Mixed Doubles - Business of Curling

What is Mixed Doubles Curling?

Click here to see how you can get a mixed doubles program at your curling facility!

View “An Introduction to Mixed Doubles Curling” HERE (courtesy of the World Curling Federation).

The new Olympic sport of mixed doubles curling is growing in popularity across the curling world especially with the recent announcement of inclusion for the 2018 Winter Games in Korea.

The game can be played at a high level in competition or in the newly forming mixed doubles spiels and club leagues. It is fun to play, only requires two players per team and can be played in an hour!

Officially, a team is composed of two players, one male and one female. However, curling leagues wanting to fill ice time, can make it open to both or either gender. Curling rinks can also organize a stick league for mixed doubles.

At the competitive level, each game is scheduled for eight (8) ends but that can shortened for a club experience of 5-6 ends (which takes less than 1 hour to play). The scoring is the same as in a regular game of curling.

Positioning
The major difference between regular curling and mixed doubles curling is the positioning of two stones – one per team – that are set before the beginning of each end. These “positioned” stones that are placed before the beginning of each end are also eligible to be counted in the scoring.

In a new term, the team with the ‘hammer’ or last stone advantage now has the option. That option is which stones to position where. Teams can decide to put their stone in the back four foot and the other team’s stone as the centre guard. If you choose this option, the opposition would deliver first in the end. If you choose to put your stone as the guard, then you would deliver first.

Here is the positioning (figure no. 1). There are three positions for the centre guard depending on the amount of curl in the ice. The more curl, the closer to house you would position the guard.

See rules document below for a
larger copy of this diagram.

PowerPlay Option. This option can be used by each team once in an 8 end game when they have the decision on the placement of the “positioned” stones – but never in an extra end. (Curling rinks can allow unlimited use if they choose.)

The in-house stone, which belongs to the team with last stone in that end, is placed with the back edge of the stone abutting the front edge the tee line, with half the stone in the 8-foot and half in the 12-foot circle.

The guard stone is positioned to the side of the sheet, so it would be bisected by a direct line between the middle of the in-house stone to the middle of the hack.

The distance of this corner guard from the house will be the same distance that was determined for the centre guards.

See rules document below for a
larger copy of this diagram.

Each team shall deliver five (5) stones per end. The player delivering the team’s first stone of the end must also deliver the team’s last stone of that end. The other team member shall deliver the team’s second, third and fourth stones for that end. The player delivering the first stone can change from end to end.

Modified Free Guard Zone – No stone in play, including the “positioned” stones and those in the house, can be moved to an out-of-play position prior to the delivery of the fourth stone of an end (the fourth delivered stone is the first stone that can remove any stone from play). If there is a violation, the delivered stone shall be removed from play, and any displaced stone(s) shall be replaced to their original position by the non-offending team.

Click here to download the mixed doubles curling rules.

A team is composed of two players, one male, and one female. Alternate players are not allowed. A team must forfeit any game(s) in which it fails to have both athletes playing for the entire game. One coach will be allowed for each team.
The scoring shall be the same as in a regular game of curling. The “positioned” stones that are placed before the beginning of each end are eligible to be counted in the scoring.
Each game will be scheduled for eight (8) ends.
Each team shall receive twenty-two (22) minutes of thinking There will be a four minute break after the completion of the 4th end.
When extra ends are required, the clocks will be reset, and each team shall receive three minutes (3:00) of thinking time for each extra end.
Each team shall deliver five (5) stones per The player delivering the team’s first stone of the end must also deliver the team’s last stone of that end. The other team member shall deliver the team’s second, third and fourth stones for that end. The player delivering the first stone can change from end to end.
After the pre-game practice, using all eight (8) stones, teams will choose the six (6) stones they want to play with and shall keep those six (6) stones for the entire game (five to deliver and one to place).
Modified Free Guard Zone – No stone in play, including the “positioned” stones and those in the house, can be moved to an out-of-play position prior to the delivery of the fourth stone of an end (the fourth delivered stone is the first stone that can remove any stone from play). If there is a violation and without exception, the delivered stone shall be removed from play, and any displaced stone(s) shall be replaced to their original position by the non-offending t
Before the start of every end, one team shall place their team’s “positioned” stone at the playing end of the sheet in one of two positions, designated A and he opponent’s “positioned” stone shall then be placed in whichever position (A or B) remains vacant. The location of these positions shall be as follows:
- Position A: Placement so that the stone is bisected by the centre line and is either immediately in front of or immediately behind one of 3 points in the ice. The points are placed on the centre line:
  - at the mid-point between the hog line and the outermost edge of the top of the house, or
  - 0.915 m. (3 feet) from the mid-point closer to the house, or
  - 0.915 m. (3 feet) from the mid-point closer to the hog line.
  - Based on the ice conditions, the Chief Umpire shall determine the specific placement for Position A to be used before the start of the pre-game practice and that same placement must be used for the entire game.
- Position B: Placement so that the stone is bisected by the centre line and is in the back of the 4-foot circle. The back edge of the stone is aligned with the back edge of the 4-foot circle.
Power Play: Once per game, each team when they have the decision on the placement of the “positioned” stones, can use the “Power Play” option to position the stones.
1. The in-house stone, which belongs to the team with last stone in that end, is placed with the back edge of the stone abutting the front edge the tee line, with half the stone in the 8-foot and half in the 12-foot circle.
2. The guard stone is positioned to the side of the sheet, so it would be bisected by a direct line between the middle of the in-house stone to the middle of the hack. The distance of this corner guard from the house will be the same distance that was determined for the centre guards.
3. The “Power Play” option cannot be used in extra ends.
The team having the decision on the placement of the ‘positioned’ stones shall be:
1. Teams opposing each other in the game shall use the Last Stone Draw (LSD) to determine which team has the decision in the first The team with the lesser LSD distance shall have the decision on the placement.
2. Following the first end, the team that did not score shall have the decision on the placement.
3. If neither team scores in an end, the team that delivered the first stone in that end shall have the decision on placement in the next end.
The team whose “positioned” stone is placed in Position A (in front of the house) shall deliver the first stone in that end, and the team whose “positioned” stone is placed in Position B (in the house) shall deliver the second stone in that end.
While the team is in the process of delivery, the non-delivering player must be either positioned inside the hog line with at least one foot / wheel and on the ice surface at the playing end of the team’s sheet, or in a position to sweep at the delivery end of the team’s sheet. After delivery, either or both players may sweep their delivered stone and any stones set in motion that belong to their team anywhere in front of the tee line at the playing end. This applies during all of the team’s delivered stones, including the LSD.
If a player delivers a stone out of proper rotation, that stone is removed from play and any displaced stones are replaced to their original positions by the non-offending t Should the infraction not be discovered until after the delivery of a subsequent stone, play continues as if the infraction had not occurred.