Waza-ari is the judo score below ippon: a throw landing past 90 degrees of the shoulder line short of a full ippon, or a pin of 10 to 19 seconds. The judoinfo.com terms list defines it as "near ippon or half point".
- Japanese name: waza-ari, 技あり, "technique exists".
- In judo: two waza-ari together make ippon (waza-ari-awasete-ippon).
- Pin time: 10 to 19 seconds of osaekomi.
- In BJJ: no equivalent; partial actions earn points or an advantage.
What is a waza-ari in judo?
The IJF Refereeing Rules give the standing criteria: the opponent lands more than 90 degrees past the shoulder axis but not flat on the back, or lands on the back without all four ippon criteria of speed, force, landing and control. A whole side of the body landing still scores, even with an elbow out. On the ground, a pin held for 10 seconds or more and under 20 scores waza-ari.
How many points is a waza-ari?
On the scoreboard it is a single mark. Two of them end the match: the referee announces waza-ari-awasete-ippon, two waza-ari for ippon. The IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, when ranking athletes in a pool, value a waza-ari at 10 points, against 100 for ippon and 1 for yuko.
The judoinfo.com history of Masahiko Kimura shows how long this has been part of judo. In one final Kimura "scored a Wazari with Seoi-nage", and a later championship final went through three overtimes "with neither scoring at least a Wazari", after which the referee declared both men champions.
What is the difference between waza-ari and yuko?
A side landing at 90 degrees is now yuko, along with landings on the upper back, the neck, one buttock, or the side with an elbow or hand down. Waza-ari starts past 90 degrees. Yuko are counted one by one and never add up to a waza-ari, while two waza-ari make ippon.
How is waza-ari different from BJJ scoring?
Judo rewards the near-complete action with a score that can win the match on its own. BJJ breaks the same situations into points for the position gained and advantages for the near miss, and a match with no submission is decided by adding them up. If you cross over between the sports, this is the scoring change that takes longest to get used to.
Browse our judo gifts if someone in your life just won their first match by waza-ari.
Sources
- Judoinfo.com terms list, JudoInfo
- History of Masahiko Kimura, JudoInfo
- IJF Refereeing Rules, International Judo Federation
- IJF Sport and Organisation Rules, International Judo Federation