What is Curling: A Beginner Guide to the Unique Winter Olympic Game

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Every four years, millions of people watch the Winter Olympics and ask the same question: what is curling? They see players sliding heavy stones across the ice, teammates sweeping the floor with brooms, and everyone yelling at the top of their voices. It looks strange. It looks fun.

The truth is, curling is one of the most exciting sports to watch once you understand the rules. There is a lot of strategy involved. Every stone thrown, every sweep, every decision matters. It is often called "Chess on Ice" for a very good reason.

If you have ever wondered what is curling and how it is played, you are in the right place. In this article, we will cover the basics: the history of the sport, the equipment, the rules, the team roles, and how sweeping actually works. We gathered the information from various sources, Wednesday (18/2/2026).

Curling is a team sport played on ice. Two teams take turns sliding large, heavy stones toward a circular target at the other end of the ice. The target is called the "house." The team whose stone is closest to the center of the house scores points.

Each team has four players. Together, they throw eight stones per round. A full game is made up of ten rounds, which are called "ends." It is similar to innings in baseball. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

What makes curling special is the teamwork. One player throws the stone, while two others sweep the ice in front of it to control its speed and direction. The team captain, called the "skip," watches from the other end and shouts instructions to the sweepers.

Curling is one of the oldest sports in the world. It began in Scotland in the early 1500s. The oldest known curling stone, dated 1511, was found at the bottom of a pond in Dunblane, Scotland. In those early days, players used whatever rocks they could find near frozen rivers and ponds.

Scottish immigrants brought the sport to Canada in the 1800s. Canada quickly became the most successful curling nation in the world, winning more Olympic gold medals than any other country. Today, curling is played across Europe, Asia, and many other parts of the world.

Curling became an official Olympic sport in 1998 at the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Before that, it was a demonstration sport at several Olympics. Today, there are four Olympic curling events: men's, women's, mixed doubles, and wheelchair curling.

The Sheet of Ice

Curling is played on a long, narrow strip of ice called a "sheet." A sheet is over 45 meters long and about 5 meters wide. At each end, there is a house, which is the circular target made up of four colored rings. The very center of the house is called the "button."

Curling ice is not smooth like hockey ice. It is lightly sprayed with water droplets to create a bumpy surface called "pebbling." This pebbled surface is what allows the stone to curl, or curve, as it travels down the sheet. Without pebbling, the stone would slide in a straight line and be much harder to control.

The Stones

Curling stones are made from a special type of granite, traditionally sourced from Ailsa Craig, a small island off the coast of Scotland. Each stone weighs between 17 and 20 kilograms. They have a handle on top so that players can grip and rotate them during delivery. Each team uses eight stones of the same color, usually red or yellow.

Curling Shoes and Brooms

Curling shoes are specially designed for the sport. One shoe has a slippery sole called a "slider," which allows the player to glide smoothly on the ice when delivering the stone. The other shoe has a rubber sole for grip. Players also carry brooms, which are used for sweeping the ice in front of a moving stone.

Ends and Rounds

A curling game is divided into rounds called "ends." In a standard game, there are ten ends, though some formats use eight. In each end, both teams throw eight stones, which is two stones per player. After all 16 stones have been thrown, the score for that end is calculated, and the next end begins in the opposite direction.

Delivering the Stone

To deliver a stone, a player starts from a block in the ice called the "hack," which is similar to the starting block in running. They lunge forward, sliding on the slippery shoe, and release the stone before reaching a line called the "hog line." As they release it, they rotate the handle slightly to give the stone its curving path.

The Hammer Advantage

The team that throws the last stone in an end has a big advantage. This last stone is called the "hammer." The team with the hammer can use it to knock away the opponent's stones or place their own stone in a winning position. Generally, the team with the hammer is expected to score at least two points in that end.

What Counts as a Point

After all 16 stones are thrown, both teams check which stones are closest to the button. Only one team scores in each end, which is the team whose stone is closest to the center. That team gets one point for every stone it has that is closer to the button than the opponent's nearest stone. Stones must be touching the house rings to count.

The Blank End

Sometimes, no stones are left in the house after an end. This is called a "blank end" and neither team scores. Surprisingly, teams sometimes choose to blank an end on purpose. If the team with the hammer scores, they lose the hammer advantage for the next end. By blanking, they keep the hammer for the following end.

The Front End (Lead and Second)

The "lead" is the first player to throw in each end. They deliver the team's first two stones and then sweep for all remaining stones. The "second" throws the third and fourth stones and also does a lot of sweeping. Together, the lead and second are called the "front end." They are responsible for reading the ice and sweeping with precision.

The Back End (Vice and Skip)

The "vice" throws the fifth and sixth stones and helps the skip with strategy. The "skip" is the team captain. They throw last, which means they throw the most important stones in each end, and they stand at the far end of the sheet to guide the team. The skip calls the shots, tells sweepers when and how hard to sweep, and plans the team's overall strategy.

How Sweeping Affects the Stone

Sweeping does not melt the ice. Instead, it reduces friction between the stone and the ice surface. This allows the stone to travel further and in a straighter line. Good sweeping can extend a stone's path by two to three meters. Sweepers must apply downward pressure while moving quickly, so it requires both strength and balance.

Why All the Yelling?

Because the sheet of ice is very long, players must shout to communicate. The skip watches the stone from the far end and calls instructions to the sweepers in real time. You will often hear "Hurry! Hard!" which means sweep fast and with force. The skip may also call "off!" to tell sweepers to stop if the stone is already on the right path.