USA USA USA

[clifish]

WOW Olympics is hard to follow. Thought that game was on at 8, musta been AM!!! I get more and more into curling every year.

Never saw so much curling as this Olympics. I watched a bunch and still don't understand how you score points or why your first shots are blockers and especially what does having the hammer mean?

 

[KBFlyer]

Never saw so much curling as this Olympics. I watched a bunch and still don't understand how you score points or why your first shots are blockers and especially what does having the hammer mean?

Maybe this will help.

Scoring in curling is determined at the end of each "end" (similar to a baseball inning) by measuring which team has stones closest to the center of the house, called the button. Only one team can score per end.

Here is a breakdown of how points are scored and why the opening shots are often used as blockers (guards).

How You Score Points in Curling

• The Goal: Place your stones closer to the button than any of your opponent's stones.
• Counting Stones: The team with the closest stone (the "shot rock") gets one point for that stone, plus one additional point for every other stone that is closer to the button than the opponent's nearest stone.
• The House & "Biters": Only stones that are touching the "house" (the 12-foot circular rings) are eligible to score. A stone that is just barely touching the edge of the house is called a "biter" and still counts.
• The "End" and Score: A typical game has 8 or 10 ends. Points are tallied only after all 16 stones (8 per team) have been thrown.
• The Hammer: The team that throws the last rock in an end is said to have "the hammer". This is a massive advantage because it allows them to knock out opponent stones and place their own for the final score.

Why First Shots are Blockers (Guards)
The first shots of an end are typically "guards" or "blockers" placed in the Free Guard Zone—the area between the hog line and the house—for several key reasons:

• The Free Guard Zone Rule: According to rules, guards placed in front of the house cannot be removed (knocked out of play) by the opposing team until the first five stones of the end have been thrown.
• Setting Up Protection: These guard stones are meant to protect future stones that you want to place directly on the button.
• Forcing Errors: By putting a stone in front, you make it harder for your opponent to hit your scoring stones later in the end, as they must navigate around your guard.
• Offensive Strategy: A team without the hammer often throws a center guard to clog up the middle of the ice and try to "steal" a point (scoring without the hammer).
• The Alternative is Worse: If you put your first shot directly into the house, it is very easy for the opposing team to simply knock it out immediately, resulting in a blank end.
  
  In summary, you score by being closest to the center, and you throw blockers early to hide behind them, making it difficult for your opponent to remove your scoring rocks later in the game.

 

[KBFlyer]

And yes in my early days I did manage to win a couple of games.
Still not a very good house keeper with the broom but I do have a trophy. LOL

 

[JckDanls 07]

Yes... I have been watching a lot of curling as well... It blows my mind on how good they are with the accuracy , while curving it as well (or are the boards slanted a little towards the center line?)..

I try to make one bank shot in pool and here they are knocking out 3,4,5 stones with all kinds of banks in one throw... With the thrower hitting the first stone EXACTLY where it needs to be hit to get all those banks in... It's crazy...

 

[zwiller]

And YES your goalie won the game.

You're not kidding. You guys looked WAY better IMO. 2x more shots. From an outsider, CA looked far more organized and methodical and we just went b**** out.

2 dudes from BGSU (Ohio) on the 1980 team. That's my school/daughter/uncle.

Never saw so much curling as this Olympics. I watched a bunch and still don't understand how you score points or why your first shots are blockers and especially what does having the hammer mean?

WARNING learning how it's played can lead to addiction and watching it all the time.
Scoring is number of stones closest to the button (center) than your opponent. Blockers really add another dimension to the game. Olympians make it look easy but in reality those blocks are hard... Hard... HARD!!! (intended) to get around or move. The hammer is given to the team that has not scored for the end and is important as is the last scoring attempt. They call it "chess on ice" but that is a bit over the top but it IS far more strategic game than you think.

 

[zwiller]

KBFlyer Parents honeymoon was Niagara Falls (CA side) so we went up there all the times as kids and even than after that so that maybe sparked my interest in curling. Then when USA got gold with Schuster in 2018 I watched them the whole way. Nice trophy. Hey, is there some rule as to the shooter? Or can they pick whoever?

 

[Elf@shore]

Maybe this will help.

Scoring in curling is determined at the end of each "end" (similar to a baseball inning) by measuring which team has stones closest to the center of the house, called the button. Only one team can score per end.

Here is a breakdown of how points are scored and why the opening shots are often used as blockers (guards).

How You Score Points in Curling

• The Goal: Place your stones closer to the button than any of your opponent's stones.
• Counting Stones: The team with the closest stone (the "shot rock") gets one point for that stone, plus one additional point for every other stone that is closer to the button than the opponent's nearest stone.
• The House & "Biters": Only stones that are touching the "house" (the 12-foot circular rings) are eligible to score. A stone that is just barely touching the edge of the house is called a "biter" and still counts.
• The "End" and Score: A typical game has 8 or 10 ends. Points are tallied only after all 16 stones (8 per team) have been thrown.
• The Hammer: The team that throws the last rock in an end is said to have "the hammer". This is a massive advantage because it allows them to knock out opponent stones and place their own for the final score.

Why First Shots are Blockers (Guards)
The first shots of an end are typically "guards" or "blockers" placed in the Free Guard Zone—the area between the hog line and the house—for several key reasons:

• The Free Guard Zone Rule: According to rules, guards placed in front of the house cannot be removed (knocked out of play) by the opposing team until the first five stones of the end have been thrown.
• Setting Up Protection: These guard stones are meant to protect future stones that you want to place directly on the button.
• Forcing Errors: By putting a stone in front, you make it harder for your opponent to hit your scoring stones later in the end, as they must navigate around your guard.
• Offensive Strategy: A team without the hammer often throws a center guard to clog up the middle of the ice and try to "steal" a point (scoring without the hammer).
• The Alternative is Worse: If you put your first shot directly into the house, it is very easy for the opposing team to simply knock it out immediately, resulting in a blank end.
  
  In summary, you score by being closest to the center, and you throw blockers early to hide behind them, making it difficult for your opponent to remove your scoring rocks later in the game.

Curling question :?
Blockers can not be removed until 5th stone is used?
What happens if a blocker gets hit before that?
What happens to that stone (Blocker) that was hit and moved?

 

[bill ace 350]

Growing up so close to Montreal. We got Hockey Night in Canada twice weekly. Roger Doucet always sang their anthem. He was kind of like Kate Smith singing God Bless America in Philly - revered. I went to hockey school in Canada and boy did they really picked on us Yankees.

Chris

We used to watch hockey on the Ottawa and Kingston Channels!

Growing up so close to Montreal. We got Hockey Night in Canada twice weekly. Roger Doucet always sang their anthem. He was kind of like Kate Smith singing God Bless America in Philly - revered. I went to hockey school in Canada and boy did they really picked on us Yankees.

Chris

 

[WaterRat]

Great game, My 4 or 5 bloodies with 5 beers of cheering paid off

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

You're not kidding. You guys looked WAY better IMO. 2x more shots. From an outsider, CA looked far more organized and methodical and we just went b**** out.

2 dudes from BGSU (Ohio) on the 1980 team. That's my school/daughter/uncle.


WARNING learning how it's played can lead to addiction and watching it all the time.
Scoring is number of stones closest to the button (center) than your opponent. Blockers really add another dimension to the game. Olympians make it look easy but in reality those blocks are hard... Hard... HARD!!! (intended) to get around or move. The hammer is given to the team that has not scored for the end and is important as is the last scoring attempt. They call it "chess on ice" but that is a bit over the top but it IS far more strategic game than you think.

Good ole BGSU. I got to “volunteer” for community service after an underaged night of drinking there once I graduated high school


I’m Glad they won they were definitely outplayed for almost the entire game minus that first shift. McDavid is still u real though. Fastest skater I’ve ever seen.

 

[zwiller]

Going viral now and being called "The Save". MVP for sure.

 

[zwiller]

Sorry David but too funny not to post. I actually am full metric in sausage making.

 

[hondabbq]

Hey Canada, you guys could have had a hockey gold too.

Chris

We have more than we know what to do with.
When was your last Olympic gold? Wasnt it like 40+ years ago?

 

[gmc2003]

We have more than we know what to do with.
When was your last Olympic gold? Wasnt it like 40+ years ago?

My post was done in jest. The Mods deleted the guts of it for being on the political side on the line. It wasn't meant as a direct attack.


Chris

 

[JckDanls 07]

I'm a lost for words...

The whole thread has been in jest...

 

[Brokenhandle]

A sense of humor never hurt anyone!
We should all remember to laugh and smile alot more than we do!

Ryan

 

[Elf@shore]

A sense of humor never hurt anyone!
We should all remember to laugh and smile alot more than we do!

Ryan

USA USA ! 2X 2X. !
How special this time is as we speak.
I had the pleasure along with most of you to experience once in a lifetime 2 X 2 !
#1 Bicentennial (1976) and 250 th birthday of out GREAT USA!
I remember the local parade where I grew up. 76"
I remember sleeping on the NJ beach, waking up and seeing all the Tall ships anchored off our coast, waiting to join our national celebration in NYC ! 76"

#2 Team USA Hockey Mens take the GOLD TWICE!
1980: Went to college, graduated 2 years before 1980, lived in the area for 2 years. north of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake
I wanted to stay for 1980, but got a huge break on a job ,right out of college
returned to my roots to start my Foodservice career, where I grew up.
#3 God willing I was here to be here to experience it all !
FOLKS LIGHTEN UP!
WE HAVE ALOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR !
AMEN!

 

[DRKsmoking]

Sorry David but too funny not to post. I actually am full metric in sausage making.

View attachment 731779

Ha Ha , Sam, that shot will haunt him for ever.
And a couple of our other misses.

You guys won , it sucks. But someone has to win and someone has to cry. Our turn to cry.


David

 

[DRKsmoking]

My post was done in jest. The Mods deleted the guts of it for being on the political side on the line. It wasn't meant as a direct attack.


Chris

Chris I know it was, and I get it . If we can't take a little ribbing , then we are just wound a little too tight.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like the poilitical stuff going on in other places, and it is not really here thank god.

But we all try not to go over the line, Thank you everyone for that.

As I really like it here, and I want to stay part of this group[.

I'm off the soap box now LOL.

David

 

[gmc2003]

Chris I know it was, and I get it . If we can't take a little ribbing , then we are just wound a little too tight.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like the poilitical stuff going on in other places, and it is not really here thank god.

But we all try not to go over the line, Thank you everyone for that.

As I really like it here, and I want to stay part of this group[.

I'm off the soap box now LOL.

David

Thanks Dave, and be sure I never thought you'd take it the wrong way. Your sense of humor is very similar to mine.

Chris