Curling words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 44 words · Step 2 of 2

Basic setup terms

Lines of the sheet

At each end the tee line is 17.375 m from the middle of the sheet, the back line has its outside edge 1.829 m from the tee, the hog line 6.401 m from it, and the hack line is 457 mm long on the centre line. The centre line joins the tee lines. A courtesy line 152 mm long sits 1.219 m outside each hog line.

Wheelchair lines

Two lines at each end running from the hog line to the outermost edge of the nearest circle, 457 mm either side of the centre line. A wheelchair curler may start the delivery with the stone between them.

Playing terms

In-turn and out-turn

The rotation given to the handle. An in-turn by a right-handed curler turns the stone clockwise, and for a left-handed curler counter-clockwise. An out-turn is the reverse.

Weight

The force or speed given to a stone at delivery. Draw weight reaches the house, front house weight the front part of it, back house weight just the back of the house, hack weight the hack at the playing end, and a stone that is heavy has more speed than needed.

Shot stone

At any time during an end, the stone closest to the tee. A counter is any stone in or touching the house, a potential point.

Shot and strategy terms

Freeze

A draw shot that stops directly up against another stone.

See also: Stone

Peel

A shot designed to remove a guard.

Double takeout

A stone that removes two of the opponent's stones from play.

See also: Stone

Tap back

A gentle shot nudging a stone further back without removing it. The rules do not use the name.

See also: Stone

Come around

A shot that curls behind another stone.

See also: Stone

Hit and roll

A stone that knocks an opponent's stone out of play and then rolls to another position in play. A raise is a draw that bumps another stone forward, and a raise take-out is a delivered stone that hits a stationary stone, which then hits a third out of play.

Delivery and violations

Hog line violation

A stone not clearly released before the hog line at the delivery end. It is removed from play at once by the delivering team. If it is not removed and strikes another stone, it is removed and the other stones are replaced. A hogged stone is one that does not come to rest beyond the inside edge of the hog line at the playing end.

Touched moving stone

A stone in motion touched by a player or equipment, sometimes called a burned stone. If the stone's own team touches it before the hog line at the playing end, it is removed. If the opposing team touches it, a delivered stone is redelivered, and another stone is placed where it would have come to rest. Inside the hog line the non-offending team chooses between removing it, leaving the stones, or placing them where they would have come to rest.

No-tick shot

Before the sixth stone of an end, if a delivered stone moves an opposing stone in the free guard zone that touches the centre line off it, the non-offending team may remove the delivered stone and replace the stones, or leave them. It does not apply to wheelchair curling or mixed doubles.

Displaced stationary stone

A stationary stone moved by a player or equipment. If it would have had no effect on a moving stone it is replaced. If it would have altered a moving stone's course, all stones come to rest and the non-offending team may leave them, remove the affected stone, or place them where they would have come to rest.

See also: Stone

Delivery out of turn

A stone delivered out of rotation does not change the end, and the player who missed a turn delivers the team's last stone. A stone of the wrong team is allowed to come to rest and replaced with one of the delivering team. If the wrong team delivers the first stone of an end, the end is replayed if discovered after one stone, and stands if discovered after two.

Position of players

While a team delivers, the other team stands still along the side lines between the courtesy lines, though two may stand behind the back line and the next player may stand beside the sheet behind the hack. The delivering team's skip or vice-skip is in charge of the house, inside the hog line with at least one foot or wheel on the ice. Improper positions remove the delivered stone.

See also: Sheet, Stone, House, Hog line, Skip

Ice damage and conduct

Damaging the ice with equipment, handprints or body prints brings an on-ice warning at the first and second incident and ejection at the third. Improper conduct, offensive language, equipment abuse and wilful damage may bring suspension.

Electronic devices

Teams may not use electronic communication equipment or voice-changing devices during a game, and devices giving information to players on the athlete field of play are forbidden, except stopwatches that give time only. With an electronic hog line system the handle must be activated and no glove or mitt may be worn on the delivery hand.

Match and rule terms

Free guard zone

The area at the playing end between the hog line and the tee line, excluding the house. Before the sixth stone of an end is delivered, a delivered stone may not move an opposing stone out of the free guard zone out of play, or the delivered stone is removed and the stones are replaced.

Also called: FGZ
See also: Stone, House, Guard, Hog line

Power play

In mixed doubles, once per game, the team that decides the placement of the positioned stones may place them to the side of the sheet instead of the centre positions. It cannot be used in extra ends.

Measurement

A measuring device is used if teams cannot decide by eye which stones are closer to the tee or whether a stone is touching the house. Measurements are taken from the tee to the nearest part of the stone, and one player from each team may observe. If it cannot be decided, the stones are equal.

Concede

A team may concede the game, but only when it is the delivering team. A team that is arithmetically eliminated may finish the current end but no new end may start, provided the minimum number of ends has been completed.

Alternate

A registered fifth, non-playing team member eligible to replace a player. A replaced player may not re-enter the game. A team may not play with fewer than three players, may have only one absence per game, and a team that deliberately changes its delivery rotation forfeits unless bringing in an alternate.

Forfeit

If a team cannot start or continue a game, the other team wins and the score is recorded as W-L. A team more than a minute late for the start gives the opponent last stone advantage and a point for each end counted as played: one end (0-1) if 1 minute to 14 minutes 59 seconds late, two ends (0-2) if 15 to 29 minutes 59 seconds late, and 30 minutes or more is a forfeit (shorter limits in mixed doubles).

Interrupted game

A game that stops starts again where play was stopped, except that if stones must be removed for ice maintenance, the end is replayed.

Formats

Last Stone Draw

A contest after each team's pre-game practice in which each team delivers two stones by different players to the tee at the home end, the first clockwise and the second counter-clockwise. The distances are added, and the team with the lesser total chooses whether to deliver the first or second stone in the first end. A stone delivered with the wrong rotation or more than 60 seconds late is recorded as 1.996 m.

Also called: LSD
See also: Stone, Second

The ruleWho gets the last stone in curling?

Draw Shot Challenge

The average distance of a team's Last Stone Draws in the round robin, excluding the least favourable result (the two least favourable if more than 11 stones count). It is used to rank teams that are still tied after the win-loss record and the head-to-head results.

Round robin ranking

Teams are ranked by win-loss record. If two are tied the team that won their game ranks higher. For three or more the record between the tied teams decides, and anything left is decided by the Draw Shot Challenge.

Mixed curling

Four-player teams of two men and two women who deliver alternately (M, F, M, F or F, M, F, M), with no alternates. The skip and vice-skip must be of opposite genders. All games are scheduled for 8 ends.

Mixed doubles curling

A team of one man and one woman, with no alternates, playing 8 ends with five stones each. The player who delivers the team's first stone of an end also delivers its last, and the other delivers the second, third and fourth. Both players may sweep their own delivered stones.

Positioned stones

Two stones placed before each end, one for each team, that count in the scoring. Position A is in front of the house on the centre line, in front of or behind one of four set points; Position B is at the back of the four-foot circle. The team whose stone is in A delivers first and the team whose stone is in B delivers second. The team that did not score has the decision on the placement in the next end.

Wheelchair curling

Stones are delivered from a stationary wheelchair by arm and hand or a delivery stick, with no sweeping. No part of the body may touch the ice and the wheels must be in contact with the ice. Teams of four must include both genders, and games are scheduled for 8 ends.

See also: Delivery, Sweeping, Delivery stick

Wheelchair mixed doubles

Mixed doubles with the wheelchair rules: two players, one male and one female, with no alternates and no sweeping at any time. Electric wheelchairs are not allowed unless the athlete uses one for daily mobility.

Ice and equipment terms

Pebble

The water droplets applied to the sheet before play, which freeze and reduce the friction between the ice and the stones.

Hack

The foot-hold at each end of the ice, used by players (except wheelchair curlers) to start delivery. Two hacks sit on the hack line, on either side of the centre line.

Handle

The part of a stone that a player grips to deliver. The turn given to it is the rotation.

See also: Stone

Delivery stick

A device attached to the handle of the stone that acts as an extension of the arm or hand during delivery. It may not be used in a World Curling competition or qualifying event except wheelchair events, may give no mechanical advantage, and a player who uses one must use it for all stones in the game.

Competition rules

Game clock (curling)

Each team has thinking time: 38 minutes for 10-end games and wheelchair curling, 30 minutes for 8-end games, 26 for wheelchair mixed doubles and 22 for mixed doubles. A team's clock runs while it is the delivering team and stops when the stone reaches the tee line (hog line in wheelchair curling). A team that runs out of time forfeits.

Team time-out and technical time-out

Each team may call one 60-second team time-out per game and one in each extra end, only by a player on the ice while its game clock is running, signalled with a T. One team member from the team official field of play may meet the team. A technical time-out may be called to ask for a ruling, for an injury or other special cases and stops the clocks.

Pre-game practice (curling)

Before each game at World Curling competitions each team has a practice on the sheet it will play on, 9 minutes in any event except 7 minutes in mixed doubles. The ice may be cleaned and re-pebbled afterwards.

Breaks (curling)

A normal break of 1 minute between ends, with 30 seconds added in mixed doubles when players place the stones, and 5 minutes (7 minutes in wheelchair mixed doubles) at the half-way end, when teams may meet with their team officials in the field of play.

Umpire (curling)

The person responsible for the conduct of a game under the rules. An umpire decides any matter in dispute, whether or not the rules cover it, and may intervene at any time. If a decision is appealed, the Chief Umpire's decision is final. The Chief Umpire may eject a team member for unacceptable conduct or language. If a player is ejected, no alternate may take the place and the team forfeits the game at once.

Eligibility (World Curling)

An athlete needs a passport of the country represented, or a parent or grandparent from there if the association allows it, or two years of consecutive residency. A player must be at least 16 by 30 June before the event, 12 to under 21 for juniors, 50 or older for seniors. An athlete who has represented one country may not represent another until a criterion is met and two consecutive years have passed.

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