NCCC Mixed Doubles Bonspiel rules:
Teams consist of two players, one male and one female. Team rosters can have more than two players, but those players starting a game must finish that game, i.e. no substitutions allowed during a game. No switching players amongst teams during the Bonspiel.
Hammer in the first end determined by coin toss. The winner of the toss has hammer (rock placement decision) in the first end. The coin toss loser has rock color selection.
The team with the hammer has the choice to either:
- Place their pre-positioned rock on the centre line behind at the back of the four-foot in the house,
- place their pre-positioned rock on the centre line in the free-guard zone (spot marked on ice).
- Regardless of who has ‘hammer’, the team whose rock is in the guard position in front of the house shoots first.
Power play
- Teams can call a power play once per game when they have the hammer. The power play shifts the pre-positioned rocks from the centre line to the edge of the eight-foot circle on the left or right side of the sheet with the opposing guard also moving over so it is aligned.
The ‘no-tick’ rule is not in effect for this event.
Five rocks played per team per end. The rocks to be used for positioning will be at either end and marked with green tape for easy recognition. It is recommended to throw rocks numbered 1 through 5 for easy tracking.
Player one throws the first and last rocks of the end while their partner delivers the middle three. The players can switch throwing positions between ends.
Blank ends: The team with the hammer does not retain the hammer/choice for the next end if there is a blank end.
Three-rock rule
If a team removes any stone (including positioned stones) from play with any of the first three rocks delivered in the end, the shooter is removed from play while the stone that was hit is placed back at its previous spot before contact was made. This rule is applied to all rocks in play, not just the stones in the free-guard zone. The pre-positioned rocks also fall under this rule and no takeouts can be performed until the fourth delivered rock.
All games will be six ends in length.
• Tied round-robin games will be decided by draw to the button. Both players on each team will throw and the lowest accumulated distance from the button will be declared the game winner.
• Tied play-off games will be decided by a full extra end of play.
Teams will have a 5 min warm-up prior to the game. This will be enough time for each player on both teams to throw two rocks down the ice and two rocks back. Teams will practice at the same time (all 4 players throw down their two rocks each, then all the rocks are thrown back)
Standings:
• Wins will count for 3 points.
• Wins requiring a draw to the button count for 2 points.
• A loss by draw to the button will count 1 point.
• A regulation loss will count as zero points.
Tie- Breaker Draws (for Standings placement in the event of ties)
After the completion of each team’s first game, both team members will throw a draw to the button. The distance from the button for both draws will be totaled. Teams with the lower total will be given the higher standing in the event of ties in the standings.
For the purpose of calculating tie-breaker scores:
Rock stops in the house: measure the number of cm from the pin
Rock stops after hog line but not in house: count 201 cm
Rock stops before hog line or goes past back line: count 203 cm
Anything covering the pin counts 0 cm.
Tie-breakers:
1. If two teams are tied and they have played each other:
- The winner of the game played between the two teams gets the higher standing.
2. If two teams are tied in points and they have not played each other, or, if more than two teams are tied:
- The draw to the button tiebreaker will be used, with the lowest total distance being given the higher standing.
The schedule for each round indicates the ice on which teams will be playing. The tournament organizers reserve the right to switch ice assignments in order to keep the games on time, or as on time as possible.
Teams are allotted 75 minutes to play a 6 end game. Please be conscious of your pace of play to assure you finish in the allotted time.
Please record your final game score on the results sheet posted in the club room.
The top 2 teams in each division will play in the championship round on Sunday. The 3rd and 4th placed teams in each division will compete in the B Event and the 5th place teams will compete in the C Event.
