RULES

COMMENTS

1.  Each stone must be delivered with a curling / delivery stick, from a standing or sitting (in a wheelchair) position.

This provides equity for those physically unable to attain the sliding position.  Skill is still required to attain both alignment (the stone is further in front, but also much below the line of site), and weight.  It's also advantageous for newcomers to curling, since the complex technique of the slide delivery doesn't have to be mastered; yet the substantial mental aspects of the game are retained.

2.  Sweeping/brushing is allowed only from the hog line to the back of the house at the playing end.

This provides fairness to those with physical limitations, unable to sweep/brush.  It also increases the challenge, not having the extra advantage of sweeping/brushing to affect either line or weight in the initial travel of the stone.

3.  Each team is comprised of two Curlers.

This rule follows from rule 2 (above); with no sweeping/brushing between hog lines, a four-member team would often have two people inactive.  This way, everyone is always occupied, either delivering or skipping.  Teams are easier to form and coordinate.

4.  One member of each team stays at each end of the rink, and must not cross center ice.

This reduces movement up and down the ice, and increases the pace of the game.  It also means responsibilities are equally shared by the two team members, and provides variety for each player.

5.  The two delivering Curlers alternately deliver 6 stones each per end, while their teammate skips that end.  Then roles are reversed, and the partners deliver the stones back.

This implies that each player is always occupied, doing something interesting.  18 stones are delivered per person each game, compared to 16 (8 ends) or 20 (10 ends) in regular curling.

6.  All games are six ends.  In case of a tie, an extra end is played, with each player delivering 3 stones (skips and deliverers exchange roles at the midpoint of an extra end).

Three ends of delivery times 6 stones per end means each person delivers 18 stones per game, about the same as regular curling.  Games progress quickly and interest remains high, both for the players and spectators.  The incidence and degree of lop-sided games is greatly reduced, and hardly ever does a team surrender before the end of the game.

7.  No stone may be removed from play prior to delivery of the fourth stone of each end.  If that should happen, the delivered stone is removed from play and all other stones are returned to their original positions.

With fewer stones used, and fewer ends, the stick game tends to be more defensive than the regular game.  This rule makes the game more offensive, thus more interesting for competitors and fans.  In effect, this rule extends the free guard zone to include the area from the hogline to the backline, as the FGZ was originally proposed.

8.  Except for wheelchair curlers, each delivery must begin with the right foot in the left hack, for right-handed curlers, or with the left foot in the right hack, for left-handed curlers.  All stones must be released before reaching the hog line, and with some part of the stone within 2 feet of the centre line.

Since drastically changing the course of a stone mid-delivery is possible with a stick, this was added so the game wouldn't be changed unduly by releasing stones from near the sides of the sheet.

9.  Other rules and etiquette of regular curling apply.

The good parts of the regular game are retained!

1 – DRAW TO THE TEE

Draw into the house for points as indicated in the diagram.  A rock biting any part of a higher valued circle earns the higher points.

2 – DRAW THE EDGE

Draw into the house for points as indicated in the diagram to the right.  Any part of the rock in the 12 foot = 6 points; totally within the 8 foot = 4 points; totally within the 4 foot = 2 points.

3 – SPLIT

Any one rock anywhere in the house = 2 points.  Both rocks anywhere in the house = 6 points.

4 – DRAW THE PORT

Place 3 guards as shown, about 2 feet in front of the house.  Draw through the port for the points as indicated.  Only the final position of the delivered stone is counted.

5 – HIT AND STICK

A target rock is placed as shown in the diagram, on the back half of the button, and must be completely removed from the house to get any points.  If the target rock is removed, 1 point is awarded, plus the points shown for the ring in which the delivered rock comes to rest.

6 – HIT AND ROLL

A target rock is placed as shown in the diagram, and must be completely removed from the house to get any points.  If the target rock is removed, 1 point is awarded, plus the points shown for the ring in which the delivered rock comes to rest.

7 – RUN BACK

Target 1 (yellow) is placed on the center line, just outside the house.  Target 2 (red) is placed on the back of the button.  Target 1 must be run back and must remove target 2 to get any points.  If target 2 is removed from the house, 1 point is awarded, plus the points shown for the ring in which target rock 1 comes to rest.

8 – DOUBLE TAKEOUT

Two target rocks are placed as shown.  At least one target rock must be removed from the house to get any points.  If one target rock is removed from the house, 1 point is awarded; if the second target rock is removed from the house, an additional 2 points are awarded, plus the points shown for the ring in which the delivered rock comes to rest.