how is curling scored
Curling scoring is straightforward once you grasp the basics of the "house" and "ends." It's a strategic ice sport where teams aim to get their stones closest to the center target.
Core Scoring Rules
In curling, matches consist of 10 ends (like innings), with each team throwing 8 stones per end. Only one team scores per end: the team with the stone closest to the button (the house's center) gets 1 point for that stone, plus 1 point for each additional stone closer to the button than the opponent's nearest stone. Stones outside the house score nothing, even if nearer the button than rivals' stones.
For example, if Team A has three stones closer than Team B's best, Team A scores 3 points—no extra for smaller rings within the house.
The House and Button
The house is the colorful target circle at each end of the rink. Stones must touch the house to count. The button is the tiny bullseye; proximity is measured precisely, sometimes with a stick if close.
- Valid scoring stone : Must be touching the house.
- No tie scoring : Only the closer team scores; blanks (no points) happen if no stones touch.
Hammer and Strategy
The hammer is last-rock advantage, decided pre-game by closest stones to the button. Loser of an end gets the hammer next; scoreless ends vary by format (retained in team play, switches in mixed doubles). This flips control, adding chess-like tactics—guard stones, knockouts, or peels shape scoring shots.
Scoreboards Explained
Two styles exist: club (simple end-by-end tallies) and baseball (innings-like, with totals).
Scoreboard Type| Layout| Best For
---|---|---
Club| Cumulative totals per end| Traditional play 1
Baseball| Columns for ends 1-10+, rows for teams' per-end and total scores| TV
viewers 16
Ties go to an extra end until a winner emerges.
Game Flow Example
Imagine End 4: Red has two stones in the house, both nearer the button than Blue's closest. Red scores 2. Scoreboard updates: Red 4, Blue 3. Sweeping boosts stone distance (up to 40+ feet), but scoring waits until all 16 stones are thrown.
Highest total after 10 ends wins; pros hit strategic 1-3 pointers often.
TL;DR : Closest stones to button in the house score, one team per end—simple yet deeply strategic. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.