White belt tournament rules: IBJJF, NAGA, GI and ADCC

Two things stand out. First, NAGA’s no-gi novice and beginner rules are wider than its gi white-belt rules: knee bars and toe holds are legal in no-gi and illegal in the gi. Second, the ADCC Opens grid gives white belts the same technique list as blue and purple belts (one Beg/Int column), and that list allows heel hooks.

Every cell links back to a rule reference in the submission legality matrix, which also has the kids, teen and black-belt columns. For the full IBJJF white-belt list with explanations, see what submissions are illegal at white belt (IBJJF). To check another IBJJF age or belt, use the IBJJF rules checker.

Train rounds at the length you will compete. A 4-minute NAGA match leaves little time to recover from an early takedown, while at the ADCC Opens nothing scores in the first 3 minutes, so a takedown in the first half scores nothing. IBJJF times by belt and age are in IBJJF match times and points.

In IBJJF a position must be held for 3 seconds to score, and ties go to advantages, then penalties. The details, including how advantages are given, are in understanding IBJJF points.

At the ADCC Opens, pulling guard costs you. The rules give a minus point to an athlete who jumps to guard or sits down from standing and stays down for 3 seconds or more, during the points period and overtime, and in finals during the no-points half too.

• IBJJF, jumping guard: in all white-belt age groups, jumping closed guard on a standing opponent is a foul, including flying triangles and flying armbars. The referee stands both athletes up. If the opponent was defending a takedown or sweep, they get 2 points (Rule Book v6.1, 6.2.2 W).
• IBJJF, single leg with the head outside: for white belts the referee stops the match and restarts both athletes standing, without a penalty (Rule Book v6.1, 1.3.10).
• IBJJF, who can enter at white belt: a black belt in judo, freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestlers (college level or national level events) and anyone who has fought MMA cannot enter as a white belt (Rule Book v6.1, General Competition Guidelines 5.5).
• IBJJF, heel hooks and reaping: both are illegal at adult white belt. See are heel hooks legal at white belt? for every organiser’s answer.
• Grappling Industries, knee reaping: in under-18 and adult white-belt divisions, a first reap without a submission is a penalty. A second one, or a reap with a submission, is a disqualification. Pulling guard without a grip on the opponent is a penalty and a restart at any level.
• NAGA, slams: the no-gi rules say “Slamming an opponent on a takedown, to escape any position or as an escape to any submission attempt is ILLEGAL.” The gi rules say “No slamming from the Guard or to escape submission.”
• ADCC Opens, slams: the general rules allow slams only at adult Trials and the World Championship, so they are illegal at the Opens.

Pick the event, then read its rulebook and the legal-techniques chart for your exact division: age, belt or skill level, gi or no-gi. The table above shows how much the answer changes between organisers.

Drill only finishes that are legal everywhere you plan to compete, so a scramble never ends in a disqualification. For the practical side (what to pack, when to arrive, warming up), see the competition day checklist.