Tactics of SAMBO Wrestling

Chapter 3

Enduring Pursuit to Clean Victory or Victory by Evident Advantage

4. Victory by Clear Advantage in a Short Time

If the opponent opts for withdrawing from the SAMBist's grip and plans to while away the match time, the SAMBist may not win by clear advantage. This frequently is the case. Here, the SAMBist must gain advantage through careful disguise or misdirection to assure victory by confounding the opponent's vigilance.

The SAMBist uses misdirection and disguise to distract the opponent from the intended ploy implemented by the proper grip. The SAMBist must select his throw finish distribution from two groups:

The throw is intended to proceed directly to the par terre ploy, or
Where the throw proceeds directly to the hold down.

In using the first group, the point loss is small and has not really put the opponent on guard. The SAMBist looks directly toward shifting to the par terre attack while the opponent's attention has been directed elsewhere. The SAMBist finishes with locked hands until the four points (or the two points) are accumulated.

Using the second group tactics, the SAMBist carefully prepares to throw the opponent to the hold down. He accumulates at least two points immediately as SAMBO dictates. Gaining the comfortable grasp on the opponent leads to a secure hold down. In the second group, this fall to the mat from the throw leads to the opponent misdirecting his attention from a submission ploy to defend against the hold down. This allows the SAMBist unseen arms to grip themselves around the opponent's neck and back.

Victory by Clear Advantage in Regulation Time

In SAMBO wrestling, it may happen that the opponent loses the throw but subsequently avoids the SAMBist's finishing grip that leads to clear advantage. In any case, the opponent may come to rely on his own grips and not attempt to attack. This can relieve the SAMBist of his need for offense if he is ahead on points with the match clock winding down. Nevertheless, to finish with clear advantage in the official match time, it would be expedient in mid-grips to pause in the throwing attempts to engage in wearing down the opponent. Tire him to achieve ease in victory to create the junctures for attacks to accumulate the needed points to win.