Complete BJJ Top Game System
☰Contents
The complete BJJ top game system: positional hierarchy, pressure principles, submission hunting from top, and connecting all top positions.
A complete top game system connects guard passing, positional control, submission hunting, and back takes into a seamless flow that prevents the opponent from ever recovering.
Top Game Positional Hierarchy
The top game hierarchy (from most dominant to least): back control (4 pts) → mount (4 pts) → knee-on-belly (2 pts) → side control (3 pts) → half guard top (no pts). Moving up the hierarchy is the goal of your top game. Every escape attempt by the opponent is an opportunity to advance.
Pressure Principles
Fundamental pressure principles: (1) Stay connected — never give space without purpose, (2) Drive into them — use your bodyweight, not muscular strength, (3) Be patient — submission opportunities appear when they must move to escape, (4) Crossface and hip control are the two pillars of top pressure.
Guard Passing Integration
Top game begins with guard passing. The most effective top game practitioners have passes that directly connect to dominant positions: torreando pass to knee-on-belly, leg weave pass to side control, body lock pass to mount or back. Design your passes to land in dominant positions rather than neutral side control.
Submission Hunting from Top
From every top position, prioritize: side control → americana/kimura/north-south choke; mount → armbar/cross collar/ezekiel; knee-on-belly → armbar/baseball bat choke; back → rear naked choke/bow-and-arrow. Know your highest percentage submission from each position and default to it when the opportunity arises.
Connecting Back Takes to Top Game
The back take is the crown of the top game system. Set up back takes from: mount (when they give up the neck), side control (when they roll away), knee-on-belly (when they roll to escape), and turtle (always). A practitioner who connects their top game to back takes and maintains the position is extremely difficult to defeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Side control is the foundation because it connects to all other top game positions. Master side control maintenance and transitions before focusing on mount or knee-on-belly. Once you have reliable side control, advancing becomes natural.
Both have value. Submissions end matches definitively. Points win on judge's decisions. The best approach: hunt for submissions while maintaining positional dominance (which accumulates points). Never sacrifice a dominant position for an unlikely submission attempt.
Flexible opponents can create unexpected guard recovery angles. Counter with: (1) faster transitions rather than trying to hold one position, (2) attacking when they move (movement creates submission opportunities), (3) using heavy pressure rather than positional stability alone.