What Is Mixed Doubles Curling and How To Play?: Winter Olympic Rules, Scoring and More

The curling mixed doubles event is well underway at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, with matches starting ahead of the event's Opening Ceremony.

Matches will continue every day until Tuesday, February 8, with teams taking part in a round robin round until the semi-finals, bronze medal, and gold medal matches.

From the rules to how the teams score, here is everything you need to know about the sport.

What is Mixed Doubles Curling?

Mixed doubles curling is similar to regular curling in that it requires teams to take it in turns to slide granite stones towards a bullseye target, known as the house.

As the name suggests, the sport features teams of men and women who work together.

The difference between the event and normal curling is that the teams are made up of just two athletes, rather than four.

How Do You Play Mixed Doubles Curling?

Mixed doubles curling is played on ice and the athletes try to slide a stone towards the target, which is a set of three rings in red, white, and blue.

Athletes use special brooms to prompt the stone to move with the aim of getting it as close to the center (or button) as possible.

As well as landing the stone as close to the button as possible, athletes can try and throw their stones so that they knock their opponents' ones out of the house.

Alternatively, athletes can try to move their stones so that one is protecting another that is closer to the center.

What Are the Rules of Mixed Doubles Curling and How Do You Score?

In curling there are 10 ends with each player in both the men's and women's events throwing eight stones per end.

The mixed doubles curling is slightly different as it sees athletes play with eight ends, and they are allowed to throw five stones per end.

It is up to the athletes to strategically place the stones in the house, with the lead and second stones acting as guards and the third as a defense.

The skip, or fourth stone, will be used to try and score a point or to stop the other teams from being able to score.

At the end a point will be awarded to the team that has managed to get their stone closest to the button of the house.

Players will also be allowed to use what is called a "power-play" once during a match, but only at the beginning of an end.

It gives them the chance to change the placement of the stones that are stationary so they are at the edge of the house on one side.