what are the rules of curling

February 13, 2026

Curling is played between two teams who slide heavy stones down the ice toward a circular target, following a clear set of rules about teams, turns, delivery, sweeping, scoring, and time.

Basic setup

Each team has four players, and a standard game uses 16 stones in total per end (8 per team).

The target is called the “house,” a set of concentric circles with the very center called the button.

Games at high levels are usually 10 “ends” (like innings in baseball), with teams alternating the direction of play each end.

How play works

Players deliver stones alternately: Team A throws one stone, then Team B, and so on, until all 16 stones have been thrown in that end.

Each player normally delivers two stones per end in a fixed order (lead, second, third/vice-skip, skip).

The “hammer” is the last stone of the end, and having it is a strategic advantage because you get the final chance to score.

Delivery rules (throwing the stone)

The stone must be released before its front edge reaches the hog line at the throwing end; if not, it’s a foul and the stone is removed from play.

A stone must cross the far hog line or touch another stone in play; otherwise it’s also removed.

Stones that touch the side boundary lines or fully cross the back line are taken out of play.

Players are expected to deliver in a reasonably straight line from the hack toward the broom and not start their slide until the previous stone has come to rest or left the playing area.

Sweeping rules

Only stones in motion may be swept, and sweeping must be done in front of the stone, not on or behind it.

Up to two teammates can sweep their own stone from release to the tee line.

After the stone reaches the tee line, only one player from the delivering team may continue sweeping that stone.

Behind the tee line, only one player from each team may sweep at any one time; for the non-delivering team this must be the skip or vice-skip.

Touching stones and etiquette

If a moving stone is touched by the delivering team or their equipment, it is considered “burned.” Typically the touched stone is removed and other stones are replaced to where they were, unless the non‑offending team prefers to leave them as they ended up.

Curling strongly emphasizes sportsmanship and an honor code; players are expected to admit if they accidentally touched or burned a stone and let the other team decide the remedy.

Scoring an end

After all 16 stones are thrown, only one team scores in that end.

The team with the stone closest to the button scores one point for each of its stones that is closer to the button than any of the opponent’s stones.

Only stones touching or inside the house can count for points; stones outside the rings are not scoring stones.

Game length and timing

A standard high-level game is 10 ends; club games are often 8 ends.

International matches use a game clock: each team gets a fixed amount of thinking time (around 73 minutes per side, plus time for extra ends if needed) and can also take limited timeouts.

Penalties and violations (quick examples)

Late release (stone not released before the hog line): stone is removed.

Stone not reaching the far hog line or failing to hit anything: stone is removed.

Stone hitting the side boards or completely crossing the back line: stone is removed.

Serious rule breaches or repeated misconduct can lead to loss of stones or, in extreme cases, forfeiture of the game under formal competition rules.

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