Deep Half Guard Top is a challenging defensive position where you find yourself on top but with your opponent underneath in deep half guard, meaning they have wedged themselves deep under your hips with their arms around your far leg and their head/shoulders positioned under your near hip. While you are technically on top, this position presents significant sweep dangers and requires careful defensive strategy to maintain position and create passing opportunities.
The position is deceptive because the top player appears to be winning, but deep half guard is actually a highly effective sweeping position for the bottom player. Your opponent’s deep positioning under your hips creates powerful leverage for sweeps, particularly the waiter sweep and old school sweep, which can easily result in mount or back control for them if you don’t defend correctly.
Success from top position requires understanding the sweep mechanics your opponent is attempting, maintaining proper weight distribution to counter these sweeps, and systematically working to extract your trapped leg and establish dominant passing pressure. Patience is essential, as rushing to pass without proper defensive positioning often results in sweeps or back exposure.
Position Definition
- Opponent is positioned deep underneath your hips with their body inverted or perpendicular to yours, their shoulders and head creating a wedge under your near-side hip while they control your far leg with their arms wrapped around the thigh or knee
- Your trapped leg is controlled by opponent’s arms with their shoulder pressure preventing easy extraction, while your free leg maintains base contact with the mat to prevent being swept
- Weight distribution is balanced between both legs to prevent opponent from utilizing leverage to execute sweeps, with your torso maintaining upright or slightly forward posture to avoid being flattened
- Opponent’s head position is underneath or beside your hip creating the fulcrum for potential sweep mechanics, requiring constant monitoring and defensive adjustment to prevent activation of sweep leverage
Prerequisites
- Opponent has successfully entered deep half guard from half guard bottom, lockdown, or open guard recovery
- Opponent has established deep positioning with their shoulders underneath your hips and secured control of your far leg
- You are on top but with compromised base due to opponent’s deep underhook and hip positioning
- Opponent has created the leverage structure necessary for sweep attempts while you maintain some degree of upright posture
Key Offensive Principles
- Weight Distribution Management: Maintain balanced weight to prevent both waiter and old school sweeps
- Trapped Leg Extraction Priority: Systematically work to free your trapped leg as it’s the key to escaping
- Crossface Control: Establish crossface or head control to limit opponent’s ability to execute sweep mechanics
- Posture Maintenance: Keep good posture and avoid being flattened or broken down
- Base Widening: Use free leg to establish wide base that makes you difficult to off-balance
- Grip Fighting: Prevent opponent from establishing sweep grips on belt or pants
- Patience Under Pressure: Recognize this is dangerous position requiring methodical escape
Available Attacks
Crossface Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Knee Slice Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Smash Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Half Guard Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Underhook Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Kimura from Half Guard → Kimura Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent establishes waiter sweep grip on belt or pants with weight shifted forward:
- Execute Crossface Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Shift weight back and widen base → Half Guard (Probability: 30%)
If opponent’s head is deep under hip attempting sweep mechanics:
- Execute Shift weight forward and establish crossface → Half Guard (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 40%)
If opponent loses deep positioning or grip temporarily:
- Execute Half Guard Pass → Side Control (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Knee Slice Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
If opponent overcommits to underhook or exposes arm:
- Execute Kimura from Half Guard → Kimura Control (Probability: 50%)
Optimal Submission Paths
High-percentage submission path via pass
Deep Half Guard Top → Crossface Pass → Side Control → Kimura from Side Control
Opportunistic submission path
Deep Half Guard Top → Kimura from Half Guard → Kimura Control → Kimura
Systematic pass to mount submission
Deep Half Guard Top → Half Guard Pass → Side Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 30% | 30% | 20% |
| Intermediate | 50% | 50% | 35% |
| Advanced | 70% | 70% | 50% |
Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds