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PTRefereeing, points, results, legal submissions: the Brazilian jiu-jitsu rules fit into one dense rule book, which we break down section by section, with a quiz to check each part. This page is your table of contents.
Knowing the Brazilian jiu-jitsu rules changes everything: how you read the matches you watch, your game plan in competition, and even your safety in training. The problem is that the official rule book is a technical document dozens of pages long, which few grapplers ever open. Our series explains it part by part, in the order of the text, based on the IBJJF rule book, the reference for most gi competitions around the world. And to make what you read stick, every part comes with a quiz.
The IBJJF rule book, section by section
1
The referee
Sections 1 to 1.3.4 of the rule bookIt all starts with the referee’s authority: their role, how a match is officiated and the first rules to know. It is the foundation for everything else: understanding who decides, and how.
2
Referee gestures and verbal commands
Sections 1.4 to 2 of the rule bookEvery referee gesture has a set meaning: points, advantages, penalties, stopping the match. After this part, you will know what the referee is calling with each signal.
3
How a match is decided
Sections 2 to 2.8 of the rule bookSubmission, points, advantages, penalties, referee decision, disqualification: every way to win (or lose) a BJJ match, in the order they are checked.
4
Point scoring
Sections 3 to 3.9 of the rule bookThe strategic heart of the rule book: the points for each position and every condition for them to count, from the takedown to back control.
The point scale at a glance
Each position must be held for three seconds to count (article 3.1 for the scale). The conditions for each position are detailed in part 4.
The whole rule book, a few minutes a day
573 questions corrected with the article from the IBJJF rule book, 23 two-minute lessons and mock exams for competition, the Rules Webinar or refereeing.
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Free to start · No sign-up · Works offlineIBJJF vs ADCC: comparing the rule books
The IBJJF rule book is not the only one: ADCC, the leading no-gi grappling championship, runs on an almost opposite philosophy, with no advantages but with negative points. Test yourself on the differences with our IBJJF vs ADCC quiz. To see those rules in action, our guide to ADCC 2026 in Krakow and the full results cover the event.
Revise the rules by playing: the quizzes
Quizzes are BJJ-Rules’ speciality: free, no sign-up, with every answer explained. On the rules side, four quizzes follow on directly from this series. And for everything else, from history to legends, more than thirty quizzes are waiting on the quiz page.
What comes next
The series continues in the order of the rule book: the next parts will cover advantages, penalties and fouls, through to legal submissions by belt. To read the official text, the rule book is available on the IBJJF website, in the Rules section. And if a term escapes you between two articles, the BJJ glossary is there for that.
Frequently asked questions about the BJJ rules
How many points is each position worth in BJJ?
A takedown, a sweep and knee on belly are worth 2 points, a guard pass 3 points, and the mount and back control 4 points. The position must be held for three seconds to count.
What is an advantage in BJJ?
An advantage rewards an action that almost scored points, or a submission attempt that put the opponent in real danger. It only counts when the points are tied, to separate the two athletes.
How do you win a BJJ match?
By submission first of all. Otherwise, the athlete with the most points wins, then the most advantages, then the fewest penalties. If everything is still level, the referee decides.
Which rule book applies?
IBJJF tournaments apply the IBJJF rule book, the reference for most gi competitions around the world. In France, CFJJB competitions use the CFJJB rule book, which is very close to it and uses the same point scale.