Rules of Doubles curling
Doubles is played by two players. Both teams play five stones each and start every end with one stone that has been pre-placed, so the maximum amount of points in each end is six.
In most ends, the pre-placed stones, will be positioned so that the team with last stone advantage (hammer) will start the end with one stone at the back of the four foot circle. The team without the last stone advantage, will start with a centre guard.
The new addition for 2016 is ’Power Play’. This means that both teams have the right to use a ’Power Play’ once in every game, in an end where they have last stone advantage.
When a ’Power Play’ is being used, the pre-placed stones will be moved out to one of the sides, and placed as a corner guard and a stone behind it, with the back of the stone against the tee line.
Important rules to remember in Doubles Curling:
The first take-out is allowed with the fourth stone played in each end.
Before that, teams are not allowed to hit either their opponents or their own stones out of play (normal rules for stone replacement etc).
If an end is blanked (neither team scores), the team that delivered the first stone in that end shall have the decision on placement in the next end
Games can be played over 4 ends or 1 hour or over 8 ends and 2 hours long.
Playing Positions
There are two positions in Doubles:
One player plays stones one and five
The other player plays stones two, three and four.
Both players are allowed to switch playing positions in-between ends.
Both players can sweep
Having a player holding the broom at the other end is optional.
A form of curling with new challenges and rules
1. The pre-placed stone (see diagram below), is placed at the back of the four foot circle. It is placed so that the back of the stone is in line with the back of the four foot circle.
2. The other big change is the use of a ‘Power Play’. This means that each team, at one time during the game when they have last stone advantage, can chose (or not) to have the pre-placed stones moved out to the side.
The stone in the house will be placed so the back of the stone is in line with the tee line and between the eight foot and the twelve foot circle. The guard is placed so the stone in the house is fully buried when viewed from the hack.
The team with last stone advantage will choose if they want to have the ‘Power Play’ to the left or the right-hand side of the sheet.
3. Scoring is the same as normal curling.
| Normal Placement | Powerplay Placement |