Free Guard Zone

 

Free Guard Zone means all space between hog and teeline except the house. There are two kinds of the Free Guard Zone rule (FGZ-rule): the European or 4-Rock-FGZ-rule and the Canadian or 3-Rock-FGZ-rule. In the European version the first four stones of an End that are in the FGZ (look at the picture) must not be kicked out of the game. In the Canadian version this rule count only for the first three stones of the End. This rule keeps the game more interesting because that team which has the right of the last stone is not allowed to kick out all opponent stones.