How many points is a kick worth in taekwondo?
B · Beginner · The contest and the score · 2 of 6A punch to the trunk protector scores 1 point, a kick to the trunk protector 2 and a kick to the head 3. A turning kick doubles the value: 4 to the trunk and 6 to the head. Every penalty against an athlete, called a gam-jeom, gives the opponent 1 point.
How it works
- Punch to the trunk: 1 point.
- Kick to the trunk: 2 points.
- Kick to the head: 3 points.
- Turning kick: "the awarded points shall be doubled", so 4 to the trunk and 6 to the head.
- Opponent's gam-jeom: 1 point.
- Passive in the last ten seconds: a gam-jeom for crossing the line, falling or running away in the last ten seconds of a round gives the opponent 2 points.
- A punch: "a straight punching technique using the knuckle part of a tightly clenched fist".
- A kick: any part of the foot below the ankle bone.
- The trunk target: the blue or red area of the trunk protector. The spine may not be attacked.
- The head target: the whole head above the bottom line of the head protector. Only kicks are allowed there.
- Force: a technique scores only with "a proper level of impact", which the electronic system measures.
- After a foul: if a prohibited act is followed by points, the referee gives the penalty and cancels the points.
The glossary has the valid points entry, the turning kick, the head kick, the permitted techniques and areas entry, gam-jeom and the protector and scoring system.
Tricky cases
A back kick lands on the trunk but the kicker's head and shoulders did not turn. Is it 4 points?
No, it is 2. The rule book says a back kick is a turning kick only when the head and shoulders rotate with it.
Can a punch to the head score?
No. Only kicks are allowed to the head, and hitting the head with the hand is a prohibited act.
A kick touches the head but lightly. Does it score?
Only if the electronic head protector registers it as valid. The system decides contact and impact.
An athlete grabs the opponent and then lands a kick. Do the points stand?
No. The referee declares the gam-jeom for grabbing and invalidates the points.
Why the rule exists
The scale pays more for what is harder and riskier to do. A head kick needs height and timing, and a turning kick means showing the opponent your back for a moment. Paying 6 for a turning head kick is what keeps athletes attempting them.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All contests | 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 points | WT Article 12.3.1 to 12.3.4 |
| Last ten seconds of a round | Passive gam-jeom gives 2 points | WT Article 12.3.5.1 |
| Team competition with a health bar | Hits take 5 to 30 off the other team's bar of 150 | WT Article 22.7.3 |
| Weight, gender and age | The impact needed to score is set differently | WT Article 12.2.4 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 1 June 2026), Articles 11 and 12. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Competition Rules & Interpretation, 1 June 2026 (PDF).