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Czech Republic - Canada, men.

Splavec, Černovský, Mokris, Klíma versus Asmussen, Bucholz brothers and Bottcher. These are the players in today's duel. In the middle of the end, the Canadian has one better behind our three guards, but there is still our red in a good position and one decent Canadian. It's all around the center line and it's getting really thick. A technical issue puts me at the end of the end zone. Bottcher plays against the 3 and does his job flawlessly. Canada leads 1-0.

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2nd end: After the stones of the one, we have two stones at four feet behind the center guard on the two. The yellow Canadian stone is still at nine. The Canadians inadvertently double the center guard and we play the third stone into the circle and Mark is accurate. The runback to bucholz doesn't work out and Marek plays to the four. He's on five. Triple take out attempt is almost successful. We're now first and third, and after Sam's stone, we have first two and fourth stone. Asmussen plays a freeze and it works. Even though it's played on our side, we can't even see if we're better or they are. The Canadian relies on his freeze and ignores the other 4 stones we have in the circle. Now he's on four tracks of such a hassle from two yellows and two reds. Canada seems to have one. We'll try an angle raise. We miss everything, but I guess we'll have a second chance after a while. But Bottcher doesn't give us a second chance, he plays a draw on the second better and we miss correctly and it's two yellows. score 0 : 3. photo (hassle)

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3rd end: Halfway through the end we have a corner guard and a stone behind him. Canadian has a worse one on the other side from the center line. After three more stones, Asmussen plays a third yellow into the circles and we have to go after him because we can't take out three stones and the best yellow is behind the tee line. We are shorter, we just bite and three yellows are better. There are already four yellow stones in the circles, but it's still a comearound and a chance to score in two. we need this stone though. Come around came out great and Bottcher didn't play any better, but when we try for two we have speed but we're tight. We're writing one. 1 to 3.rn

4th end: We're watching some interesting, quality curling. We're playing center guard and a stone on the tee, plus one on five. Yellow is in front on four and slightly behind the tee on four. A lot of offensive play from both sides. Only now Bottcher clears center guard. A little bit of good defensive play and we've got one of the best but open, the Canadian has three in the front circles. After our hit and stay, we have a first and a third stone. It would be nice to push the Canadian to one, but it's going to be tough. After skip one, we're third in the order and we need a double. It's playable. We're calling inside out. We hit a single and Bottcher makes it two. He's got no problem with that. We're 1 for 5.rn

5th end: A little confusion. James has a strained arm and can't continue. We'll take turns, write the form and prepare refreshments for the break... Still in the end of the end the Czechs are trying to squeak out a hope for a deuce. But we are wide and after Canada's take out we will play a draw against either a three or a four. So against four. We have one and it's break time. The score is 2 to 5.