What is a guillotine choke?

The guillotine choke is a front-headlock submission that attacks the neck from the front. It is one of the highest-percentage chokes in BJJ and MMA. Wrap an arm around their neck (headlock style), connect your hands, and finish by squeezing while curling your body, lifting hips, or adjusting the elbow angle. Depending on arm placement it can be more of an air choke (trachea) or a blood choke (carotids). Common finishes: standing, closed guard, half guard, or even from top if they dive. The classic setup is a bad shot: head down, neck available. Variations include arm-in guillotine, high-elbow / Marcelotine, and ten-finger grips. Details that matter: hide their posture, keep your elbow tight, and do not let them sneak the far arm out and stack you. Spanish searches (“guillotina bjj,” “guillotina jiu jitsu”) are this same choke. Defense starts early: posture, peel the hand, and clear the head before the hips lock the finish.