Open Guard to Demi Guard establishes a gi lapel guard by arranging collar control, the lapel behind the passer’s knee, and a foot on its tail while keeping the legs in front.
The public Demi introduction begins with the guard player seated in front of the passer. This entry uses that open-guard platform to assemble the knee-line lapel connection as the passer comes closer. Begin in Open Guard bottom with enough room to keep your knees between the two torsos.
The destination is established only when the collar, knee-line lapel and foot work together. If the feed fails, retain a usable guard instead of holding loose fabric while the opponent clears your legs. The configuration is described in Legion’s dictionary; Keenan’s introduction explains its response to forward pressure.
From Position: Open Guard (Bottom) Success Rate: gi only
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Demi Guard | gi only |
| Failure | Open Guard | gi only |
| Counter | Side Control | gi only |
3 of these outcomes do not exist in no-gi and carry no probability here. The outcomes that do exist total 0%.
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute technique | Prevent or counter |
| Key Principles | Keep the legs in front during the grip change… | Recognize the change of collar, lapel and foot controls earl… |
| Options | 6 execution steps | 3 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Keep the legs in front during the grip change.
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Arrange the collar control before relying on the lapel barrier.
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Route the lapel behind the knee without twisting the joint.
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Confirm foot contact on the tail before calling the entry complete.
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Retain the starting guard when the feed cannot be completed.
Execution Steps
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Keep the guard barrier: Face the passer and keep bent legs in front so you can change grips without conceding a direct path …
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Take collar control: Secure the collar with one hand while using your existing leg position to maintain workable distance…
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Expose the lapel tail: With the other hand, make the opponent’s lapel accessible without dropping the leg barrier to chase …
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Route the lapel behind the knee: Guide the lapel behind the accessible knee, keeping the movement smooth and stopping if the knee bec…
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Place the foot on the tail: Bring a foot onto the lapel tail while keeping the other leg available to maintain the guard in fron…
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Confirm the configuration: Check that collar, lapel and foot support one another before accepting pressure or starting the elev…
Common Mistakes
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Releasing every starting control at once
- Consequence: The passer can advance through the unprotected space.
- Correction: Transfer one connection at a time while keeping the leg barrier.
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Feeding cloth while your knees are already passed
- Consequence: The collar and lapel cannot replace missing guard frames.
- Correction: Recover your legs before attempting this entry.
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Placing the foot on slack fabric
- Consequence: The foot has no useful connection to the opponent’s knee.
- Correction: Recheck the lapel path and remove only enough slack to make contact work.
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Recognize the change of collar, lapel and foot controls early.
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Keep a usable base or leg barrier while contesting the movement.
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Choose a response that fits the current controls rather than a lost grip.
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Release any connection that binds a knee during movement.
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Identify the resulting position before continuing the exchange.
Recognition Cues
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The guard player takes or adjusts a collar grip.
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The lapel is being guided behind your knee.
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A foot approaches the lapel tail as the knees remain between you.
Defensive Options
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Contest the feed while preserving base - When: Before the lapel reaches a useful position behind your knee
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Prevent the foot from settling on the tail - When: During the change of leg position
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Clear the legs during an abandoned feed - When: Only when the guard player has lost both the lapel connection and the leg barrier