Rules of the game

How to play

1. Objective: The goal is to lift and throw your opponent, so they land flat on their back.
2. Back Definition: The back is the area between the shoulders and the buttocks. Each corner of the back is called a “Pin.”
3. Throwing Position: All throws must be done from a standing position.
4. Dress Code: Wrestlers must wear bare or stockinged feet, sports shorts, and a wrestling jacket. Female wrestlers must also wear a leotard or swimsuit under the shorts and jacket.
5. Jewellery and Nails: Remove all jewellery and metal objects and keep fingernails short.
6. Starting the Match: Wrestlers shake hands and start wrestling when given the signal.
7. Grips: Grips must be on the jacket only; no gripping the flesh.
8. Hand and Arm Use: You can use the flat of your hand on your opponent’s body above the waist and use your forearm or elbow to fend off attacks.
9. Foot Use: Feet cannot be used above your opponent’s knee.
10. Breaking Holds: If any part of the body other than the soles of the feet touch the ground, wrestlers must break the hold, stand up, shake hands, and resume unless a “Back” is awarded.
11. Judging Falls: Three judges, called Sticklers, decide if a wrestler is thrown onto their back with three or four pins touching the ground at the same time. This wins the match.
12. Scoring Points: Points are scored for pins touching the ground: one point for one pin, two points for two pins. Sticklers keep track of points and faults.
13. Out of Bounds: No points or “Back” are awarded if pins touch the ground outside the wrestling area, even if the throw started inside.
14. Out of Ring: If a wrestler steps out of the ring, the nearest Stickler calls “Break” and brings both wrestlers back to the centre.
15. Jacket Issues: If a jacket comes off a wrestler’s shoulders and over their head, the match is paused to fix it. Wrestlers then shake hands and continue.
16. No Points Scored: If no points are scored, a point is awarded to the wrestler who tried the hardest to throw their opponent.
17. Winning: The wrestler with the most points on at least two Sticklers’ scorecards wins.
18. Fouls: Each foul results in one point being deducted from the wrestler’s score. A series of 3 fouls, as defined under the rules for ‘Foul moves’, and the competitor will be disqualified from further play.
19. Tie-Breaker: If Sticklers can’t decide a winner, wrestlers wrestle for two more minutes. The first to touch the ground with anything other than their feet loses. If still undecided, Sticklers may unanimously pick a winner or decide by coin toss.
20. End of Match: Wrestlers stay in the ring until the result is announced, and the winner raises their arm.
21. Ring Access: Only wrestlers, Sticklers, and first aiders (if needed) can enter the ring during a match unless Sticklers allow otherwise. Unauthorized help can lead to disqualification.
22. Non-Combativity: If neither wrestler attacks for about 60 seconds, they get a verbal warning. Continued inactivity results in a fault.

Based upon the original rules by The Cornish Wrestling Association, and integrating historical versions, 2024.

Foul moves

1. Escaping the Jacket: Intentionally slipping out of your jacket to avoid being thrown.
2. Using Hand or Knee: Putting your hand or knee on the ground to avoid being thrown.
3. Excessive Kicking: Persistent kicking that is not part of wrestling.
4. Hand Below Waist: Using your hands below your opponent’s waist.
5. Feet Above Knee: Using your feet above your opponent’s knee.
6. Grabbing Flesh: Grabbing your opponent’s skin.
7. Verbal Abuse: Using offensive language.
8. Cross Collar: Choking your opponent by crossing over the collars and pulling the jacket tight.
9. Throat Pressure: Applying any pressure to your opponent’s throat or neck.
10. Crowbar Hitch: Using your arm inside your opponent’s jacket as a lever.
11. Extreme Fouls: Any severe foul play can lead to immediate disqualification and possible review by the Council of Management before being allowed to compete again.

Guidelines for Sticklers

1. Role of Sticklers: Three Sticklers oversee each match to ensure fairness, decide if throws score points or result in a Back, and identify fouls. Their decisions are final, and a 2-to-1 majority is enough for a ruling.
2. Scoring a Back: A Back is scored when a wrestler is thrown onto their back with at least three of the four Pins touching the ground at the same time. This wins the match, and Sticklers indicate a Back by raising their sticks.
3. Back and Pins Definition: The back is the area from shoulders to buttocks, with each corner being a Pin. Points are given for Pins touching the ground:
   • One Pin down scores 1 point.
   • Two Pins down score 2 points.
   • Three or four Pins down score a Back.
   • No points or Back if Pins touch outside the Wrestling Area.
4. Jacket Issues: If a jacket comes off during the match, Sticklers call “Jacket”. Wrestlers separate, fix the jacket, shake hands, and continue.
5. Best Back Assessment: Sticklers mark their scorecards with numbers 1 to 4 to rate the quality of a Back, with 4 being the highest.
6. No Points Scored: If no points are scored, a point goes to the wrestler who made the most honest attempts to throw their opponent.
7. Score Sheets: Sticklers do not discuss before submitting their score sheets.
8. Handshake Tradition: Wrestlers must shake hands before the match starts, before each Hitch, and at the end of the bout.
9. Standing Throws: All throws must be from a standing position. If any part of the body other than the feet touches the ground, wrestlers must break the hold, stand up, shake hands, and start again.