De La Riva Guard Top position occurs when the top practitioner is facing an opponent playing De La Riva (DLR) guard, where the bottom player has their outside leg hooked behind the top player’s near leg while controlling the pants or ankle, with their other leg typically managing distance or controlling the opposite side. The top player’s goal is to neutralize the DLR hooks and leg controls, pass the guard, and establish a dominant position. This requires understanding DLR mechanics, applying appropriate pressure, and choosing the right passing strategy based on the bottom player’s grips and positioning.
De La Riva guard is one of the most popular and effective open guards in modern BJJ, making DLR passing a critical skill for any serious competitor. The position presents unique challenges because the DLR hook creates off-balancing and sweeping threats while the opponent maintains distance control. Top players must balance maintaining good posture and base while simultaneously dismantling the guard structure. Modern DLR passing has evolved to include pressure-based approaches, mobile passing strategies, and combination techniques that address multiple DLR variations. Success requires systematic understanding of hook mechanics, grip fighting expertise, and the ability to chain multiple passing sequences when the initial attack is defended.
Position Definition
- Bottom player has DLR hook active behind top player’s leg, creating off-balancing leverage with their shin or foot pressuring behind the knee or thigh, establishing the fundamental mechanical disadvantage for the top player
- Bottom player maintains distance control through legs or grips, typically controlling the top player’s ankle, pants, or belt with their hands while their free leg creates frames or distance management, preventing immediate passing pressure
Prerequisites
- Understanding of DLR guard mechanics and sweep threats including berimbolo, waiter sweep, and forward sweeps that exploit the hook’s off-balancing power
- Good base and balance to resist off-balancing, particularly against forward pressure from the DLR hook combined with ankle grip pulling force
- Grip fighting skills to strip or control the ankle or pants grip that powers DLR control, as this grip is essential to the guard’s effectiveness
Key Offensive Principles
- Posture Maintenance: Stay upright with chest elevated and hips back to prevent forward sweeps and maintain balance against the DLR hook’s off-balancing attempts
- Grip Fighting: Strip or control the ankle or pants grip that powers DLR control, as this grip combined with the hook creates the primary sweeping mechanism
- Hook Removal: Neutralize the DLR hook through pressure, leg positioning, or strategic movement to remove the bottom player’s primary control point
- Hip Control: Don’t allow bottom player to maintain optimal hip angle perpendicular to you, as this angle maximizes their sweeping power and berimbolo entries
- Pressure Application: Once hooks are neutralized, apply passing pressure immediately to prevent guard recovery
Available Attacks
Toreando Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Knee Slice Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
X Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Long Step Pass → Headquarters Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 28%
- Intermediate: 42%
- Advanced: 58%
Stack Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
RDLR Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 22%
- Intermediate: 38%
- Advanced: 52%
Smash Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent maintains strong DLR hook with ankle grip and perpendicular hip angle:
- Execute Toreando Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute X Pass → Side Control (Probability: 45%)
If opponent’s DLR hook is shallow or ankle grip is broken:
- Execute Knee Slice Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position (Probability: 50%)
If opponent attempts to transition to reverse DLR or X-guard:
- Execute Long Step Pass → Headquarters Position (Probability: 48%)
- Execute Leg Drag Setup → Leg Drag Position (Probability: 52%)
Optimal Submission Paths
Leg Lock Path via Saddle
De La Riva Guard Top → Saddle Entry from Top → Saddle → Heel Hook
Standard Passing to Submission Path
De La Riva Guard Top → Knee Slice Pass → Side Control → Americana from Side Control
High-Percentage Passing to Back Attack
De La Riva Guard Top → Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position → Rolling Back Take → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 30% | 35% | 18% |
| Intermediate | 50% | 52% | 32% |
| Advanced | 70% | 68% | 48% |
Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds before pass or sweep
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
De La Riva guard presents a fascinating biomechanical problem that requires systematic understanding to solve consistently. The DLR hook creates a mechanical disadvantage by establishing a fulcrum point behind your leg combined with grip-based pulling force, creating rotational leverage that can off-balance even the most athletic practitioners if proper countermeasures aren’t employed. The key insight is that DLR operates on a principle of angular control - the bottom player seeks to maintain a perpendicular hip angle relative to your torso, which maximizes their leverage while minimizing yours. Your primary objective isn’t simply to pass, but rather to first neutralize this angular advantage by flattening their hips or forcing them to face you squarely. Once you’ve removed the perpendicular angle, the DLR hook loses most of its sweeping power and becomes merely a positional inconvenience rather than a serious threat. The secondary consideration is grip control - the ankle or pants grip provides the pulling force that, when combined with the hook’s pushing force, creates the scissoring action that sweeps you. Strip this grip and you’ve removed half the equation. Modern DLR passing has evolved to include leg entanglement opportunities, particularly when the opponent inverts for berimbolo attempts, creating windows for saddle entries that can result in immediate submissions. The most effective passers treat DLR not as a single position to overcome, but as a dynamic system with multiple states, each requiring specific technical solutions based on hip angle, grip configuration, and the opponent’s immediate intentions.
Gordon Ryan
I pass DLR by immediately attacking the hook leg with aggressive intention and technical precision. My approach is to grab that shin and either backstep explosively to remove the hook and take the back, or smash it across their body for a leg drag that leads directly to passing opportunities. The key is being explosive and committed - tentative DLR passing gets you swept every time because you’re stuck in the danger zone where their leverage is maximum. I also like creating distance first, letting them extend their legs and structure, then diving in hard with the pass when their structure is stretched and they can’t generate the same power with the hook. DLR is dangerous at mid-range but weak at both close range where you can smash and pressure, and far range where they’re extended and their hook loses effectiveness. Another thing I focus on heavily is not allowing them to establish their rhythm and grips. I’m constantly stripping grips, changing my stance, and forcing them to adjust. If they do get me off-balance, I have trained responses - immediate base recovery, posting the far leg, or transitioning to leg attacks if they invert. In competition, I’ve found that most DLR players have predictable patterns - they’ll either try to sweep forward, attempt berimbolo, or transition to X-guard or single leg X. Once you recognize which pattern they prefer, you can anticipate and counter before they fully commit. The best DLR passers are proactive, not reactive - you dictate the engagement, not them.
Eddie Bravo
DLR can be a nightmare if you don’t know what you’re doing, but once you understand the mechanics it becomes very manageable. In 10th Planet, we drill specific DLR counters extensively because so many competitors use it at the highest levels. The main thing is don’t let them establish their rhythm and control. Pressure their non-hooked leg immediately, strip grips aggressively, and don’t give them time to set up berimbolo or sweep entries. One thing I teach is to think about DLR as a position where time is your enemy - the longer you stay in it, the more opportunities they have to sweep or attack. So your mentality should be constant forward progress toward passing, not cautious position holding. If they do get you off-balance, be ready to sprawl or base out immediately with trained reactions. We also look for unconventional counters like transitioning to leg attacks when they invert, or using their DLR hook against them by stepping over and applying pressure to create leg entanglements. DLR rewards patience from the bottom but punishes hesitation from the top. You need to be aggressive, technical, and willing to engage rather than trying to maintain safe distance. The other key is having multiple passing options ready - if your toreando gets shut down, immediately flow to knee slice or leg drag. Chain your passes together and don’t let them reset. Most people fail at DLR passing because they commit to one technique and force it even when it’s not working. Be fluid, recognize when something isn’t there, and smoothly transition to your next option.