Curling is played by sliding heavy stones on ice toward a target of circles called the house , trying to get your team’s stones closer to the center (the “button”) than your opponents’.

What curling is, in one minute

  • Two teams of four play on a long sheet of ice with a house at each end.
  • Teams alternate sliding polished granite stones toward the house; each player throws two stones per “end,” for 16 stones total per end.
  • After all stones are thrown, only one team scores: they get 1 point for each of their stones closer to the button than any opponent stone.
  • A game is usually 8 or 10 ends; higher total score wins, though a team can concede early if they can’t realistically catch up.

The basic playing area

  • Sheet : A long, narrow ice lane about 45 meters (roughly 150 feet) long.
  • House : The colored concentric circles; only stones touching any part of the circles (or the outer ring) can score.
  • Button : The very center of the house, the ultimate target.
  • Hog line : A line about one‑third of the way down from the throwing end; you must let go of the stone before the front of the stone reaches this line or it’s removed from play.
  • Tee line : The line that runs through the middle of the house.

Think of it like a long bowling lane with a dartboard painted at the far end.

Roles on a team

Each team has four players who throw in a fixed order and share sweeping duties.

  • Lead
    • Throws the first two stones.
    • Often sets up guards (protective stones in front of the house) or simple draws into the house.
  • Second
    • Throws stones 3 and 4.
    • Often plays takeouts (removing opponent stones) or more guards.
  • Third (vice‑skip)
    • Throws stones 5 and 6 and helps call strategy.
    • Discusses options with the skip and holds the broom when the skip is throwing.
  • Skip
    • Team captain and main strategist.
    • Stands in the house to call shots, then throws the final two stones (7 and 8), which often decide the score.

How a single shot works

A typical delivery has three parts: setup, slide, and sweeping.

  1. Setup in the hack
    • You start from a rubber foothold called the hack at one end of the sheet.
 * One foot (the “gripper” shoe) pushes, the other (the “slider” shoe) glides; you line your body up with the skip’s broom, which marks the intended line.
  1. The slide and release
    • You pull the stone back slightly, then push out smoothly, sliding forward on your slider foot.
 * As you move, you gently add a **turn** by rotating the stone handle a few degrees:
   * **In‑turn** : clockwise rotation for a right‑hander (opposite for left‑handers).

   * **Out‑turn** : the reverse rotation.
 * You must release the stone before the front edge reaches the hog line; if not, it’s a foul and the stone is removed.
  1. Sweeping
    • Two teammates run alongside the stone, sweeping in front of it with brooms or brushes.
 * Sweeping briefly warms and polishes the ice, reducing friction so the stone goes farther and straighter with less curl.

 * The skip or third yells instructions (“hard!” “whoa!”) to control how much to sweep and shape the shot.

Curl, guards, and basic tactics

The magic of curling is that stones don’t travel straight; they curl.

  • Curl
    • Because of the rotation and pebbled ice, the stone bends gradually to one side as it slows.
* Players use different turns and speeds (**weight**) to navigate around stones or hide behind them.
  • Common shot types
    • Draw : A gentle shot meant to stop in the house; scored stones are sometimes called counters.
* **Guard** : A stone left short of the house to block access, often used early in an end to protect later scoring stones.

* **Takeout** : A faster shot aimed at knocking an opponent’s stone out of the rings while ideally leaving your own in a good spot.

* **Tap / Wick** : Light contact that nudges a stone deeper into the house or changes the shooter’s direction after grazing another stone.
  • Hammer and ends
    • An end is like an inning: each player throws twice, and then you score.
* The team throwing the last stone in an end has the **hammer** , a big advantage because they get the final say.

* Teams with hammer often try to score multiple points; without hammer, teams try to **steal** by scoring even though the opponent has last rock.

How scoring works

At the end of an end, once all 16 stones are thrown, scoring is simple but strict.

  1. Only stones in (or touching) the house can score.
  1. Only one team scores each end: the one with the stone closest to the button.
  1. That team gets 1 point for each of its stones that is closer to the button than any of the opponent’s stones.
  1. If no stones are in the house, the end is a blank end and nobody scores; usually the hammer stays with the same team in the next end.

Example:

  • Your closest stone is in the 4‑foot ring, and you also have two more stones closer to the button than the opponent’s nearest stone.
  • You score 3 points that end.

Quick “how to start playing” checklist

If you went to a beginner “learn to curl” night at a club, this is roughly what you’d do.

  1. Gear up safely
    • Clean, warm clothing you can move in, plus gloves.
    • A slider (or slip‑on slider) and gripper, a broom, and sometimes a stabilizer instead of a broom for balance.
  1. Learn the stance and slide
    • Practice getting into the hack, balancing with a broom or stabilizer, and sliding without a stone.
    • Then add the stone, working on smooth weight and a consistent release.
  2. Add sweeping
    • Learn proper broom grip, stance, and how to move in front of the stone without blocking your teammates.
    • Practice varying pressure and speed as directed by your skip.
  3. Play mini‑ends
    • Start with simple target games: try to hit a cone or the button with draw weight.
    • Then play a few short ends focusing on basic shots (guards, draws, easy takeouts).

Curling lingo you’ll hear

New players quickly pick up a lot of distinctive terms.

  • House : The rings where you can score.
  • Hack : The foothold you push from to deliver the stone.
  • End : A segment of play where all stones are thrown once and you score, like an inning.
  • Guard : A stone in front of the house that shields other stones.
  • Free‑guard zone : A rules area in front of the house where certain early guards cannot be removed immediately; this encourages more offense and longer ends.
  • Burned stone : A stone that’s accidentally touched by a player or equipment while it’s moving.

Why curling is trending again

Every Winter Olympics and major championship, curling spikes in searches and forum threads, especially with easy‑to‑watch “beginner explainers.”

  • TV and streaming coverage in 2026 is pairing live matches with short “rules explainers,” which makes it a popular “background sport” that people then want to understand better.
  • Online communities are posting “idiot’s guides” and Q&A threads for new fans who see sweeping and shouting and want to know the logic behind it.
  • Mixed doubles and new formats with fewer stones and faster games are also drawing in people who like quick, strategic sports.

Simple beginner game plan

When you actually step on the ice, this is a straightforward mental checklist you can use:

  1. Before the shot
    • Ask the skip: “Is this a guard, draw, or takeout?”
    • Visualize the line from the hack to the broom and the final resting point.
  1. During the slide
    • Focus on steady balance and smooth push, not power.
    • Give the stone only a gentle turn; big spins are a common beginner mistake.
  1. As a sweeper
    • Watch the stone and listen for commands.
    • Sweep hard when the stone is light or needs to hold its line, stop when it’s already heavy or past the intended path.

If you remember nothing else: aim where the skip points, slide smoothly, give a small controlled turn, and let your sweepers and skip help with the rest.

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