How is kurash scored?
B · Beginner · Scores and penalties · 2 of 3There are three scores. Khalol, for a throw onto the back, wins the bout outright. Yonbosh is for a strong throw that lands the opponent on the side, and two of them make a khalol. Chala is the lowest, for a throw onto the buttocks or belly, and chalas never add up to a higher score.
How it works
- Khalol: the opponent falls on the back, on both shoulder blades. The bout ends.
- Yonbosh: a throw made with a strong, sharp motion that lands the opponent on the side, or a technique that falls one element short of a khalol.
- Two yonbosh: a khalol.
- Chala: a throw onto the buttocks or belly, or one made slowly, inaccurately or with serious technical errors.
- Chalas do not add up: any number of them stays below a yonbosh.
- From penalties: the opponent's tanbekh gives a chala, a dakki gives a yonbosh and a girrom gives a khalol.
- Yonbosh and dakki: an athlete who has a yonbosh from a throw wins by khalol when the opponent is given a dakki.
- Who decides: the referee on the mat and two side referees, by majority.
The glossary has the khalol, the yonbosh, the chala, the appraisal, the side referee and the bekor.
Tricky cases
An athlete has four chalas and the opponent has one yonbosh. Who is ahead?
The opponent. Chalas cannot be turned into a higher score, whatever their number.
An athlete scores a second yonbosh. Does the bout go on?
No. Two throws scored yonbosh make a khalol, and the bout ends.
A throw lands the opponent on the back, but it was slow and untidy. Is it a khalol?
It depends on the referees. The rules describe the yonbosh as a technique one element short of a khalol and the chala as a throw with serious errors. They do not list the elements, so the grading is the referees' judgement.
Both athletes have chalas only. How is the leader decided?
By number. The athlete with more chalas wins.
Why the rule exists
The three scores grade the same thing, how completely the opponent was thrown. The back is the full throw, the side is most of one, and anything less is a chala. Keeping chalas from adding up means small scores cannot outvote one good throw.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Khalol | On the back; ends the bout | IKA Rules 28.4 |
| Yonbosh | On the side; two make a khalol | IKA Rules 28.5; 28.4 |
| Chala | On the buttocks or belly; never adds up | IKA Rules 28.6 |
| Opponent's penalty | Tanbekh gives chala; dakki gives yonbosh; girrom gives khalol | IKA Rules 28.4 to 28.6 |
From the rule book
International Kurash Association, International rules of organization and holding of Kurash competitions (web page, adopted 1998, categories for 2026), sections 7, 8 and 28. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's competition rules (saved as a web page only).