strategy

The strategy that the game is played in depends on many things including the skill of the team, the skill of the opposing team, the ice conditions, and the score of the game. If a team has a offensive and aggressive strategy they will send many stones down the ice in order to score as many points as possible. This type of game is risky but exciting. If a team is playing defensively it will try to hit stones to prevent stones from being in play. This type of game is less exciting and little risk is involved. If a team does not have the last stone, known as the hammer, it will use the four foot zone so the other team cannot get the button. If  the team has the last stone advantage, the hammer, then they will try to keep the four foot zone free so they can maintain access to the button at all times. The goal of the team with the hammer is to score two points and the other team hope they only get one because if that team only scores one point then the other team gets the hammer in the next game. Strategy is one of the most important things in curling and can determine the outcome of a game.