Start with the ruleset
A match can finish with equal points and still have a winner. Under IBJJF rules, advantages and penalties help break that tie. This guide follows the June 2024 rulebook, version 6.1, linked by the federation. Do not automatically apply it to AJP, ADCC or another circuit: sharing a sport does not mean sharing a scoreboard.
The order matters
When a match is decided at the end of time, points come first. If they are equal, the athlete with more advantages wins. If advantages are also equal, fewer penalties is better. If all three figures match, the referee or refereeing panel decides, as applicable. The rules direct officials to consider offensive initiative and how close athletes came to scoring positions or submissions. A submission or disqualification can settle the match before that comparison.
What an advantage represents
It is not a reward for simply moving around. The rules cover situations close to scoring and submission attempts that put the opponent in real danger, with specific criteria assessed by the referee. An advantage is not half a point, either: accumulating several does not turn them into points. Penalties record infringements rather than a positive score for the athlete.
A quick example
Imagine A finishes with two points and no advantages, while B has zero points and three advantages. With no other match-ending circumstance, A wins: advantages do not cancel a points deficit. With two points each and one advantage for B against none for A, B wins. Read the columns in order and always wait for the official decision.