Contents
The tally, read tactically
The scoring hierarchy shapes the tactics: a jodan kick (Ippon = 3) is worth three times a punch (Yuko = 1), so kick setups carry disproportionate reward, within the contact-control constraint.
| Technique | Value | Tactical weight |
|---|---|---|
| tsuki (punch) | Yuko = 1 | Volume and tempo: the safest score |
| chudan kick / sweep + strike | Waza-ari = 2 | Mid-value, higher risk |
| jodan kick / score on a downed opponent | Ippon = 3 | Highest value, highest control demand |
Maai and the counter game
Maai (the scoring distance) is the first skill: hold the gap so the kizami-zuki meets the six criteria (good form, vigorous application, correct timing, correct distance, zanshin, sporting attitude). Too close is the clinch (a Category-2 / Chui risk); too far, and there is no score.
| Skill | Term | What it is | Coaching note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | maai | The distance that scores | Too close = clinch (Category-2 / Chui risk); too far = no score |
| Lead and counter | kizami-zuki → gyaku-zuki | The lead punch measures and screens, the reverse punch scores | The reverse punch scores or draws the counter you then intercept |
| Interception | debana | Scoring on the opponent's preparation / initiation | The most-rewarded timing, and the hardest to drill |
Sweep and jodan: the high-yield weapons
Two weapons carry the highest reward, each under its own constraint. The sweep off-balances, then the immediate strike scores; the high kick aims at Ippon, but hangs entirely on control.
| Weapon | Term | Reward | Control constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweep then strike | ashi-barai → tsuki | Waza-ari; Ippon on a cleanly scored downed opponent | 2026 edition: hand technique only against a downed opponent |
| High kick | jodan kick | Ippon (3), the highest value | Excessive contact = penalty, not score |
The end-game: senshu, 8-point gap, clock
The senshu (first unopposed point) is a tie-break asset: it wins a bout tied on time. Once held, tactics shift to controlling the clock and position. How you close depends on the state of the score.
| Match state | Primary aim | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Ahead by momentum | Reach the 8-point gap | Keep zanshin (avoid mubobi) |
| Narrowly ahead + senshu | Protect senshu + clock | Edge control (avoid jogai) |
| Level, no senshu | Win senshu or a clean lead | Force the debana |
| Behind, clock low | High-value scores (kicks) | Manage penalty risk |
Jogai and mubobi: the discipline of the edge
Two penalty families decide close bouts, and both are trained as skills. Edge awareness is a scored discipline; so is guarding after the score.
| Fault | Term | Trigger | Tactical antidote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit | jogai | Repeatedly stepping out of the area | Edge awareness (a discipline that is scored) |
| Self-endangerment | mubobi | Scoring while unguarded or self-endangering, even if the technique lands | Zanshin after scoring, mandatory tactically and by rule |
Edition note: jogai and mubobi fell under Category 2 in the 2024 edition; from 1.1.2026 they move into the single Chui ladder. Check the date of the ruleset before citing a rung.
Kata competition strategy
Kata strategy turns on three questions. First, selection: choose a kata that showcases the six technical and three athletic criteria. Second, the tokui-kata (favourite kata), the athlete's highest-scoring signature, held back for the decisive rounds. Third, the edition: for 2026 a kiai becomes mandatory and striking the floor, the body or the clothing is forbidden, which punishes theatrics.
The 8 m tatami, seen from the corner
The coach stands at the edge of the same 8 m area as the competitor: the read is geometric. Officials and measurements are fixed by the WKF.
| Element | Measurement / role |
|---|---|
| Competition area | 8 m × 8 m (measured on the outside), the outer metre in a contrasting colour |
| Safety area | 2 m on all sides (reducible to 1.5 m) |
| Shushin (referee) | Central |
| Fukushin (judges) | Four, at the corners, red / blue flags or electronic devices |
| Kansa (match supervisor) | At the table |
What the coach watches from the corner, in order: the maai (neither clinch nor out of distance); the kizami → gyaku exchange and the counter it opens; the debana windows on the opponent's initiation; the timing of the sweep and the cleanness of the strike that follows; the control on the jodan kick; the state of the senshu and the 8-point gap; and finally the edge (jogai) and the zanshin (mubobi) that save close finishes.
Frequently asked questions
Is senshu the same as the 8-point gap?
Why favour the jodan kick if it is so risky?
Do these tactics hold on the JKA or ITKF circuit?
Sources
WKF: Kumite Competition Rules, Version 2024.00 (FEPAKA mirror) and Kumite Competition Rules 2026: the six scoring criteria, the Yuko / Waza-ari / Ippon tally, the 8-point gap, senshu and hantei, the penalty ladder (jogai / mubobi), the tatami measurements (8 m, 2 m safety area) and the officials (Shushin, Fukushin, Kansa). WKF: Kata Competition Rules (six technical + three athletic criteria, the tokui-kata, the 2026 limits and mandatory kiai). FFKDA (FFKarate): Règlement Kumite / Kata 2025-2026. Style circuits kept separate: JKA (Funakoshi Gichin Cup) and ITKF (shobu-ippon / todome rules, outside the WKF). Paak Shotokan corpus, file 04 (tactics and match analysis), companions 01 / 05 / 10. The 2026 specifics (hand-technique-only on a downed opponent, the wording of the kata theatrics limits) come from WKF mirrors and should be re-verified against the primary text. Content verified in September 2026.