Why is it called the hammer in curling?

Answer 1

Curling is an Olympic sport with four players on each team where players slide heavy granite stones. The term throwing your hammer in curling means having the last shot at the end.

Answer 2

the last shot in an end

Having the last shot in an "end" (like curling's version of an inning) is an obvious advantage. Before a game starts, the teams flip a coin to see which team gets the hammer for the first end. After that, possession of the hammer is determined by scoring. The team that does not score in an end gets the hammer for the next end. If no one scores (this is called a "blank end"), then the hammer stays with whichever team currently has it. Having the hammer vs. not having the hammer is one of the largest deciding factors in strategy.

Answer 3

The hammer is determined by which team scores in each end. Whichever team does not score gets the hammer for the next end.

For the very first end, the hammer is determined either by a coin flip or, sometimes, a closest draw to the button competition between the skips before the game (as is the case in the Olympics).

Answer 4

The "hammer" belongs to the team that has the last shot in that end (inning). Having the last shot is an obvious advantage, since you have the last chance to make something happen before the score is taken.

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).

Because the hammer gives such an advantage, much of curling strategy depends on whether your team has the hammer or not. For example: if your team has the hammer, and there is nothing in the house when it comes to your hammer last shot, you would think that you would want to simply put your rock in the house and take one point. However, taking only one point and giving the hammer to the other team for the next end doesn't really put you in a much better position in the big picture of the tame. Most of the time, you would rather just purposely throw the rock through the house and blank the end, so you can keep the hammer and try to score at least 2 in the next end.

Answer 5

it means that you throw your rock last in the end.

Answer 6

It is the last stone to be thrown. No points can occur in an end until "the hammer" is thrown. Therefore, it can determine which team scores in the end.

Answer 7

First end decided by coin toss

Each sucssesive end the hammer goes to the team that does not score.

Blank or no score ends the Hammer stays with the same team.

Answer 8

When you have the last shot