How Curling Scoring Works

Curling Scoring System: Who Gets the Points and How Many

Curling’s scoring system confuses many first-time viewers. Only one team scores per end, and the team with the last-stone advantage (the hammer) is expected to score — but how many points is the real question. Understanding scoring reveals the strategic backbone of the sport, governed by the World Curling Federation (WCF).

Basic Scoring Rules

After all 16 stones are delivered in an end:

The team with the stone closest to the center of the button (the exact center of the house) scores.
That team receives one point for each of their stones that is closer to the button than the opponent’s closest stone.
The opposing team scores zero in that end.

Example: After an end, Team A has two stones in the house: one 30 cm from the button and one 60 cm from the button. Team B has one stone 50 cm from the button. Team A scores one point — only the stone at 30 cm counts, because Team B’s stone at 50 cm is closer than Team A’s second stone at 60 cm.

If Team B’s closest stone were 70 cm from the button, Team A would score two points — both their stones are closer.

Measuring Close Stones

When it’s too close to determine visually which stone is nearest the button, an official uses a specialized measuring device (a caliper or electronic measure) that pivots from the center of the button. The device is accurate to millimeters. Only the vice-skips (or skips) from each team may remain in the house during measurement.

If two stones from opposing teams are equidistant from the button (extremely rare), the end is blanked (no score).

The Hammer’s Significance

The hammer (last-stone advantage) is the most powerful position in curling. The team throwing last can:

Remove an opponent’s stone with their final throw.
Place a stone closer to the button than anything already there.
Protect their own scoring stones.

Scoring dynamics with the hammer:

Scoring 1 point with the hammer is considered a poor result — you gained only one point but gave up last-stone advantage.
Scoring 2 points is a good result — you capitalized on the hammer.
Scoring 3 or more is a great result — often game-changing.
Blanking the end (scoring zero) retains the hammer for the next end — often a smart strategic choice.

At Beijing 2022, Niklas Edin’s Swedish team won gold partly by consistently converting two-point hammer ends and forcing their opponents into one-point situations.

Stealing

When the team without the hammer scores, it’s called a steal. Steals are devastating because the scoring team didn’t have last-stone advantage — they outmaneuvered the opponent. Multi-point steals (two or more) often decide games.

The Scoreboard

Curling scoreboards can confuse newcomers because they display differently from most sports. The traditional curling scoreboard shows:

Which end number each team scored in, positioned under the point total.
The running total for each team.

Modern TV broadcasts typically use a more conventional inning-by-inning display.

Extra Ends

If the score is tied after 10 ends (8 in mixed doubles), extra ends are played. The hammer for the first extra end goes to the team that did not score in the final regular end. If the final end was blanked, the hammer stays with the team that had it. Extra ends continue until the tie is broken.

Concession

Teams commonly concede when the deficit becomes mathematically insurmountable or practically too large. There’s no formal rule mandating a specific point threshold — it’s a matter of sportsmanship and judgment. Conceding after 8 ends down by 4+ points is common. Refusing to concede in a lopsided game, while allowed, is considered poor etiquette.