What Is the Hammer in Curling — A Clear Explanation
Introduction: Why the hammer matters
The question “what is the hammer in curling” goes to the heart of match strategy. The hammer — the advantage of throwing the last stone in an end — often determines whether a team scores multiple points, must defend a lead or can control tempo. Understanding the hammer is essential for players, coaches and spectators who want to follow tactical decisions and appreciate how ends are won and lost.
Main body
Definition and basics
The hammer refers to the right to throw the final stone of an end. In four-person curling, each team delivers eight stones per end, and the team with the hammer throws the last one. Because that final delivery can remove opposing stones or place a scoring stone in a guarded position, having the hammer is commonly called the “last-stone advantage”.
How the hammer is awarded
The method for deciding the hammer in the first end varies by event. Many competitions use a pre-game draw-to-the-button (often called the Last Stone Draw or LSD) where a player attempts to place a stone as close to the button as possible; the closest earns last stone in the first end. After that, the hammer passes according to scoring: the team that scores gives the hammer to their opponents for the next end. If an end is blanked (no score), the team that held the hammer retains it.
Tactical uses and strategy
Teams with the hammer usually play more aggressively to generate multiple-point ends, using draws and guards to build a scoring pocket. Teams without the hammer adopt defensive tactics—promoting take-outs, clearing guards and forcing the hammer-holding side to take a single point or to blank the end. Blanking is used deliberately by the hammer team when conditions make it unlikely to score well; by blanking, they keep the hammer for a later, potentially more favourable situation.
Endgame importance
In the closing ends, possession of the hammer becomes especially significant. Teams without the hammer will try to force the hammer holder to a single or steal points, while the hammer holder aims for a multi-point end or to secure a winning score. The last end of a game is often decided by the hammer and the quality of the final shot.
Conclusion
The hammer in curling is the pivotal last-stone advantage that shapes much of the sport’s strategy. Knowing how it is awarded, how teams play with and without it, and why blanking can be beneficial helps viewers and players appreciate tactical choices. As tactics and ice-reading evolve, the hammer will remain central to competitive curling and to the drama of each end.
