Now That I Have Settled Down

I unabashedly cheer for the Canadian teams at the world curling championships; I am what is known in some circles as a "homer" (I cheer for my home team, not for the home team of the venue.). Alan, I think, is both more objective than I am and more cosmopolitan.

But let's face it, that gold medal game, while exciting and close, was pretty poor curling for both teams. Not only were there numerous misses and partial misses, as we described throughout the match, but numerically both teams curled poorly, too (Canada 74%, Sweden 70%, both well below their averages going into the final match). And we can't lay Canada's loss all on what happened in the 10th end. After all, there were two times (6th and 8th ends) when misses and near misses meant Canada scored only one instead of two with the hammer.

One of the reasons for such poor curling was likely that so many of the players had not been in the finals of the worlds before (though that hardly explains Norberg's unusual calls at times). Also, it seemed maybe the ice was variable and changed over time. Let's hope these are part of the explanations. If they are, then we can look for these teams to do better next year when the Women's Worlds will be in Canada.

Norberg's team pulled it out. Team Canada didn't quite make it after a fairy tale run to the finals from the tie-breaker.

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: Conclusion

I wrote so much about the 9th end, I decided to split the postings again.

Canada has an advantage coming home. The score is tied and Canada has the last rock. I expect them to play this last end wide open, if possible, to leave an easy hit and stick or draw for Holland with her last rock. So here we go:

End #10: Certainly not a standard opening. Very long guard from Sweden, and Canada tries to draw around it, leaving it short of the rings. Kalenchuk's second shot is a good draw to the top 4'.

Now Canada goes after the guards, but leaves a long corner and jams. And Tammy Schneider flashes on her next shot. Big advantage for Sweden now, but to everyone's amazement, Norberg essentially peels a guard. Then Kim Schneider jams and removes a Canadian rock from the rings.

There are two Swedish rocks in the rings and three Swedish guards. So many mistakes by Canada. Are the wheels falling off?

Skips' stones: Norberg guards their shot rock in the top 4'. Holland removes one guard and moves another one into the rings, leaving the draw path open. Norberg tries another guard, but leaves a good-sized port for Holland. She needs to draw to the 4' for the win but she's light, so Sweden wins.

A tough loss for Canada with all the missed shots in the last end, but a good steal for Sweden.

Sweden 7, Canada 5 for the gold.

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: 9th End

So in both the 6th and the 8th ends, Holland has missed her shots slightly and ended up taking only one. These are big misses. Sweden has the hammer in the 9th end and will likely attempt to blank it. Let's see how it unfolds.

End #9: For some reason, it doesn't look as if Sweden is trying to blank, but Canada ends up with two guards near the centre line. Norberg can't try to double them off (free guard zone rule), but instead asks the lead to draw around them. The draw is to the back 4', so Tammy Schneider tries to freeze to it, but bumps it back a few inches. Carlsson's first shot is wide and a bit heavy, drifting to the back 12'. Tammy Schneider tries to nose freeze to her own rock in the top 4', but leaves a double possibility for Carlsson, but she jams. That shot could have really turned the end in Sweden's favour.

Now it's Kim Schneider's turn to try to freeze, but is a tad light. Canada has a rock on the button, Sweden is 2nd shot top 4', and Canada is almost with it. Ostlund tries a run back, but sort of misses, leaving Canada with two shots biting the button. I'm not quite sure why Holland wouldn't freeze to their own rock that is on the back of the button. Schneider likes that option, too, but Russ prefers a guard. They go for the freeze attempt; Russ says it must be perfect or the end is lost. It looks pretty good, but not completely locked in there. Canada is lying three.

Ostlund throws some heat, removing the back Canada rock and moving another to the side 8'. Rather than remove the Swedish rock, Holland freezes to it, making it really hard for Norberg to remove the Canadian shot rock. Norberg rattles the rocks gently, but leaves a hit and stick for four by Holland, which will make life pretty difficult for Sweden. But the shooter rolls over a bit, so Norberg has a straight draw to the button (with backing) to salvage one.

Canada 5, Sweden 5

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs Sweden - Ends 7 and 8.

This is turning into a stunningly good final!
Which does not mean all the shots are good.

END #7: This end was not in your chess curling opening book. Weirdly, all of the play has been out in the twelve-foot, 9 o'clock from the hack. Holland is the first to roll into the center. Norberg's shooter rolls out on her first shot. Norberg repeats her first end mistake and stays.
CAN 4 - SWE 4

END#8: Russ Howard calls the Swedish play a 'veteran move'. The are in thouse behind thrie guard and Canada has a shot in th house behind a corner guard. Tammy Schneider blasts the SWE guards away. SWE reinsert one very nicely. Tammy leaves SWE lying one but Canada has all the rocks out front. SWE get one to the front but barely.
Kim Schneider makes a great runback into cover. SWE wreck on guards. Kim S draws into the house and Canada lie two. Norberg, utterly brilliantly, with no sweeping, freezes onto it, though Canada remains shot. Holland comes up short on her attempt to do the same. Norberg blocks that path. Holland tries a double-tap, and almost make it! Insane, and in the end ineffective.
CAN 5 - SWE 4

Over to Doc

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: End 6

Centre top 4' and centre to 12' for Sweden, a standard opening, as Canada puts up a corner guard. Perhaps, following up on Alan's suggestion, we can refer to this as the "standard-centre-corner" opening, but that's almost too many words to make it useful. But eventually we could maybe abbreviate it SCC opening. Fun to contemplate.

Perfect freeze by Kim Schneider (3rd, Canada) to a Swedish rock in the back 4'. Ostlund hits it and drives the backing out of the rings, rolling her shooter to the side. Norberg hits but rolls a bit, leaving a draw for Holland to lie two, but one is behind the t-line. Norberg chooses to try a hit-and-roll rather than a freeze to the back rock as a way to force Canada to take only one. But she stays open, leaving a hit for two, but her shooter rolls too far, and Canada scores only one. A serious miss.
Canada 4, Sweden 3.

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: Intermission

Just to make clear: I see the statistics for the players and teams as indicative but not compelling. In stat-speak, and something I tried to say differently in my earlier postings, there's a pretty big variance around the averages, meaning pretty much anything can happen in any game or end. As I said, the stats are indicative of what might happen, and obviously I love looking at the stats, but the variance is just too high to have much confidence in using the stats to make predictions. In stat speak, the confidence intervals are pretty large.

Let me also note that the statistics for this game are consistent with the observations that Alan and I have been making. There seemed to have been a lot of misses, and the curling percentages are 68% for Sweden, and 71% for Canada. Both leads are curling only in the 70s, and the middles are all in the 60s!

So after all the action so far, Canada and Sweden are tied, but now Canada has the hammer.

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: End 5

That split by Holland with her first rock in the fourth end was very impressive, rolling both rocks behind cover. As Alan said, "utterly brilliant".

End #5: Linda Moore, one of the commenters for TSN, suggests that after giving up three last end, Sweden might want to play this end open, and it looks as if that is what is going on, at least at first. Canada has one top 4' and a long centre guard, and Sweden has an even longer corner guard. As the end progresses, Swedish guards are mounting up while Canada has two even rocks in the top of the house, top 4' and at 10 o'clock in the 8'. Every time Sweden tries a run back, they seem just to move the Canada rocks over to the 10 o'clock position. Schneider puts a rock right at the upper left top4' and Canada lies three. Ostlund wrecks on the guard (Linda Moore thinks her rock might have picked on something). Holland decides to put up a long centre guard to block that hole left by Ostlund; it is really long. Norberg removes one of the side Canada rocks in the rings, leaving Canada lying two. Holland hits the Swedish rock in the rings, but loses her shooter, leaving the door open for Norberg to draw or hit/flop for one. She hits/flops for one.
Canada 3, Sweden 3

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs Sweden - Ends 3 and 4.

I am less sold than Doc on statistical anlyses (hey I am a mathematician and Doc is an economist but I also think this should be close). The first two ends have sure lived up to this, as Norberg took a one she did not want and Canada blanked.

END #3: I wish I knew how to describe these opening patterns as they do in Chess. I could say this is the Alberta opening, or the like, as there really a)re few of them being used now. Much is, of course, in the execution, unlike in the more binary chess.
SWE center guard, CAN bump it rather than go around (what they meant). SWE put another on top of theirs. CAN hit their own and put a SWE rock into the twelve-foot wide. (9 o'clock looking into the house from the hack.) SWE toss another rock into the house, and they now lie three. CAN remove one, I am not sure why. SWE draw attempt crashes and sits as another front biter. CAN punch it out. SWE punch it out! Kim Schneider's first shot does little. SWE is the first team to come by the center guards and Oestlund puts a covered rock on the button. CAN clears the guards, but SWE still sits three. Norberg puts up a beautiful guard, center line in front of the house. Holland makes what she wanted, a runback, clearing the house, but it leaves her shooter as a center guard. Norberg brilliantly draws to the feight-foot. Holland, always chipper, says, "All righty". Her draw misses very slightly and Sweden steal one.
SWE 2 - CAN 0

END #4: Tammy Schneider misses on a major hit and Sweden pile up rocks in the house. For some reason I do not remotely get the coach comes out. Like, why would you twenty-somethings question Norberg? And so after such long discussion they just wreck on a guard. Tammy Schneider at least makes it into the house but rolls out. SWE then come up ridiculously short. What is going on? Kim Schneider gets a rock into the house. SWE runback attempt leaves CAN rock lying one, and no SWE rocks in the house, This end is a comedy of errors. CAN draw comes up way short, as the errors continue. Norberg plays safe, hitting the Canada rock, losing the shooter. Holland makes an utterly brilliant split and now Canada lie two, with both rocks buried. Really incredibly good! Norberg misses utterly on her attempt to clean things up and now Holland has free shopping for three. Which she takes.
CAN 3 - SWE 2

Gold Medal Game, Canada vs. Sweden: Ends 1 and 2

As I wrote in the previous post, this game should be a close one. Canada has exhibited some statistical advantages and so has Sweden. So here we go:

End #1: Kalenchuk's [lead, Canada] first rock drifts to the back of the rings, which puts Canada at a slight disadvantage. Carlsson [2nd, Sweden] doubles off two Canadian rocks in the rings. That is followed by a series of hit-and-sticks as both teams try to hit and roll behind the centre-line guard, but none can quite get behind cover. Holland's shooter rolls out on her first shot, allowing Norberg [skip, Sweden] an opportunity to draw around the centre-line guard, but is left partially open as that side of the ice seems quite straight. Holland's last shot removes the Swedish stone, and her shooter is barely biting at the back. Norberg hits but rolls into the rings and takes one.
Canada 0, Sweden 1

End #2: Canada's initial corner guard is long, Sweden rocks are lined up just off the centre-line, and Canada removes one while moving the other off the centre. After some peels, Sweden is left with one rock in the rings and no guards. A continuing series of guard/peel. Oslund [3rd, Sweden] leaves the rings with just one Swedish rock and no guards, so there will be a series of hit-and-stick, with Canada trying to blank the end. And does.
Canada 0, Sweden 1

Strengths and Weaknesses Going into the Gold Medal Round

The gold medal round (i.e. the finals) of the 2011 Women's World Curling Championships will be played between Canada and Sweden at 9am Sunday EDT (7am CST: Saskatchewan refuses to go on DST!). The curling stats for the players for Sweden and Canada are here.

The overall averages for each player for the entire round robin and the play-offs have been:

Lead: Canada 88, Sweden 78
2nd : Canada 78, Sweden 78
3rd : Canada 80, Sweden 79
Skip: Canada 81, Sweden 75

Based on these numbers for the tournament, it looks as if Canada has a slight edge (actually substantial at lead) going into the final game. Also, we know that Sweden barely edged Canada by only one point during the round robin.

At the same time, however, we have all seen players for both teams, especially Canada (since that's who we have seen on tv most often), put in highly variable performances. Every player for Sweden, along with Amber Holland and the two Schneiders for Canada had games when they curled as low as in the 60s (Norberg and both thirds even had one game each in which they curled in the 50s!). So while these overall averages are indicative, they are far from compelling. Who wins the gold medal will depend not only on who is curling well tomorrow, but it will also depend on strategy and at what point in the game the good and less-good shots are made.

[ Addendum: this point is amply supported by the fact that even though Canada had higher curling percentages, and Canada gave up the fewest steals and took the most steals, at the same time Sweden had the highest percentage of scoring two or more points with the hammer and also had the highest percentage of forcing opponents with the hammer to score only one point. And, of course, Sweden won more games in the round robin.]

What the statistics really seem to show is that the teams look as if they are pretty evenly matched. That should make for a fun and exciting morning tomorrow.

World Women's Sponsorship

I have detected so far only three sponsors of the World Women's Championships this year.
One is the obvious Capital One, whose website URL sits on the ice. They are a financial organization; I am not sure of all that they do but the customer-facing part is clearly credit cards.
Another one is Titlis Rotair, which mystified me. It turns out it is Swiss Tourism at work. I noticed today that the baffles they put at the ends of the ice had Titlis' logo with what seemed to be Mandarin; this makes utter sense.
The other logo seen everywhere is the 361 degrees. The site appears to be Chinese; I have no idea.
There are a bunch of other minor sponsors, but this goes a long way to explaining why the web site is so bad. (Though to its credit it does cite the various local sponsors.)
In the end there is no real money behind this championship.

Semi-Final, Canada and China, second half

China took one in the sixth, so we enter the seventh with Canada ahead 4-3.

END #7: Holland asks Kim Schneider to bury in the house. She gets nicely behind cover, is a bit deep (top four-foot so not bad at all). Betty follows Kim in for a freeze, but bounces open instead. Holland hits and rolls away nicely. Betty does manage to come in on top of the Schneider rock. Holland draws to the button for two!
CAN 6 - CHI 3.

END #8: Betty is clearly shoutinbg "Hurry!". This end is a comedy of errors, with whiffs, and shots that are short and off-line. In the end it all cancels out and China blank.

END #9: A bad Kin Schneider miss leaves China sitting one, but they whiff. On her second chance, Schneider clears away the Chinese rock. Holland hits and stays in the front twelve-foot on the open side. Betty draws nicely into the four-foot. Holland's runback misses. Betty's draw needs a lot of sweeping help but makes it.
CAN 6 - CHI 5

END #10: Just a general comment - Kalenchuk has been amazing the last couple of games. She just did a perfect tick on a China guard. And later Tammy Schneider, struggling much of the day with such shots, hits a perfect double peel. It has been mostly a guard and peel exercise, with the peels finally prevailing. Betty makes a great draw to the back four-foot behind a Canadian rock. Holland runs Kelenchuk's first(!) rock onto Betty's, with both removed and the shooter staying. Betty makes another great draw behind that shooter. Holland hits to win.

Canada moves to tomorrow morning(here)'s final against Sweden.

To be honest, I am astonished. I never expected them to get here. And I love it, less because I am Canadian than because I like the sunny personality she has shown throughout. My guess is also that Betty is pretty sunny (given that she told TSN they could call her Betty) but I have not seen so much of it.

An Amusing Condescesion

I love the team of Linda Moore and Russ Howard, but they seem to me awfully funny when talking about the Chinese curlers.
They keep talking about how they are getting better and learning strategy and then point out that they are the winningest team in the World Championships since 2005.
Maybe everybody else should be learning strategy from them?

Semi-Final: Canada and China, first half

Geez, I was distracted and missed the first two ends. China scored two with the hammer in the first end, and Canada blanked the 2nd end. Canada has survived so many close, tough situations, and was very lucky there was one big miss by China in their game in the Round Robin, enabling Canada to win that game.

It must be tough to go back out to play so soon after an 11 end game won by a steal of three against Denmark.

As I wrote to Ms. Eclectic at the beginning of the week, I watched the Canadian team in their path to victory in the Saskatchewan play-downs. They struggled early on, but eked out the victory over that week. It looks as if they're following a similar pattern at the Worlds.

End #3: For all her misses this week, Kim Schneider made a fantastic hit, flop, freeze with her first shot, but her second shot came up short. China peels that rock. China peeled Holland's rock, leaving Holland with a nose tap to score two, but it didn't curl enough, and she lost the shooter, scoring only 1. China 2, Canada 1

End #4: The end seems to involve lots of sort-of misses. Tammy Schneider hits, but doesn't roll behind a guard, China misses a couple of shots, Canada misses setting up a guard. The curling percentages must not be great this end. Betty [see the 2nd comment] (Ch Skip) tried a double that jammed, so Holland (Cda Skip) put up a guard, protecting shot rock. Betty is forced to choose between drawing to the button for one or drawing through a small-ish port to hit for two. She opts for the latter. She made it through the port, but her shooter rolled out too far and the Canada rock remained shot for a steal of one. China 2, Canada 2

End #5: China retains the hammer for this end and chooses to play it wide-open. No guards, lots of hit/stick shots. It looks as if China is taking the end to regroup and recover emotionally from the steal, but that seems like an overly dramatic take on their choice, so I can't believe it's right. But suddenly things change dramatically Nice draw into the rings by China's 3rd, well behind guards. But after Kim Schneider barely makes it to shot, China's 3rd rubbed on a guard, leaving Canada shot and behind cover. Holland tries a tap back but splits Canada's rocks to lie 1-2. Betty wrecks on a guard. Holland guards against a double tap, but leaves a slight hole for Betty to try to draw through. She does but is too heavy and Canada steals two more!
China 2, Canada 4

World Women's Page 3-4

I wakened somewhere in the fifth end and am slowly coming to consciousness.
I saw Canada steal one for the lead in the fifth and Lene Nielsen just drew beautifully for the lead by one in the sixth end.

Amber Holland always seems so jolly.

END #7: CAN blank.
DEN 5 CAN 4

END #8: From early in the end Canada has two rocks in the house, open, hoping to avoid doubles. DEN not only miss their chances but keep offering more. Holland's first rock just barely makes the house. Nielsen leaves a hit and stay for Holland. They stick for two.
CAN 6 DEN 5

END #9: Nielsen leaves her first rock open; Holland hits and rolls almost into cover. Not enough - Nielsen makes a beautiful shot to get two.
DEN 7 CAN 6

END #10: I love Canadian locutions. "I'm not sure I like the draw", which means "Draw - no way", and "It's not awful", which means "Let's do that". Which turned out to be a bad idea. It turns out the not awful shot was awful and now Sweden sit two. Holland's first shot is a disaster, replacing a center guard with her own rock out in th path she needs to get to extra ends. Holland's desperate final shot goes to a measure. Extra end!

END #11: I wish I knew how to describe this last end. It was really weird and really great. Canada's skip without the hammer is throwing guards you know things are strange. Lene Nielsen needs genius or luck to prevail here on her last shot. She needs some bizarre angle raise. And when you have NOTHING else, you do that, perhaps on uncharted ice. The raise misses and Canad wins.

Yet another utterly enjoyable match for spectators.

Canada plays China in under two hours.

Women's Worlds, Page 1-2 - Last Half

I must say I like both these teams. There have been very few total misses, and a lot of shots with VERY ambitious goals, mostly settling for something slightly less. But the score shows how good it has been so far.

Interesting fact put up on screen. Since 2005 the skips with the most World's wins are Betty and Norberg, in that order (51 vs 49).

END #6: Norberg hogs her last shot. Ouch. Steal of two for China.
CHI 4 - SWE 2.

That is really too bad. But given it is the Page 1-2, the loser will be back tomorrow! (That is the part of the Page 1-2 I like, though I also do not like it. :-) )

Linda wonders if she has ever seen Norberg have a hogline violation, especially on a hit.

END #7: Late in the end SSWE have three rocks in the four-foot. First crack at it CHI remove only one and it gets refreshed. Betty wrecks on guards with her first rock. The wreck has spread the guards a bit, so Norberg's guard effort come deep and into the four-foot, where there are now four SWE rocks. Betty goes nuclear on that rock and leaves SWE lying two. Norberg draws perfectly for her three.
SWE 5 - CHI 4

Great match.

END #8: SWE force China to take one, but she rolls too far on her hit and give Sweden a steal of one.
SWE 6 - CHI 4.

END #9: Betty gets her two.
CHI 6 - SWE 6.

END #10: SWE start with a perfect tick (which would not be in Canada). Then I missed many shots. CHI make a mistake that lets Oestlund clear the house of all rocks. Betty's only hope is to get behind Swedish guards out front. First shot does not curl so much as wanted, but 'virtually buried' says Russ Howard. Norberg hits it and loses the shooter. Betty goes to the back of the eight-foot. Norberg hits it!
SWE 7 - CHI 6

We'll see Sweden on Sunday and CHina tomorrow!

A Reason to Appreciate Annette Norberg Rinks

In case you had forgotten.
Talk about rocks!

"Hearts on Fire, Hearts on Fire, Burning, Burning with Desire, Burning for the Steal". Too cool.

Women's World's Page 1-2 - Early Ends

This should be fun, pitting two of the best-known women's teams in the world against one another (much better known than our Canadian representative, for example).
On one side we have Sweden's Annette Norberg rink, whose teams we have long known, not with the team we are used to, but she is still here. On the other China, who barely missed finishing 11-0; Russ Howard points out that they have stunningly good technique, and this should fit in with our stereotypical perceptions (it does with mine). The Chinese skip told TSN they could call her Betty, and I will follow that lead!
The nice story is that after her team disbanded. satisfied with their laurels, Norberg was invited by a young team that had lost one member. invited Norberg to skip for them. And here they are!

END #1: Omigod. Maybe it is just a bit fluky but the first four Chinese shots look perfect to me. (The scorers agree but Sweden is stepping up, and a China roll is not quite perfect. And a guard wreck. On first skip rock, Betty makes a great double. Norberg misses, hits and rolls out. Betty hits and rolls into the center and Norberg hits but the shooter sticks so she takes one.
SWE 1 - CHI 0

END #2: I just heard 'Hurry!' (emphasis on the second syllable)from Betty. Clearly coached by an old-timer. Late in the end mostly an exchange of hit and stays and hit and mild rolls. Betty clears the front of the house again with a double. Norberg throws a rock through an empty house, I suspect not deliberately. Betty does it deliberately.
SWE 1 - CHI 0

END #3: SWE third gets a fluky good result, with a front SWE rock guarding one now in the back eight-foot. CHI third clears the front rock, but miss the double. Norberg hits the remaining CHI rock and sticks to have two rocks in the house, widely separated. Betty just misses the double. Norberg splits the rings with her last rock. Betty hits and stays for her one.
SWE 1 - CHI 1

END #4: (Inappropriate comment: I really like the Swedish second's floral headband.) (And side comment: Betty does say 'Hurry, but I have heard it only once, and I suspect she just relies on Whoa and Yes unless she really feels the stress.) After a lot of pretty good shots, none quite what was wanted, Norberg makes a perfect hit and roll to center to take the one that was her best option.
SWE 2 - CHI 1

END #5: Early in the end China chooses a freeze over an easy double; it does not quite freeze but both Russ and Linda point out that Betty has learnt a lot about tactics with this choice. SWE surgically remove the shot through the gap between their own - very nice. After an exchange of hits and stays and hits and rolls, CHI miss a freeze. Norberg bumps off that rock in an attempted freeze. CHI wreck on a guard in their attempt to sit in a pocket. SWE hit and stay. CHI take one.
SWE 2 - CHI 2.

On to a new post for the rest.

TieBreaker Final Ends

END #7: To my astonishment I look up and see a house that is clearly the result of aggressive play by CAN. SUI clear out all the CAN stones and have a bunch sitting in the house. Kim Schneider cleans up a bit. Ott's first rock leaves CAN with a hit and stay to lie two, as they do. Ott's last rock hits and rolls way too far, leaving Holland an open draw to the eight-foot for two. She makes it but nearly goes long, rubbing on one of her own rocks to slow the shooter enough.
CAN 7 - SUI 3

END #8: After putting opening rocks into the house, CAN is back to peeling merrily. Holland's first shot misses a vital chip shot. Ott hits and stays to sit three. Holland needs a double to keep the end under some control. A miss makes four possible for SUI. She gets one but rolls away, leaving SUI an open draw for three. Which Ott makes. This game is on again!

Russ Howard observes that if CAN win this, the Holland rink will have won nine straight sudden-death games, combining the Saskatchewan playdowns, the Scotties, and this tournament.

END #9: Holland doubles and stays on her first rock. Her rock is alone in the house. CAN blanks.
CAN 7 - SUI 6

As a side observation I note that I have not heard the word 'Hurry' this whole match. Holland and Schneider call like the men at the Brier, and I don't know Schweizerdeutsch well enough to know how Ott and Schaefer call.

END #10: CAN miss an early tick attempt, leaving two SUI center guards. One CAN rock in the house (front four, covered). SUI freeze attempt bounces to the side and open, lying shot. CAN peel the front guard. SUI puts up another guard. CAN peel both guards. SUI guard their rock, but it comes pretty deep and CAN try a double. Instead they remove their own rock and roll out. Big problem now! SUI put up a second guard. Schneider gets the front two and stays out in front. SUI rock in the house is now open. SUI guard. Holland peels it and in the process also removes her own guard on the other side, opening that path. SUI coach comes out. Ott's biter guard attempt comes up well short, leaving Holland a draw to the four-foot (it has to get decently in there) for one. And it is on the button.
CAN 8 - SUI 6

Canada advance to the 3-4 Page playoff tomorrow.

Rule changes are funny. Almost every team calls 'Time Out', even though the rule has been changed and consultation with the coach is on the clock.

TieBreaker

Well, I am inferring that the TSN coverage at the moment is live, as it synchronizes well with the on-line scoring (which is working quite well this morning). I had in part of my brain a notion that TSN had paid the organizers not to post the online scores, but it would be too much hard work to be synchronizing them now. :-)

First end is wide open and blanked by Canada.

In the second end some Canada misses let SUI populate the house. As Ott buries her first rock, Holland makes a perfect runback. Ott comes up light and CAN has a draw to the four-foot around a center guard for two. The draw gets a piece of the button.
CAN 2 - SUI 0

The third end is formed by the fact that the first Swiss rock does not make the hog line, depriving SUI of the planned corner guard, and CAN plays offensively. A later guarding error lets SUI clean up the house and sit on top of a CAN stone. A CAN freeze attempt on the pair bounces to the side. SUI remove that and sit. CAN do the same, but leave SUI a chance to move the rocks around, removing Canada's shot rock. Canada bumps the SUI shot out and rolls behind (Swiss) cover, leaving OTT a possible double. She misses and give CAN a steal of one.
CAN 3 - SUI 0

The fourth end is a war of draws and hit and rolls, leaving a lot of rocks in the house. By the first skip rock, SUI have a rock on the button, and lie two. Holland decides to freeze to the shot rock, with characteristic aggression. The freeze bumps and buries the SUI rock, with the shooter lying open. SUI leave Holland a double. She gets one and the shooter lies somewhat open. Ott needs a very delicate shot to score two. Her nose hit gets her the two.

The fifth end featured a nice display of personality. Amber Holland and Kim Schneider in the house discussing the next shot, and the front end calls out to point out one of the SUI rocks. Holland snapped back something to the effect of "Yes, I have it". Ott NEEDS a big draw to stop CAN from scoring a million. It runs long, leaving CAN a shot at three. They get two.
CAN 5 - SUI 2.

Canada move to a prevent defence in six, peeling merrily and keeping the house fairly clean. A CAN rock goes deep and bites at the back, and it's hard to tell if it is second shot. Ott is planning to hit and stay possibly for one. They take one (erasing the doubt about the second shot by running back onto their own rock.
CAN 5 - SUI 3.

Moving to a new post.