the rings have no significance. There is the button in the center. The next ring is the 4 foot ring because it is 4 feet in diameter. The other two are the 8 and the 12 for the same reason. They are there to make it easier to discern which rocks are closest to the center.

The score goes across the board similar to a baseball scoreboard. The ends are numbered on a separate tile. you take that time for end number one if you scored two points that end number goes over the number two, in the next end if you score two more points the number two end tile goes over number 4, it is a progressive scoring system.

You could, but if it's an important game or a very close rock, you should use the measure. A measure is standard to most curling rinks, and is used to measure much more precisely.

You get 2 timeouts, each lasting 1 minute. In extra ends, you get an extra 1 minute timeout for each extra end.

It's a relatively newer rule for Mixed Doubles. The team with the last stone in the current end gets to put the stone on the tee line in the house. The guard stone is placed at the side of the sheet to protect the other stone.

You can sweep your own team's stones anytime. You cannot sweep the stones of the opposing team until the rock passes the button.

Moisture can't get into the stone. That means it stays smooth and glides across the ice. It's a unique volcanic granite from Scotland and Wales.

It's called a burn and usually results in a penalty. This depends on what your opponent decides. They can remove your thrown stone from play, put the moved stone back where it was, or make you throw your stone again.

It's a guard. You can block the circles, making it harder for your opponent to get their stones into the house. This can be useful if you have stones in the circles you need to protect.

It's up to the losing team to decide on conceding. There are plenty of opportunities to catch up, since each team gets 8 stones in a normal end. If you're down by more than 8 in the final end, you know you can't catch up, but you may wish to concede the match before then.

Absolutely. That’s called blanking the end. It would give you the hammer again in the next end and perhaps a chance for two or more points versus the one you sacrificed. It’s very common in high level curling.

A stone can only score one point. Though cool to do, there is no bonus for a “Bull’s Eye.”

The broom is held for balance during the delivery slide. It can also be used to clean off the bottom of the rock prior to throwing. There may also be an opportunity to chase your own rock and sweep it yourself if your team is missing a player.

The score board above is not accurate; it's just used as a visual. Teams will not score in the same end. The only time both teams will finish an end with the same score is if neither team gets any points. This means they have a "blank" end, which is defined as nothing being scored from either side. Blank ends are more common among higher level curlers, just from a strategy standpoint.

Shoes don't really matter. Some people prefer to wear running shoes with additional fitted, ice-friendly equipment. Others prefer specially made curling shoes. Curling shoes consist of a slippery, smooth surface on your dominant foot and a rubber texture surface on the other foot. The rubber provides grip and the smooth surface provides and material for sliding. These surfaces can be purchased to put on regular running shoes or special runners.

The hammer is the last stone to be thrown in an end. If Team A scored in end #3 then Team B will have last rock advantage in end #4. Sometimes in a close game, if no rocks are in the house, the last rock will be thrown too hard or too soft in hopes the next end offers a chance to score more than one point. They will keep the hammer (last rock) since neither team scored.

The level of curling the teams are playing will dictate the result. Most recreation leagues, who are on a time restraint, will accept the tie. But, at higher levels teams will usually play an extra end to break the tie and determine a clear winner.

That stone is “burned”or dead, and can not be played any more in that burn.

If you have the hammer, it means you are shooting second in that end. There are 10 ends. An “end” is just like an inning in baseball. If you are batting second you have the hammer, meaning you are the home team.

The winning team will have a higher school then its opponent, so you will want a high score.

The picture above is not an accurate depiction of a real curling game. The only time the score board would be the same between both teams is if no one scores any points, which is very common among higher level curlers.

An average stone in curling is 17 to 20 kilograms (37-44 lbs.).