Optimized distributed disambiguation of gestures is disclosed. In one innovative aspect, there is a gesture controlled device. The gesture controlled device includes a sensor configured to detect an input gesture. The gesture controlled device also includes a gesture detector configured to obtain the input gesture. The gesture controlled device further includes a transmitter configured to transmit a candidate gesture request including a first portion of the input gesture, the transmission based at least in part on a resource characteristic of the gesture controlled device. The gesture controlled device also includes a receiver configured to receive a set of candidate gestures for the candidate gesture request. The gesture detector is configured to identify the input gesture based on a second portion of the input gesture and the received set of candidate gestures.