Ice stock rules without the jargon: Daube, Moarschaft, Moar, Kehre, the measure shot and how points are scored — plus the three official competition formats.
In the team game two Moarschaften of four players each face off and try to get their stocks closer to the Daube than the opponent — through their own accuracy, by shooting opposing stocks away, or by moving the Daube [1]. At the end of a Kehre every stock of your own lying closer to the Daube than the opponent's best stock scores one point — at most four per Kehre [8][9].
Straight talk: the rules are quicker to explain than the dialect suggests. Once you have understood what earns points, you immediately understand why some shots don't aim at the Daube at all.
And because many stumble here: this is not curling. No sweeping, no granite stone of around 20 kilos, no painted fixed rings — your target is a movable puck that is itself part of the game [7].
The Daube lies on the Daube cross in the middle of the target field [5]. Everything that happens is measured against it: whoever's stock lies closest is ahead. If the Daube is shot out of the playing field, it is put back on the Daube cross in the centre [5].
That is exactly what makes the sport tactical: your target is not fixed — it can be moved.
A team is called a Moarschaft and, under the rulebook, consists of four players led by the Moar [1]. The Moar gives the commands and has the final word in case of disagreement; if a recreational round has an odd number of shooters, in practice he shoots twice [2].
A Kehre is one round: played once in one direction and then in the opposite direction. A team game has six Kehren, and each of the four players takes one shot per Kehre [2].
Do the maths: six Kehren times four shots — 24 attempts per team and game. Enough to turn a bad start around, too few to make up three squandered Kehren.
At the start the Moar sets the measure — a first shot the remaining shooters orient themselves by [3]. The measure is both an announcement and a benchmark: it shows the team how much swing the lane needs today.
That's why the first stock of a Kehre is never "just an attempt" — it is the information for everything that follows.
At the end of a Kehre it is scored: the team with the stock in best position — closest to the Daube — is the only one that scores. Each of its stocks lying closer than the opponent's best stock earns one point, at most four per Kehre; equal distance scores nothing [8][9].
That is exactly where the tactics come from: it can be smarter to shoot an opposing stock away or move the Daube than to play for best position yourself [1].
The international rulebook knows three formats: team game, target competition and distance competition [1]. In the target competition you play alone at scoring rings worth 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 points, usually across four rounds of six attempts — a maximum of 60 points per round and 240 in total [6]. In the distance competition only how far the stock runs inside a funnel-shaped lane counts [6].
The most important rule appears in no scoring system: nobody steps onto the running lane while a stock is on its way. Four to five kilos of mass on a slick lane hit ankles painfully, and on ice you cannot dodge a stock.
Wait your turn behind the delivery spot, only enter the target field once the Moar has cleared it, and warm up briefly before your first shot — the typical beginner problems are slips and mild strains, almost always with a cold, unprepared body [2].
And as always: this guide explains the rules and motivates — it never replaces the supervised club or course where somebody shows you the sequence on a real lane and explains the details of the valid rulebook.
In your first games, count out loud after every Kehre: "Best position ours — one point, second stock also closer than your best — two, third one too — three." [8] After three Kehren the scoring has sunk in, and from then on you see the game differently: you suddenly recognise which of the opponent's stocks really hurts — and that one is your next target.
The Daube is the round hard-rubber target object, 12 centimetres across and 4.5 centimetres high; it lies on the Daube cross in the middle of the target field [5]. The Moarschaft is the team, the Moar its captain: he gives the commands, sets the measure shot and has the final word [1][2][3].
Under the international rulebook a Moarschaft consists of four players led by the Moar [1]. Each of them takes exactly one shot per Kehre [2]. In recreational rounds the number is occasionally stretched; if the number of shooters is odd, in practice the Moar shoots twice [2].
Two Moarschaften alternately bring their stocks as close to the Daube as possible — through accuracy, by shooting opposing stocks away, or by moving the Daube [1]. Scoring happens at the end of each Kehre: one point for every stock of your own lying closer than the opponent's best, at most four per Kehre [8].
A Kehre is one round of the game — played in one direction and then the opposite. A team game covers six Kehren, and in each one every one of the four players takes a shot [2]. In the target competition, by contrast, the sections are called rounds: four of six attempts each is usual [6].
Through three jobs: place well yourself, shoot opposing stocks away, or move the Daube [1]. Because only stocks closer than the opponent's best one count [8], each of your stocks earns nothing as long as the opponent holds best position — so it often pays more to take it away from them than to place your own fourth stock badly. The Moar decides who shoots which job [2].
The Target Competition: Aiming at the Rings — 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Points and How to Hit Them