The middle ends are almost the most important ends of any game. It is here that you can consolidate your position or catch an opponent that is ahead of you and, possibly, getting overconfident. Let us look at some possible situations.
EVEN OR NEAR EVEN SCORE
If the score is tied or if you are ahead or behind by one point, you’re in a good contest and you have probably been doing what needs to be doing. Don’t change your game plan because it seems to be working well.
WINNING BY SEVERAL POINTS
Your greatest enemy now might be your own team if they lapse in the self congratulation mode and become blasé. You don’t have to be in a killer mode all the time, but make sure you don’t fall asleep.
Since you are ahead by a comfortable margin, look to keep the front of the house fairly free, even if you do not have the hammer. You must deny your opponent any chance of building a wall up front and sneak two or more stones behind it.
If you manage to put a stone on or near the button, you might consider guarding it or placing another stone away from the centre line and about t-line; if the opposition hits your unguarded stone and don’t roll behind a guard, you can return the favour, and the second stone will be a threat. If you succeed in placing a good guard and the opposition wrecks on it, replace it because it was a good decision.; if they go by your guard and your counter, reinforce the guard.
Stones that are placed in front of the house and 2 or 3 feet off-centre are dangerous so do ask for them to be taken out. Take outs should be heavy take outs so that you can try to remove both stones out of play. Soft take outs are dangerous at this point because the shooter could end up providing the opposition with an opportunity to hide behind it.
Finally, your stones should be at or in front of the t-line; anything behind the t-line is a backing that the opposition could freeze to. At this point, do not consider blanking an end; an extra point is another nail in the coffin.
LOSING BY SEVERAL POINTS
Always remind yourself and your team that it is quite feasible to come back from a three or four point deficit in the middle ends.
Now, since you need to put a few points on the board, it is time to start come-around draws, push-backs and soft take outs. You must keep as many stones in play as possible, most of them touching the 12 foot circle only. If you have the hammer, keep the front free. If you don’t block it early.
If the opposition slips on in the house, freeze to it if it is back of the t-line. If it is in front, push it out of the house with a soft take out. Look for roll possibilities; the roll options will become evident in the last 10 to 20 feet travel of your shooter.
If you were able to place a stone about 2 to 3 feet off the centre line and in front of the house, see if you can promote that stone to the side of the house.
In general, look for guards to come around, pockets to freeze into and call for weight that will maximise the number of rocks you have in play. If, with your last shot, you can only count one point, consider blanking the end
Norman H Danylo