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I just started watching 2018 Olympics, and I saw Koe vs Edin game. In the 9th, with hammer, facing an empty house, Koe wanted to draw for 1 instead of just throwing through to blank the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrDMWUGMia0

Now, his draw came up way light and ended up being a center guard, so he ended up blanking instead, but was his original call justified in the first place?

The team was all behind him, no one questioned the merit of the draw for 1. Is there an explanation for this? Was this based on precedence from previous games? Has this been tried before?

The most plausible explanation I've been given is that in the 4 rock FGZ, the team without hammer gets to throw a couple of corner guards, while the team with hammer only gets one corner guard before peeling can begin. So perhaps the rationale for going down 2 without hammer was to use the 2 corner guards to lie 3, and just pray for the best.

Obviously you'd never do this in 5 rock FGZ era, because the team with hammer does get a chance to use 2 corner guards now.

Thoughts? What did the CBC commentators say at the time? Were there any previous discussions about this particular shot, or this strategy in general?

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Registered: Mar 2009
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Down three is a death sentence. Two without the hammer isn't much better, but it is better.

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Down 3? No team deserves to win a game after digging themselves into such a hole.

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quote:

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Originally posted by decade
Down 3? No team deserves to win a game after digging themselves into such a hole.

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That is not down three with one end to go. Apples and oranges.

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I'm a fan of mixed doubles, where crazy things have happened, i.e. score 3 and steal extra, or score 4 and win immediately (see: 2017 WMDCC final).

But you're right, I don't think I've seen a traditional game yet where a team down 3 last end wins.

However, that's why I'm interested to learn more about the down 2 without hammer situation. I hadn't thought about it until recently that in 4 rock FGZ era, you basically have a straightforward plan to lie 3 against an opposition that is in full on peel mode.

If anyone knows any famous game where this was tried, even unsuccessfully, I'd love to watch it.

Last edited by curlingclips on 01-06-21 at 08:50PM

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quote:

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Originally posted by curlingclips


Jennifer Jones was down 3 vs Moe Meguro (JPN) at 2008 WWCC semifinal. Scored 2, steal 10th, steal 11th, and won the final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nttF3BDWKds

Are you saying that she didn't deserve a world championship in 2008?

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quote:

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Originally posted by curlingclips

But you're right, I don't think I've seen a traditional game yet where a team down 3 last end wins.

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2001 Olympic Trials, Morris vs Howard, Morris was 3 up going into the 10th end. Howard scores 4 in the 10th for the win.

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Back to the dilemma: does anyone remember any game where someone showed preference for going down 2 without hammer as opposed to going down 3 with? Particularly in the 4 rock FGZ era where the team without hammer has 2 free guards as opposed to only 1 free guard for the team with hammer?

For example, here's the situation from the flip side, where Ulsrud (NOR) showed preference for being up 3 without hammer as opposed to up 2 with hammer vs Stjerne (DEN).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck47dLrvSHU

DEN had just stolen 2 points in previous end when Ulsrud drew went heavy.

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