General Strategy * If your team has last rock, focus on scoring points * If the other team has last rock, focus on preventing them from scoring * You can adopt an aggressive strategy or a conservative strategy * An aggressive strategy refers to making shots that force the other team to make mistakes * A conservative strategy usually involves keeping the ice free of rocks and shooting a lot of take-out shots * Call shots appropriate to the skill level of your teammates * You may want to start more conservatively in the beginning and become more aggressive as the game progresses * If you’re losing by a large score, an aggressive strategy is best for making up lost ground * If you’re winning, you may want to switch to a more conservative strategy Strategy with the Hammer * Try to keep the center of the ice open * Use your last shot for getting close to the center of the house * Try to score multiple points instead of settling for a single point * If you can’t score multiple points, you may want to blank so you retain possession of the hammer Without Last Rock * Throw rocks short of the house near the center to block your opponent * Your goal should be to steal points * Look for a way to sneak one of your rocks around the rocks cluttering the ice sheet