Official Rules

Scoring

A position scores only when it is held with control for 3 seconds and the athlete is not caught in a submission.

• Takedown - 2 points. From standing, take the opponent to the ground and stabilize on top.
• Sweep - 2 points. From guard or half guard on the bottom, reverse to the top and stabilize.
• Knee on belly - 2 points. Knee on the opponent's belly or chest, other foot posted, opponent's back on the mat.
• Guard pass - 3 points. Clear the opponent's legs and control them from side control or north-south.
• Mount - 4 points. Sit on the opponent's torso with both knees, or one knee and one foot, on the mat.
• Back control - 4 points. Control the opponent's back with both hooks in.

Advantages. Our referees award an advantage when an athlete nearly scores a position or puts the opponent in real danger of submission. Advantages only break ties.

Ways to win

• Submission (tap, verbal tap, or scream)
• Referee stoppage (an athlete is in danger or cannot defend themselves)
• Points
• Advantages, then fewer penalties, if points are tied
• Referee decision
• Disqualification of the opponent

Kids: our referees stop the match whenever a child is in danger, even without a tap. A crying child counts as a tap.

Penalties, stalling and disqualification

Penalty ladder

• 1st penalty: warning
• 2nd penalty: advantage to the opponent
• 3rd penalty: 2 points to the opponent
• 4th penalty: disqualification

Penalized offenses (one step on the ladder each)

• Stalling: not working to improve position or attack, on the feet or on the ground
• Pulling guard and then not engaging
• Breaking grips without trying to advance, or pushing away to avoid engagement
• Stepping or rolling off the mat to avoid engagement
• Gi: putting fingers inside the opponent's sleeve or pant cuff; No-Gi: grabbing the shirt or shorts
• Talking to the referee during the match, or coach misconduct

Disqualification

• Any technique banned for the athlete's group (the Legal techniques section\) or for everyone (Banned at every age\)
• Fleeing the mat to escape a submission
• Knee reaping below Group 6
• Unsportsmanlike conduct, profanity or aggression toward referees, staff or opponents
• Missed weight
• If a disqualification for an illegal technique injures the opponent, the injured athlete wins.

Restarts. Out-of-bounds action restarts in the center in the same position, including established grips. Our referees decide every restart.

Injury time. An athlete hurt by an unintentional foul gets up to 2 minutes to recover. Medical stoppages are at the medic's call.

Legal techniques by age and belt

Each group can use everything the group before it can use, plus what is listed. Anything banned in Banned at every age stays banned.

Group 1 - Ages 4-12 (all belts)

• Legal: armbars, kimura and americana shoulder locks, rear naked choke, triangle, and the JitzKing kids exceptions below.
• JitzKing kids exceptions (legal for Groups 1 and 2):
• Arm triangle (head-and-arm choke)
• Seated guillotine (guillotine applied from a seated or guard position)
• Pulling on the head to finish a triangle
• Ezekiel / sleeve choke
• Omoplata
• Banned: straight ankle lock, standing guillotine, forearm pressure on the throat from mount, choke with spinal lock, leg-stretching (splits) submissions, closed-guard squeeze on the kidneys or ribs, wrist locks, bicep slicer, calf slicer, knee bar, toe hold, heel hook, knee reaping, twisting knee locks, any single-leg defense that drops the opponent on their head.
• No jumping guard.

Group 2 - Ages 13-15 (all belts)

• Adds: leg-stretching (splits) submissions.
• Keeps the JitzKing kids exceptions.
• Banned: everything else banned in Group 1.
• No jumping guard.

Group 3 - Ages 16-17 (all belts), adult white belts, No-Gi Beginner

• Adds: straight ankle lock (the only legal leg lock for white belts), all guillotines, forearm across the throat, choke with spinal lock.
• Banned: wrist locks, closed-guard squeeze on the kidneys or ribs, bicep slicer, calf slicer, knee bar, toe hold, heel hook, knee reaping, twisting knee locks.
• Ages 16-17: no jumping guard. White belts: no jumping into closed guard while the opponent is standing.

Group 4 - Adult blue and purple belts, No-Gi Intermediate

• Adds: wrist locks, closed-guard squeeze on the kidneys or ribs.
• Leg locks: straight ankle lock only.
• Banned: bicep slicer, calf slicer, knee bar, toe hold, heel hook, knee reaping, twisting knee locks.

Group 5 - Adult and Masters brown and black belts (Gi), Masters No-Gi Advanced

• Adds: bicep slicer, calf slicer, knee bar, toe hold, turning toward the free foot in a straight ankle lock.
• Banned: heel hook, knee reaping, twisting knee locks, outward pressure in a toe hold.

Group 6 - No-Gi Advanced, ages 18-29

• Adds: heel hooks, knee reaping, twisting knee locks, outward pressure in a toe hold.
• Heel hooks are never legal in the Gi.

Leg locks at a glance

• White and blue belts (ages 16+ and adults, Gi and No-Gi Beginner/Intermediate): straight ankle locks ONLY. No heel hooks, knee bars or toe holds.
• Straight ankle lock: ages 16+ and all adults
• Purple belt: straight ankle lock only
• Knee bar, toe hold, calf slicer: adult brown/black belts and No-Gi Advanced
• Heel hook and knee reaping: No-Gi Advanced, ages 18-29 only

Banned at every age and belt

Applying any of these is a disqualification.

• Hand on the windpipe: using the hand to grab, squeeze or close the windpipe. Banned for every age and belt.
• Forearm to the throat: legal for ages 16+ and adult divisions. Kids (ages 4-15) may NOT apply forearm pressure to the throat from mount.
• Slams
• Spinal lock without a choke
• Neck cranks
• Scissor takedown (kani basami)
• Bending fingers or toes backward; holding fewer than 4 fingers
• Throwing the opponent onto their head or neck, including a belt grab throw when defending a single leg, and any suplex that lands on the head or neck
• Striking, biting, eye gouging, fish hooks, hair pulling, ear grabbing, pressure on the groin
• Hands, knees or elbows on the face; covering the nose and mouth with the hands
• Slippery substances on the body or gi

The crucifix position is legal. Neck cranks from the crucifix are not.

Match times

• Ages 4-9: 3 minutes
• Ages 10-15: 4 minutes
• Ages 16-17, Adults and Masters: 5 minutes
• Finals golden-score overtime: 1 minute
• Takedowns-only divisions: see Takedowns-only

Overtime and tiebreakers

If time runs out, the winner is decided in this order:

1. Most points
2. Most advantages
3. Fewest penalties
4. Referee decision: submission attempts, dominant position, then pressure and aggression

Finals only: if still tied after advantages and penalties, one 1-minute golden-score overtime. First point score or submission wins. If still tied, referee decision.

Divisions and attire

• Formats: Gi and No-Gi. Unless stated otherwise, the same rules apply to both formats.
• Gi: clean, intact jiu-jitsu gi with a belt of the athlete's rank. Our referees may require a gi change if it is torn or wet.
• No-Gi: rash guard or fitted shirt, shorts or spats without pockets or zippers. No grabbing the shirt or shorts in No-Gi. No shoes.
• No-Gi skill levels: Beginner (white belt or under 2 years of training), Intermediate (blue belt or 2-5 years), Advanced (purple belt and up, or 5+ years). Wrestling and judo experience counts. Our referees may confirm the level at check-in. When belt and No-Gi level point to different technique groups, the stricter group applies.
• Weigh-in: 1 lb allowance. Missed weight = disqualification, no refund.

Takedowns-only

• 5 minutes, first to 10 points.
• Under 13: no throws to the head or neck, no suplexes, no slams, no scissor takedowns, no jumping guard.
• Ages 13-17: suplex allowed only with control and a safe landing.
• Pulling guard, going to the knees to stall, or leaving the mat gives the opponent 1 point.
• Tie at time: next takedown wins, 1-minute cap, then referee decision.

Event conduct

• The referee's decision on the mat is final.
• Coaches stay in the coach's area and may be removed for misconduct; their athlete may be penalized.
• Results corrections must be raised with the head table before the next match in that bracket.