Group Games – Qualification – Playoffs

English

In case of discussions, the rules in the programm booklet are binding.

Group Games – Qualification – Playoffs

· The group stage consists of 4 groups with 4 teams each. A round robin will be played within each group.

· After the round robin an overall ranking will be established.

· The following criteria (in this order) are used to determine the overall ranking after the group stage:

1. Teams are ranked based on the number of victory points.

2. If two or more teams have the same number of points, the points from head-to-head matches between those teams will be considered, provided they were in the same group and played each

other.

3. If teams are still tied in head-to-head points or come from different groups, the Draw Shot Challenge (DSC) results will be used. The DSC result is the average distance of all Last Stone Draws (LSD) made during round robin games. Each team’s worst single result is discarded before calculating the average. The team with the lower DSC average is ranked higher.

4. If the DSC results are the same, the best non-matching LSD result is used to rank teams.

5. If there is still a tie, a coin toss determines the ranking.

· Teams ranked 1 to 4 qualify for the quarterfinals.

· Teams ranked 13 to 16 are eliminated after the round robin.

· Teams ranked 5 to 12 will play an intermediate round as follows: 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, 8 vs 9.

· A new overall ranking will be determined for positions 5 to 12 based on the criteria above.

· Teams ranked 5 to 8 then qualify for the quarterfinals. Teams ranked 9 to 12 are eliminated.

· Quarterfinal pairings are based on the overall ranking: QF1: 1 vs 8, QF2: 2 vs 7, QF3: 3 vs 6, QF4: 4 vs 5.

· The quarterfinal losers are all ranked 5th.

· Semifinal pairings are as follows: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4, and Winner QF2 vs Winner QF3.

· There will be no game for 3rd place. Both losing semifinalists are ranked 3rd.

Pre-Game Practice

Before each game, each player throws two stones: one toward the away end and one back toward the home end.
The first-listed team begins the pre-game practice.
Playoffs: The team with the hammer starts the Pre-Game Practice
The indicated time in the draw indicates the beginning time of the Pre-Game Practice.

Stone Draw / Hammer / Last Stone Draw (LSD)

Group Games:

· In group games the first-listed team has red stones.

· After the pre-game practice, each team throws two LSD stones toward the home end. The first stone is thrown clockwise, the second counterclockwise by a different player. Sweeping is allowed.

· The measured distances of both stones are added to calculate the team’s LSD for that game.

· The right to choose the first or second stone in the first end is based on the LSD result. The team with the shorter LSD distance gets to choose. If both teams have the same LSD total, the better

individual LSD is used. If still equal, a coin toss decides.

· LSD distances are measured from the dolly (center of the house) to the closest part of the stone (not to its center). Stones not in the house are recorded as 185.4 cm.

Intermediary Round and Playoffs:

The stone color is not predetermined.
The team with the higher ranking after the round robin can choose either the hammer or the stone color.

Number of Ends – Time Limits

All games are played over eight ends. If a game is tied after eight ends, an extra end is played. If there is no decision even after the extra end, the team that did not have the right of the last stone in the extra end wins. Only in the final, extra ends will be played until a decision is made.
In the preliminary games there are no time limits. In case of slow play, a team may be encouraged to play faster by the director of play.
The semifinals and the final will be played with time limits. The thinking-time is 30 minutes per team for 8 ends plus one team time-out of 60 seconds. The thinking-time in an extra end is 4 minutes 30 seconds plus one team time-out of 60 seconds. The travel time is 60 seconds. Teams without a coach or substitute players are also entitled to the travel time.
A preliminary game may be abandoned at any time. In semifinals and final at least 6 ends must be played.
Forfeiting a semifinal or final game will be penalized with a fine of CHF 5.000.-