R5.  DELIVERY

(a) Unless predetermined, or decided by the Last Stone Draw (LSD), the

teams opposing each other in a game shall use a coin toss to

determine which team delivers the first stone in the first end. This

order of play shall be maintained until one team scores, after which

the team that most recently scored delivers the first stone in any

subsequent end.

(b) Unless predetermined, the team playing the first stone of the first end

has the choice of stone handle colour for that game.

(c) Right-handed deliveries are delivered from the hack on the left of the

centre line and left-handed deliveries are delivered from the hack on

the right of the centre line. A stone delivered from the wrong hack is

removed from play, and any displaced stones are replaced to their

original positions by the non-offending team.

Wheelchair curlers playing in games involving non-wheelchair curlers

shall be subject to R13(b)

(d) A stone must be clearly released from the hand before it reaches the

hog line at the delivering end. If the player fails to do so, the stone is

immediately removed from play by the delivering team.

(e)  If a hog line violation stone is not immediately removed and strikes

another stone, the delivered stone is removed from play by the

delivering team, and any displaced stones are replaced to their

original positions by the non-offending team.

(f)  A stone is in play when it reaches the tee line at the delivering end. A

stone that has not reached the tee line at the delivering end may be

returned to the hack and redelivered.

(g) All players must be ready to deliver their stones when their turns

come, and not take an unreasonable amount of time to play.

(h)  If a player delivers a stone belonging to the opposing team, that stone

is allowed to come to rest, and is then replaced by a stone belonging

to the delivering team.

(i)  If a player delivers a stone out of proper rotation, the end continues

as if the mistake had not occurred. The player who missed a turn

delivers the last stone for that team in that end. If it cannot be

determined which player delivered out of proper rotation, the player

who delivered the first stone in the end for that team delivers the last

stone for that team in that end.

(j)  If a player inadvertently delivers too many stones in one end, the end

continues as if the mistake had not occurred and the number of

stones allocated to the last player of the offending team shall be

reduced accordingly.

(k)  If a team delivers two stones in succession in the same end:

 (i)  the second stone is removed and any displaced stones replaced

to their original positions by the non-offending team. The player,

who delivered the stone played by mistake, redelivers it as the last

stone for the team in that end.

(ii) should the infraction not be discovered until after the delivery of a

subsequent stone, the end is replayed.

(l)  Where the wrong team starts an end the end shall be replayed.

(m) No player shall deliver a stone, until the stone delivered by the

previous player has come to rest or until such time as any stone

whose movement has been generated by that stone comes to rest.

Where an infringement takes place the stone shall be returned to the

offending player who shall re-deliver it.

R6.  FREE GUARD ZONE (FGZ)

The Free Guard Zone shall apply for any game, match or competition

played under Royal Club Rules excepting The Grand Match and the

Points Competition.

(a) A stone that comes to rest between the tee line and the hog line at

the playing end, excluding the house, is deemed to be within an area

designated as the FGZ. Also, stones that are in play, on or before the

hog line, after striking stones in the FGZ, are deemed to be in the

FGZ.

(b)  If, prior to the delivery of the fifth stone of an end, a delivered stone

causes, either directly or indirectly, an opposition stone to be moved

from the FGZ to an out-of-play position, then the delivered stone is

removed from play, and any displaced stones are replaced to their

original positions by the non-offending team.

In the event of any stone being measured whether by instrument or

eye to determine if it is in the FGZ, and provided that stone has not

been touched for the remainder of that end, no further measurement

of it will be made.

R7.  SWEEPING

(a) The sweeping motion is in a side-to-side direction (it need not cover

the entire width of the stone), deposits no debris in front of a moving

stone, and finishes to either side of the stone.

 (b) A stationary stone must be set in motion before it can be swept. A

stone set in motion by a delivered stone, either directly or indirectly,

may be swept by any one or more of the team to which it belongs

anywhere in front of the tee line at the playing end.

(c)  A delivered stone may be swept by any one or more of the delivering

team anywhere in front of the tee line at the playing end.

(d) No player may sweep an opponent's stone except behind the tee line

at the playing end or start to sweep an opponent’s stone until it has

reached the tee line at the playing end.

(e) Behind the tee line at the playing end, only one player from each

team may sweep at any one time. This may be any player of the

delivering team, but only the skip or vice-skip of the non-delivering

team.

(f)  Behind the tee line, a team has first privilege of sweeping its own

stone, but it must not obstruct or prevent its opponent from sweeping.

(g)  If a sweeping violation occurs, the non-offending team has the option

of allowing the play to stand, or of placing the stone, and all stones it

would have affected, where they would have come to rest had the

violation not occurred.

R8.  TOUCHED MOVING STONES

(a) Between the tee line at the delivering end and the hog line at the

playing end:

(i)  If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the

team to which it belongs, or by its equipment, the touched stone is

removed from play immediately by that team.

(ii) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an

opposition team, or by its equipment, or is affected by an external

force:

•  If the stone was the delivered stone, it is redelivered

•  If the stone was not the delivered stone, it is placed

where the team to which it belongs reasonably

considers it would have come to rest had it not been

touched.

(b)  Inside the hog line at the playing end:

 (i)  If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the

team to which it belongs, or by its equipment, all stones are

allowed to come to rest, after which the non-offending team has

the option to:

•  remove the touched stone, and replace all stones that

were displaced after the infraction to their original

positions; or

•  leave all stones where they came to rest; or

•  place all stones where it reasonably considers the

stones would have come to rest had the moving stone

not been touched.

(ii) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an

opposition team, or by its equipment, all stones are allowed to

come to rest, after which the non-offending team places the

stones where it reasonably considers the stones would have come

to rest, had the moving stone not been touched.

(iii) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an

external force, all stones are allowed to come to rest, and then

placed where they would have come to rest if the incident had not

occurred. If the teams cannot agree, the stone is redelivered after

all displaced stones have been replaced to their original positions.

If agreement on the original positions cannot be reached, the end

is replayed.

(c)  Last Stone Draw (LSD) stones:

(i)  If a member of the delivering team touches a moving stone, or

causes it to be touched, the stone will be removed and recorded

as 185.4 cm (6 ft. 1 in.).

(ii) If a member of the non-delivering team touches a moving stone, or

causes it to be touched, the stone will be redelivered.

(iii) If an external object touches a moving stone, or causes it to be

touched, the stone will be redelivered.

R9.  DISPLACED STATIONARY STONES

(a)  If a stationary stone which would have had no effect on the outcome

of a moving stone is displaced, or caused to be displaced, by a

player, it is replaced in its original position by the non-offending team.

 (b)  If a stationary stone which would have had no effect on the outcome

of a moving stone is displaced, or caused to be displaced, by an

external force, it is replaced in its original position, with agreement of

the teams.

(c)  If a stone which would have altered the course of a moving stone is

displaced, or caused to be displaced, by a player, all stones are

allowed to come to rest and then the non-offending team has the

option to:

(i)  leave all stones where they came to rest; or

(ii) remove the stone whose course would have been altered from

play and replace in their original positions any stones that were

displaced after the violation; or

(iii) place all stones in the positions the team reasonably considers

they would have come to rest had a stone not been displaced.

(d)  If a stone which would have altered the course of a moving stone is

displaced, or caused to be displaced, by an external force, all stones

are allowed to come to rest, and are then placed in the positions in

which they would have come to rest had a stone not been displaced.

If the teams cannot agree, the stone is redelivered after all displaced

stones have been replaced to their original positions.

(e)  If a displacement is caused by stones deflecting off a barrier the

stones are replaced to their original positions by the non-delivering

team.

(f)  Last Stone Draw (LSD) Stones:

(i)  If a member of the delivering team displaces a stationary stone, or

causes it to be displaced, before the official completes the

measurement, the stone will be removed and recorded as 185.4

cm (6 ft. 1 in.).

(ii) If a member of the non-delivering team displaces a stationary

stone, or causes it to be displaced, before the official completes

the measurement, the stone is replaced to its original position by

the delivering team.

(iii) If an external force displaces a stationary stone, or causes it to be

displaced, before the official completes the measurement, the

stone is replaced to its original position by the delivering team.