06-13-2024

Attribution: This game was originally created by coach Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu.

Top Player:

  • Position: Connected with one hand on the chin and one hand on the elbow.
  • Objective: Continuously try to keep your partner's hands on the mat and continuously cover their head.
  • Constraints: No submissions allowed.
  • Win Condition: None

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your hands and knees with your partner covering your head with one hand on your chin and one hand on your elbow.
  • Objective: Try to relieve yourself from the situation by freeing your head.
  • Constraints: None.
  • Win Condition: Free your head.

Reset if bottom player wins.


Top Player:

  • Position: Connected with one hand on the chin and one hand on the elbow.
  • Objective: Continuously try to keep your partner's hands on the mat and continuously cover their head.
  • Constraints: No submissions allowed.
  • Win Condition: Achieving chest to back contact.

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your hands and knees with your partner covering your head with one hand on your chin and one hand on your elbow.
  • Objective: Try to relieve yourself from the situation by freeing your head.
  • Constraints: None.
  • Win Condition: Stand up or bring your feet between you and your partner.

Reset if either player wins.


Top Player:

  • Position: Connected with one hand on the chin and one hand on the elbow.
  • Objective: Continuously try to keep your partner's hands on the mat and continuously cover their head. Work towards connecting your hands with just their neck inside your arms.
  • Constraints: No submissions allowed.
  • Win Condition: Connected hands with only their neck inside.

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your hands and knees with your partner covering your head with one hand on your chin and one hand on your elbow.
  • Objective: Try to relieve yourself from the situation by keeping your partner's hands separated and freeing your head.
  • Constraints: None.
  • Win Condition: Stand up or bring your feet between you and your partner.

Reset if either player wins.


Top Player:

  • Position: On your knees with your partner's legs around your torso and their feet hooked behind you.
  • Objective: Break your partner's grips and control of your upper body and arms.
  • Constraints: Do not attempt to open or pass your partner's guard. Do not stand.
  • Win Condition: None

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your back with your legs wrapped around your partner's torso with your feet hooked together behind them.
  • Objective: Create meaningful connection with your partner and use it to control their posture. Do not let them gain an upright posture.
  • Constraints: None
  • Win Condition: Your hips are connected to your partner's shoulder outside of their arms.

Reset if bottom player wins.


Top Player:

  • Position: On your knees with your partner's hips connected to your shoulder outside of your arms with their legs wrapped around your torso.
  • Objective: Break your partner's grips and control of your upper body in order to gain upright posture.
  • Constraints: Do not attempt to open or pass your partner's guard. Do not stand.
  • Win Condition: Return to a standing position, seated position, or bring your knees or feet between you and your partner.

Bottom Player:

  • Position: On your side with your hips connected to your partner's shoulder outside of their arms and with your legs wrapped around their torso.
  • Objective: Focus on maintaining your connection to your partner and using it to transition to chest to back contact.
  • Constraints: None
  • Win Condition: You achieve chest to back contact and maintain it for three seconds.

Reset if either player wins.


There were only two of us today, but this set of games went much better than the first time we played through them. Using the leg as a hook to hang your bodyweight off of TP and the lat grab were both commonly used to facilitate rotation around to the back.

Folks did a much better job clearing the arms and getting outside the elbows even if they were not able to capitalize on it very often. Everyone was far more mobile as guard player.

Add more games with a larger variety of wins to create more di/trilemmas for paths to the back.