The Nine Parries of Saber Fencing

The Parry is important for defending against attacks and offers an opportunity to counter attack. Without learning parries it will be difficult to effectively compete in fencing. Your body will be generally open to seasoned fencers. Practicing defending against attacks using multiple parries is important for creating the highest levels of competitive skill.

The most common parries used are Parry of Four, Parry of Six, Parry of Seven, and Parry of Eight (1). They are designed to protect your right side, left side, lower stomach, middle of your stomach. They are parries designed to cover the core areas of your body and help you defend against the majority of fencing attacks. 

Prime: Stops a cut to the chest.

Seconde: Stops a low cut to the flank

Tierce: Stops high cut to the flank

Quarte: Stops high cut to the chest.

Quinte: Stops cut to head.

Sixte: Stops cut to head.

Septime: Stops cut to back.

Octave: Stops cut to flank.
Neuvieme: Protects Back

Michigan State University has a pretty good fencing illustration that is completed in pictures which is better than the drawings here. The pictures are fairly ancient and in black and white but still provide the basic moves. 

https://www.msu.edu/~oberg/fencing/Barbasetti/parries.html

The Importance of Ripostes in Fencing Practice

Ripostes are the counter attacks in a fencing challenge. A strong fencer will be able to riposte after an opponent’s attack to not only win points but to keep their attacker with lower confidence in the risk versus reward of their moves. A riposte occurs when an attacker attempts to strike, is parried, and then is struck by the defender. In the heat of the game this movement can be very quick and there may be multiple parries, counter parries and ripostes. 

Ripostes are generally direct but also may be indirect. A direct riposte is a quick parry and strike to the opponent’s body leaving little time to react. An indirect riposte would mean adding a change of line or adding another movement before striking the opponent. This has benefits in terms of confusing the opponent but also risks being struck as you are engaging in these extra tactics. 

Practice in done in both shadow and live opponent form. In shadow form the student should practice making a parry to the center of the blade and immediately lunging and/or extending the arm for a riposte strike to the area of the center of the chest (or practice target). In live form one opponent will make a slow forward strike and the defender will parry the center of blade and make a strike riposte to the opponent’s chest. 

The practice of direct and indirect parries is beneficial. You may consider a change of line, angled riposte, or any number of distracting tactics. These practices should occur only once the proper direct riposte with appropriate distance has been already mastered. It is important to use the basics as a foundation for building higher levels of movement and options in the game. 

Practic Tips:

-Follow the Blade: The quickest point to target is a few inches from the blade. It also allows for better defense. 

-Don’t leave your arm and head open during a riposte.

-Mix up riposte angles and movements to keep your opponent unsure of your next actions.

-Riposte is about speed.

-Know your potential target area before moving. 

-Continue going over it to embed it in your skills bank.

The Use of the Coupe in Fencing

As one advances in fencing they naturally learn new tactics with greater complexity. After mastering the basic attack and defense moves it is necessary to develop new skills to compete with higher end opponents. The coup is a move that appears to be simple and easy to learn but can create distinct advantages in the game or cause one to lose points if not quickly executed.

The Coupe in fencing is also known as the cut over as the blade is pushed up and over the opponent’s blade with the use of the wrist. The fingers are primary because pulling back on the blade at any time loses the right of way and allows the opponent to place an attack.  The Coupe is an indirect tactic and a proficient move for advanced players. Much practice will be needed to do this well at lightning speed.

According to a master fencer Capo Ferro in 1610 the cut over must be a single fluid motion. It is a risky tactic due to the blade moving out of line creating a level of exposure for the attacker. When the game is heated and there are constant counter attacks the tactic even takes on greater risks because it is difficult to know what and when your opponent will make his/her move. The opponent may simply attack while the blade is in the process of a cut over making it more difficult for the originator to counter.

The move changes the line of attack that can have a positive impact on adjusting the nature of the attack and defense strategies. Someone may us this if an opening is found on the other side of the opponent’s body and the player wishes to combine it with a thrust. The coupe is rarely used without the thrust, as it would not be of much benefit simply to move the blade from one side to the other.

All attacks have only four different blade actions, which include the thrust, disengagement, counter disengagement and the cut over. One might consider this movement when it is hard to make it past the opponent’s defenses in the current line of attack. By using, a quick cut over it may offer enough of an opening to make a quick strike.

You may be interested in reading a printed book on fencing. Lessons in Foil Fencing

Introducing the Fencing Flick

The fencing flick is a move that would likely make the traditionalists cringe when seeing it in tournament. The action is so quick fencers have a hard time formulating a proper defense. It is not generally taught at the college level under traditional curriculum and came into existence after the invention of the electronic fencing sword. Because it is not widely known or taught it can be a powerful tool to overcoming an opponent’s defenses. 

The flick occurs when an attacker moves his arm and foil to hit his opponent but just before full extension flicks his wrist making the blade swish. Since the foil is long and slim it has the ability of bend and creating a wrapping action. This fly fishing motion causes the tip to bend allowing it to hit the opponent on the back or shoulder. Such an attack may also work on the front but is most commonly as a way of throwing your opponent out of balance. 

The defense against a flick often includes using a modified sabre quinte (90 degrees from the axis of the body) and a ducking motion. The other method includes a parry 10 which is exercised moving the blade so that it runs just above your shoulder to the point behind the head to deflect the attack. Immediately the fencer should swirl the sword to try and obtain a strike on your opponent to create a fluid defense and attack motion. 

Another method of countering the flick is to close the gap of distance between you and the opponent. When this gap is narrowed the opponent’s tip of the blade will be off target allowing for a possible strike of the opponents body. Such a move comes with a price. Once you are close to your opponent and miss your initial attack there will be a furry of effort in order to strike each other. This madness of motion can be a frenzy of attack and parry that speeds up the game. 

The flick is considered an intermediary move that should be learned after the basics have been mastered. Traditional instructors do not have any particular fondness for the flick as it doesn’t fit within the historical context of fencing. 

In true life it would not likely cause much damage as the point of the blade is more like a touch than a stab. However, it does count in the sport of fencing as the right-of-way is claimed once the arm moves forward and the opponent is forced to parry. It takes practice and the right equipment to do the flick well. Some foil blades have additional flexibility that isn’t found in heavy steel.