Someday I'll try to find an easy to understand explanation of the scoring, the commentators did explain most of the play in very understandable ways. It was a surprisingly cool game to watch. Very surprisingly.
Thanks for posting who won, Schwa. What was the final score?
10-6, I think. It was 5 to 5 going into the 8th end. USA had the hammer, and Shuster threw a dart with that final shot of the 8th end that took the two Swedish stones out and left 5 US stones in the house. 5 points is an astronomically large score for an end. At that point it was just a formality, and Sweden actually conceded the match a little more than half way through the 10th and final end. It was GREAT.
The hammer is when you get to throw the last stone in that end. An end is what they call each time the teams throw their stones down the sheet of ice. There are 10 ends per game. You get 38 minutes total time to discuss strategy during the game. That clock starts running as soon as it's your teams turn to shoot. If you run out of time, you forfeit the game. You get one time out per game (10 ends). They alternate who gets the hammer each end. Generally one team will have it the odd number ends, and the other the even numbered ends. There are certain situations where a team can maintain the hammer for more than one end in a row (if they have a scoreless end, the team with the hammer retains it for the next end)
I just called it a dart, meaning he threw it straight and on target. It's not part of Curling vernacular.
"The Hack" is the place between where they push off to send the stone down the sheet, and the "Hog Line", the thick red line that each shooter must release the stone before crossing it. If they don't, it's a violation, and that turn is forfeited. Great Britain's Women's team actually lost their game today due to a Hog Line violation on their last shot.
There are 8 stones per team. Each member of a 4 person team throws 2 stones. They always throw in the same order. The strategy and technique of the Lead thrower versus the 4th is very different. It's fascinating trying to figure out the strategy behind the early throws...all those guards and stuff.
You will hear them talking about throwing the stone with "hack weight" "control" etc. Those are just how hard they are going to throw it depending on what they want to accomplish with that shot. A peel is where you just remove the guard and open up the house.
The House is the rings that they are shooting at.
The sweepers sweep when they want the stone to either go further, or hold its line. Sweeping melts and smooths the pebbly surface of the Curling sheet. That causes the stone to continue down its trajectory without curling so much. Once the sweeping stops, the stone will slow and curl more.
When you have the Hammer, your goal is to score at least 2 points on that end. If it looks like you are only going to get one, you try to get a blank if you can. If not, you take your one point. If your team doesn't have the hammer, your goal is to hold the team with the hammer to one point, or to steal one or two...or 3 points if you can.
The button is the absolute center of the rings. The T line is the point where the latitudinal line and longitudinal line running through the house meets. The 4 ft is the ring surrounding the button. The 8 ft is the next ring. The 12 ft is the most outside ring.
That really helps, Schwa. I watched the end of the game being rerun, it was good to finish it up. I love the communication between the team members. And I love that the time that's counting down is the "thinking" or discussing time, not the playing time. It reminded me of the first times (Golden Road covers) I was paid enough for art that I felt I was being paid to think, not just produce the finished product.
Yeah, this has become my favorite Winter Olympic Sport to watch. I am still figuring out a lot about the strategy and what not, but I really enjoy watching it. And I hear you. It's like musicians. They LOVE performing, and that's not the work. It's the rehearsing, schlepping equipment, driving to shows...that's the work.
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I stayed up until 4am
I stayed up until 4am watching that match last night. And the USA won. Huge 5 points in the 8th end.
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Someday I'll try to find an
Someday I'll try to find an easy to understand explanation of the scoring, the commentators did explain most of the play in very understandable ways. It was a surprisingly cool game to watch. Very surprisingly.
Thanks for posting who won, Schwa. What was the final score?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
10-5, I think. It was 5 to 5
10-6, I think. It was 5 to 5 going into the 8th end. USA had the hammer, and Shuster threw a dart with that final shot of the 8th end that took the two Swedish stones out and left 5 US stones in the house. 5 points is an astronomically large score for an end. At that point it was just a formality, and Sweden actually conceded the match a little more than half way through the 10th and final end. It was GREAT.
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I left at 5-4 USA. I have no
I left at 5-4 USA. I have no idea what the hammer and dart are. Oh sweet mysteries of life.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
The hammer is when you get to
The hammer is when you get to throw the last stone in that end. An end is what they call each time the teams throw their stones down the sheet of ice. There are 10 ends per game. You get 38 minutes total time to discuss strategy during the game. That clock starts running as soon as it's your teams turn to shoot. If you run out of time, you forfeit the game. You get one time out per game (10 ends). They alternate who gets the hammer each end. Generally one team will have it the odd number ends, and the other the even numbered ends. There are certain situations where a team can maintain the hammer for more than one end in a row (if they have a scoreless end, the team with the hammer retains it for the next end)
I just called it a dart, meaning he threw it straight and on target. It's not part of Curling vernacular.
"The Hack" is the place between where they push off to send the stone down the sheet, and the "Hog Line", the thick red line that each shooter must release the stone before crossing it. If they don't, it's a violation, and that turn is forfeited. Great Britain's Women's team actually lost their game today due to a Hog Line violation on their last shot.
There are 8 stones per team. Each member of a 4 person team throws 2 stones. They always throw in the same order. The strategy and technique of the Lead thrower versus the 4th is very different. It's fascinating trying to figure out the strategy behind the early throws...all those guards and stuff.
You will hear them talking about throwing the stone with "hack weight" "control" etc. Those are just how hard they are going to throw it depending on what they want to accomplish with that shot. A peel is where you just remove the guard and open up the house.
The House is the rings that they are shooting at.
The sweepers sweep when they want the stone to either go further, or hold its line. Sweeping melts and smooths the pebbly surface of the Curling sheet. That causes the stone to continue down its trajectory without curling so much. Once the sweeping stops, the stone will slow and curl more.
When you have the Hammer, your goal is to score at least 2 points on that end. If it looks like you are only going to get one, you try to get a blank if you can. If not, you take your one point. If your team doesn't have the hammer, your goal is to hold the team with the hammer to one point, or to steal one or two...or 3 points if you can.
Shot rock is the rock closest to the center.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
The button is the absolute
The button is the absolute center of the rings. The T line is the point where the latitudinal line and longitudinal line running through the house meets. The 4 ft is the ring surrounding the button. The 8 ft is the next ring. The 12 ft is the most outside ring.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
That really helps, Schwa. I
That really helps, Schwa. I watched the end of the game being rerun, it was good to finish it up. I love the communication between the team members. And I love that the time that's counting down is the "thinking" or discussing time, not the playing time. It reminded me of the first times (Golden Road covers) I was paid enough for art that I felt I was being paid to think, not just produce the finished product.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: VivalaSchwa
Yeah, this has become my
Yeah, this has become my favorite Winter Olympic Sport to watch. I am still figuring out a lot about the strategy and what not, but I really enjoy watching it. And I hear you. It's like musicians. They LOVE performing, and that's not the work. It's the rehearsing, schlepping equipment, driving to shows...that's the work.