how many ends in curling

In most standard curling games, there are 10 ends, but many events and club games are now played over 8 ends.

Quick Scoop

Think of an end in curling like an inning in baseball: it’s one full round where each team throws all its stones, then you total the score. The number of ends can change slightly depending on the level and format of play.

Typical number of ends

• International men’s and women’s games (Worlds, Olympics): usually 10 ends.

• Mixed doubles: 8 ends.

• Many tour events and most recreational/club games: often 8 ends, because it keeps games shorter and fits better into club schedules.

If the game is tied after the scheduled ends, teams play extra ends until someone wins, so a game can go beyond 10 or 8.

Why you sometimes hear both 8 and 10

There’s an ongoing debate inside the curling world about whether games should be 10 or 8 ends to balance strategy, TV-friendly length, and player fatigue. Traditionalists like the longer 10-end format, while others prefer 8 ends for a faster, tighter game that’s easier for new fans to follow.

In forum discussions and blogs, you’ll often see fans and players arguing “10 vs 8” as a kind of identity question for where the sport is heading in the 2020s.

Extra little example

Imagine you’re watching Olympic men’s curling: you’ll expect 10 ends, but the leading team might concede early once at least six ends are played if the comeback looks impossible. At your local club on a weeknight, that same matchup would probably be scheduled for 8 ends so everyone can finish and get home on time.

TL;DR:
Most top-level four-person curling: 10 ends.
Mixed doubles and many modern/club events: 8 ends.
Ties: go to extra ends until there’s a winner.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.