Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
Waza-ari is the second-highest score in judo — effectively a half-point — awarded for a throw that is almost ippon but lacks one of the elements (e.g. less force, or the opponent lands more on the side than fully on the back), or for a pin (osae-komi) held for 10 to under 20 seconds. Two waza-ari scored by the same judoka combine into ippon, ending the match (‘waza-ari awasete ippon’). When no ippon is scored, the contest is decided on the highest score, where a single waza-ari outranks any number of lesser advantages. It is the key intermediate score in judo.
- A half-point score
- Throw that is almost-ippon, or 10-20s pin
- Two waza-ari = ippon (match over)
- Decides contests when no ippon is scored
In practice
Waza-ari in judo represents a significant but not fully decisive score — awarded for a throw that's strong and controlled but lacking one of the full criteria for ippon (such as insufficient speed, force or a landing not quite flat enough on the back) — and crucially, two waza-ari scores combine to equal an ippon, giving competitors a path to victory through accumulated strong technique even without a single perfect throw.
FAQ
How many waza-ari equal an ippon in judo?
Two waza-ari scores combine to equal an ippon, giving a judoka a path to outright victory through accumulated strong technique even without landing one single perfect, fully decisive throw.
What makes a throw score waza-ari instead of ippon?
A throw that's strong and reasonably controlled but missing one of the full criteria for ippon — such as not quite enough speed, force, or the opponent not landing fully flat on their back — typically scores waza-ari instead of the outright ippon.