BJJ Pathfinder
Illustration of passing open guard: the player in orange stands over a seated opponent who is using feet and grips to keep them away
Position 04 / 11

Open guard

They are using their feet and grips to stop you. Control their legs, get past their feet, and pin them.

What do you want to do?

11 moves
SubmissionsStraight ankle lock2 videosPassesToreando pass · Knee slice pass · Stack pass · +520 videosDefencesBreaking DLR / spider grips · Berimbolo defence4 videos

About Open guard, top

Passing the guard is how you get from in front of their legs to a pin, and it scores 3 points. Against an open guard your opponent is using their feet and grips to block you, so your first job is to clear those grips and control their legs.

Guard passing comes in two broad styles: pressure passes like the knee slice and over-under, where you stay heavy and close, and speed passes like the toreando and leg drag, where you move around the legs. Whichever you use, finish the pass. Stopping half way lets them recover guard.