Section 5: Rules of Play
Match Length
- White Belt: 4 min; Blue: 5 min; Purple: 6 min; Brown: 7 min; Black: 8 min (10 min for major tournaments)
- If tied: referee decision based on points, advantages, penalties
AJP Scoring
- 2 points: Takedown, Sweep, Knee-on-Belly
- 3 points: Guard Pass
- 4 points: Mount, Back Mount
- Scoring schedule differs subtly from IBJJF (e.g., AJP counts takedown as 2 like sweep; IBJJF does similarly)
Submissions
- Joint locks + chokes legal subject to belt + age restrictions
- Heel hooks legal in no-gi at adult Brown/Black at some AJP events (more permissive than IBJJF)
- Knee reaps legal in some no-gi categories
- Submission via tap, verbal submission, or referee stoppage = instant win
Penalties + Advantages
- Stalling, fleeing match, illegal grip → penalties
- 4 penalties = DQ
- Advantage awarded for near-completion of scoring moves; tiebreaker only