Curling is a team sport played on a rectangular sheet of ice by two teams of four players. Stones are thrown towards a goal while two players control the stones' path by sweeping the ice with brooms.

Curling is a sport played between two teams on a finely prepared sheet of ice. Players throw large, smooth stones at a target while teammates manipulate the ice with brooms. This is done to control the stone's speed and guide its direction. At the conclusion of each end, points are awarded. The team with the most points at the end of ten ends is the winner.

Score more points than the opposing team by accurately throwing stones towards a target.

Two teams of four compete in a game consisting of ten ends. Players throw stones with the goals of placing them in the house and bumping opposition stones. When throwing stones, players must release before reaching the near hogline, being sure that they've thrown well enough to cross the far hogline. Once the stone has been thrown, teammates sweep the ice to make the stone travel further and straighter. Once an end has been completed, points are awarded. The team with the stone closest to the button is awarded one point for each stone closer than the opponent's closest. The team with the highest score at the end of the game is declared the winner. If the score is tied at the end of the game, a tiebreaker end is played. If the score is still tied, ends are played until the tie is broken.

Historians can trace curling back to 16th century Scotland, where it was widely played on small, dam-created ponds. In the 19th century the game spread to New Zealand and North America. It took a specifically strong hold in Canada, where the first North American curling club, the Royal Montreal Curling Club, was established. By the beginning of the 20th century, the game had spread throughout Europe and Asia. The first world championship, won by Canada, was held in Scotland in 1959. Starting in 1924, curling was a demonstration sport in a series of Winter Olympic Games. By 1998, curling had achieved full Olympic sport status.

Broom
Curling Stone
Shoes

Curling is a relatively safe sport, though caution is advised when moving quickly on ice.

Curling requires players to possess superior body control and excellent judgment of distances. Players should also have a keen intellect due to the amount of strategy involved. These skills are best acquired and developed while playing actual matches.

Button - the center or bull's-eye of the house

End - unit in which the game is measured; consists of each team throwing eights stones

Hack - foothold device used to push off for delivery, by the person throwing the curling stone

Hogline (far) - line the stone must cross to be considered in play

Hogline (near) - line by which the stone must be released by the thrower

House - three concentric circles where points are scored

Skip - player who leads the team and traditionally throws the last two stones; typically the best player on the team

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling