Curling

Curling is a sport that originated in Scotland and is now played internationally, with a particularly strong following in Canada. The game is played on a rectangular sheet of ice, and involves two teams of four players each. The teams take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the "house", a circular target marked on the ice. The objective is to get the stones as close to the centre of the house as possible.

History

Curling was first developed in Scotland in the 16th century, and was originally played on frozen ponds and lochs. The first written reference to the game dates back to 1541, in a challenge between a monk at Paisley Abbey and a relative of the abbey's abbot. The game was brought to North America by Scottish immigrants, and the first Canadian curling club was established in Montreal in 1807.

Gameplay

In a game of curling, two teams of four players each take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the "house", a circular target marked on the ice. Each team has eight stones, and the objective is to get the stones as close to the centre of the house as possible. The team with the most stones closest to the centre after all stones have been thrown wins the "end", and the team that wins the most ends wins the game.

Equipment

The main piece of equipment in curling is the stone, which is made of granite and weighs between 38 and 44 pounds. Each player also uses a broom to sweep the ice in front of the stone as it is sliding, which can help to control the stone's direction and speed.

Strategy

Curling is often referred to as "chess on ice" because of the high level of strategy involved. Teams must decide where to aim their stones, how hard to throw them, and when to sweep the ice. The skip, or team captain, is responsible for calling the shots and directing the team's strategy.

See also

• List of curling terms
• Curling at the Winter Olympics
• World Curling Championships

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