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.
The fundamental strategic tension for the top player is that DLR operates most effectively at mid-range. The hook-plus-ankle-grip combination creates a powerful control system at this distance, so the passer must choose between two macro strategies: either create distance to extend and weaken the guard structure, or collapse the space entirely to nullify the hook’s leverage. Both approaches have merit depending on the bottom player’s grip configuration and athletic attributes. Pressure passers who can flatten the DLR player’s hips tend to favor closing distance, while mobile passers who chain toreando and leg drag sequences prefer creating space first.
The most effective DLR passers develop a systematic approach that addresses each control element in sequence: first strip or neutralize the ankle grip, then address the DLR hook through positioning or backstep, and finally execute the guard pass before the bottom player can re-establish their control structure. This methodical dismantling of the guard’s components is far more reliable than attempting to pass directly through an established DLR framework, which plays into the guard player’s strengths and exposes the passer to sweeps and back takes.
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
- Distance Management: Choose decisively between extending distance to weaken the guard structure or collapsing space to nullify the hook’s leverage
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 Control (Probability: 50%)
If opponent attempts to transition to reverse DLR or X-Guard:
- Execute Long Step Pass → Headquarters Position (Probability: 48%)
- Execute Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Control (Probability: 52%)
If opponent inverts for berimbolo or kiss of the dragon attempt:
- Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Knee Slice Pass → Headquarters Position (Probability: 45%)
Success Rates and Statistics
| Metric | Rate |
|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 60% |
| Advancement Probability | 60% |
| Submission Probability | 40% |
Average Time in Position: 45-90 seconds before pass or sweep