What is hammer in curling?

In curling, the hammer is the last stone to be thrown in an end. The team that did not score in the previous end gets the hammer for the next end. The hammer is considered an advantage because it allows the team to control the final shot of the end, potentially scoring more points or preventing the opposing team from scoring.

The team with hammer usually tries to position their stones closer to the center of the house to make it more difficult for the opposing team to score points. However, the team without hammer can also strategically place their stones to make it difficult for the other team to score.

It is important for a team to carefully manage their use of the hammer throughout a game, as losing it can put them at a disadvantage in subsequent ends.