How is it determined what team has the hammer in curling?

Answer 1

The hammer switches between the teams based on which teams scores in each end. Whichever team does not score will have the hammer in the next end. Another way to put it is: the team that scores goes first the next end (it then works out that the other team has the last shot). If no one scores (a "blank end"), whichever team has the hammer keeps it. For the first end of the game, the hammer is either decided by a coin flip, or a closest draw to the button competition between the teams' skips before the game (this is how it's done in the Olympics).

Answer 2

The hammer for each end is determined by who scores in the previous end. Which every team does not score gets the hammer in the next end. This is why the team with the hammer always wants to score at least two points--scoring only one point and giving up the hammer to the other team doesn't do you much good. In that case, you would rather just "blank" the end (neither team scores) and you keep the hammer.

For the first end of the game, the hammer is determined by a coin flip (in casual play), or sometimes as the result of a closest shot to the button competition between the skips before the game (this is how it's done in the Olympics).

Answer 3

The hammer switches between the teams based on which teams scores in each end. Whichever team does not score will have the hammer in the next end. Another way to put it is: the team that scores goes first the next end (it then works out that the other team has the last shot). If no one scores (a "blank end"), whichever team has the hammer keeps it. For the first end of the game, the hammer is either decided by a coin flip, or a closest draw to the button competition between the teams' skips before the game (this is how it's done in the Olympics).

Answer 4

It is because the last rock is usually used for a take out