What is the hammer in curling and how does it work? Winter Olympics rules explained

Ten nations are competing in each of curling’s three disciplines at the 2022 Winter Olympics SportWinter OlympicsWhat is the hammer in curling and how does it work? Winter Olympics rules explainedTen nations are competing in each of curling’s three disciplines at the 2022 Winter Olympics Flo Clifford in Cortina Saturday 21 February 2026 11:34 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverSee how Roseville curing club creates community and friendly competitionJoin the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter and get behind-the-scenes access and unrivalled insightJoin the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletterJoin the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletterEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticeCurling is one of the most popular sports at the Winter Olympics, with Team GB looking to prevail in what will be a test of considerable skill and strategy, requiring steady nerves and intense precision.There are three medal events at Milano-Cortina, each entered by ten nations, with 112 competitors set to take part.The mixed doubles format was introduced at the Pyeongchang Games, joining the men’s and women’s team competitions, with Great Britain made up of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Moat. However, they suffered disappointment in Italy as they finished fourth for the second Games in a row.Each men’s and women’s team consists of four playing members and an alternate.The hammer is a crucial part of curling.The team that has the hammer is able to throw the final stone of each end, generally a significant advantage, with all other stones thrown and the current scoring situation clear.RecommendedThe ‘cheating’ accusations, secret filming, and curling scandal engulfing the Winter OlympicsWinter Olympics medal table: Current standings as Team GB surge and USA trail NorwayCanadian curler insists there is ‘no chance’ they intentionally cheated at Winter OlympicsWhichever team doesn’t score during an end will get the hammer in the next round – this sometimes causes teams to avoid scoring just a single point, instead preferring to retain the hammer and score more heavily in the next end. It is retained if neither team scores.Before a game of curling begins, teams decide who will have what is also known as Last Stone Advantage. In championship curling the hammer is decided by a draw to the button with two players from each team delivering a stone as close as possible to the centre of the house – one stone is delivered clockwise and the other counter-clockwise – and the distance from the stone to the centre being measured. This process is called the Last Stone Draw or LSD.In the men’s and women’s events, the final two stones of each end are generally thrown by the skip. This is the de facto captain of each rink, who shapes their team’s strategy and must execute calmly under pressure.In mixed doubles, in which five stones are played, the same team member throws the first and last stones of each end.Their teammate throws the middle three stones: teams begin every end with one stone, per team, pre-placed therefore it’s possible to score six points in an end.More aboutCurlingTeam GBJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next