COOL CURLING RULES OF PLAY

Players can match up head to head (2 players) or in teams of 2 (4 players), with team players alternating play between ends (a player from each team will play from the opposite end of their teammate).
Determine which team has the hammer (last rock) for the first end by means of either; A. Coin toss. B. Drawing one stone each team closest to the button. The hammer is retained until a team scores and is then awarded in the ensuing end to the team that was scored upon. The loser of the coin toss or draw selects the rock colour to be played by each team.
While typically all rocks are thrown from the centre position of the playing surface (the hack), in Cool Curling, you may create a variety of shots by releasing the stones either left or right of the hack. Stones that fail to cross the opposing hog line are removed from play.
Scoring is determined when all 8 rocks from each team have been thrown, with the team’s rock or rocks closest to the button each scoring one point. Only those stones closer to the button than any of the opponent’s stones count toward the score of that end. Where one team scores between 1 and 8 points, the opponent by default always scores 0 points.
To determine which team’s stone is closest to the button, look downward from directly overhead and not from an angle or side. If players are unable to determine which team’s rock is closest to the button, the end is blanked (no score 0-0), the hammer is retained, and the teams continue play to the next end.
The five shot “free guard zone rule” is in effect. The free guard zone is the area between the hog line and the tee line, excluding the house (rings). Under the five-rock rule, teams are not permitted to eliminate their opponent's rocks that are sitting in the free guard zone until five stones have been played in every end. Players can still hit the guards; they just aren't allowed to knock them out of play.
The winner is determined by the team with the most points after the 10th end (tournaments may choose to play fewer ends). Should there be a tie after 10 ends, extra ends are played until one team scores first to determine the winner (sudden death).