Breaking the Grip: Releasing or significantly altering the interlocked hand position; Using Other Fingers: Using fingers other than the thumb to assist in pinning; Early Start: Beginning before the opening chant is complete
Why people argue about this
People often assume that thumb wrestling only involves using thumbs, so they argue when a competitor uses their other fingers instead of their thumb, thinking it's against the rules. Actually, the confusion arises because the official verdict explicitly states this behavior is allowed and penalized only if done repeatedly, not for the first offense.
