On the day of the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony, I invite you to discover what the intriguing sport of curling has in common with a bunch of other games and sports — horseshoes and shuffleboard, billiards and tennis, bridge and chess, bowling, and yes, even dance.

Until this Olympics, I never gave curling a second thought. Now, after watching several matches in the 2026 Olympic Games, I'm transfixed by the granite stone's looping, gliding motions, just as I am intrigued by the sport’s strategic intricacies.