RULES

COMMENTS

1.  Each stone must be delivered with a curling stick.

This provides equity for those physically unable to attain the sliding position.  Skill is still required to attain both alignment (the stone is further in front, but also much below the line of site), and weight.  It's also advantageous for newcomers to curling, since the complex technique of the slide delivery doesn't have to be mastered; yet the substantial mental aspects of the game are retained.

2.  Sweeping is allowed only from the hog line to the back of the house.

This provides fairness to those with physical limitations, unable to sweep.  It also increases the challenge for the thrower, not having the extra advantage of sweeping to affect either line or weight in the initial travel of the stone.

3.  Each team is comprised of two curlers.

This rule follows from rule 2 (above); with no sweeping between hog lines, a four-member team would often have two people doing nothing.  This way, everyone is always occupied, either delivering or skipping.  Teams are easier to form and coordinate.

4.  One member of each team stays at each end of the rink, and must not cross center ice.

This reduces movement up and down the ice, and increases the pace of the game.  It also means responsibilities are equally shared by the two team members, and provides variety for each player.

5.  The two throwing curlers alternately deliver 6 stones each per end, while the teammate skips that end.  Then roles are reversed, and the partners throw the stones back.

This implies that each player is always occupied, doing something interesting.  18 stones are delivered per person each game, compared to 16 (8 ends) or 20 (10 ends) in regular curling.

6.  All games are six ends.  In case of a tie, an extra end is played, with each player throwing 3 stones (skips and throwers exchange ends at the midpoint of an extra end).

Three ends of delivery times 6 stones per end means each person delivers 18 stones per game, about the same as regular curling.  Games progress quickly and interest remains high, both for the players and spectators.  The incidence and degree of lop-sided games is greatly reduced, and hardly ever does a team surrender before the end of the game.

7.  No stone in the free guard zone (FGZ) may be removed from play prior to delivery of the fourth stone of each end.

The regular curling FGZ rule does not allow removal of an opponents stone in the FGZ with any of the first 4 of 16 (1/4) of the stones of each end.  Here, no stone in the FGZ may be removed by any of the first 3 stones delivered (3 of 12, still 1/4 of the stones), including your own teams’ stone, to balance the advantage of defensive play arising from the reduced number of stones.

8.  All stones must be released before reaching the hog line, and from within 2 feet of the centre line.

Since drastically changing the course of a stone mid-delivery is possible with a stick, this was added so the game wouldn't be changed unduly by releasing stones from near the sides of the sheet.

9.  Other rules and etiquette of regular curling apply.

The good parts of the regular game are retained!