Troon Portland Curling Club
Established 1830
STRATEGY AND TACTICS
STRATEGY is setting the overall game approach, i.e. your game plan.
Selecting the “right” shot from a number of realistic options, this is TACTICS.
STRATEGY
Three Basic End Strategies, each style of play has its risks.
OFFENSIVE = create scoring opportunities - this style risks negative outcomes
DEFENSIVE = limit scoring opportunities = this style risks missing offensive opportunities
BALANCED = delay the decision (look for opportunities, risk and rewards) - this style risks a miscalculation of the odds
What is your preferred style of play?
TACTICS
There are six key decisions factors for each shot.
- Who has last stone?
- What end is it?
- What is the score?
- How many stones left to play?
- Ability of team and opposition.
- Ice conditions.
WITH LAST STONE ADVANTAGE, place stones to the sides of the sheet to: -
- open up the scoring area
- provide a route to the four foot to save the end
WITHOUT LAST STONE ADVANTAGE, place stones near the centre line to: -
- Reduce the scoring area for the opposition
- Make it difficult for the team with last stone advantage to save the end.
DOWN - when you’re losing you need stones in the free guard zone to establish cover for draws later in the end.
UP - when you feel you have generated sufficient shots to win the game, you need to play subsequent ends in the house so all take-outs are “guard free”.
THERE IS NO STRATEGY THAT WORKS IF YOUR TEAM IS OUT-CURLED!
IT IS ALL ABOUT MAKING THE SHOTS!