In most sports, ending a round with zero points is a bad thing. In curling, it’s sometimes exactly the plan.
Scoring Nothing on Purpose
A blank end happens when neither team scores, often because the team without the hammer plays it that way deliberately. By clearing every stone out of the house, they make sure nothing’s left to count for either side. In exchange, they keep the hammer going into the next end instead of giving it up.
Why Give Up a Point?
This is curling’s strategic side at its clearest. A team might have an easy point available, but if taking it means handing over the hammer at a bad moment, they’ll choose zero instead. It’s a trade: skip the small win now for a better setup later.
It’s Smarter Than It Looks
A 0 to 0 end on the scoreboard doesn’t mean nothing happened. It usually means both teams were thinking several ends ahead, and one of them decided that holding onto the hammer was worth more than the point. Respect the blank end. There’s a lot going on behind that zero.
Leave a Reply