he most common causes of confusion and dispute in matches are Tcovering or substitution of the target and the allocation of points when both fencers have registered hits. The sections of the rules given here - EXTENSION FOIL OF THE VALID TARGET and VALIDITY OR OF THE HIT - govern A DOUBLE HIT GUIDE those situations and are reproduced unedited and unamended. Covering the target (t.79), the (t.83 to t.85) and the (t.86) are clearly defined. The procedure for applying those definitions to a match is given under rule t.89.

The full rules of fencing are available from the British Fencing website as a downloadable pdf: (https://www.britishfencing.com/the-fie-rulebooks/)

EXTENSION OF THE VALID TARGET

2. In order to judge the correctness of an attack the 1. At foil, it is forbidden to protect the following points must be considered: t.79 target area or to substitute another part of the body for the target area, by covering it a) The simple attack, direct or indirect (cf. t.10), is (cf. t.158-162, t.165, t.170); any hit scored by the correctly executed when the straightening of the arm, fencer at fault is annulled. the point threatening the valid target, precedes the SUBSTITUTION initiation of the or the flèche. a) If, during the fencing phrase, there is protection or substitution of a valid surface, the fencer at fault will be b) The compound attack (cf. t.10) is correctly executed st penalised as specified for offences of the 1 group when the arm is straightened in the presentation of the (cf. also t.29). first , with the point threatening the valid target, and the arm is not bent during the successive actions b) If, during the fencing phrase, as a result of protection of the attack and the initiation of the lunge or the flèche. or substitution of a valid surface, a hit correctly given is registered as not valid, the fencer at fault will be c) The attack with a step-forward-lunge or a step- st penalized as specified for offences of the 1 group forward-flèche is correctly executed when the (cf t.158-162, t.165, t.170) and the hit will be awarded. straightening of the arm precedes the end of the step forward and the initiation of the lunge or the flèche. c) However, hits which arrive off the target are counted as valid whenever, by reason of an abnormal position, d) Actions, simple or compound, steps or which the fencer has substituted this non-valid target for the are executed with a bent arm, are not considered as valid target. attacks but as preparations, laying themselves open to the initiation of the offensive or defensive/offensive 2. The referee may question the judges but he alone action of the opponent (cf. t.10-11). must decide whether or not the hit is valid. To judge the priority of an attack VALIDITY OR PRIORITY OF THE HIT t.84 when analysing the fencing phrase, it should be noted that: 1. If the attack is initiated when the opponent is ‘point in line’ (cf. t.15), the attacker The Referee alone decides as to the must, first, deflect the opponent’s blade. Referees t.82 validity or the priority of the hit by applying must ensure that a mere contact of the blades is not the following basic rules which are the conventions considered as sufficient to deflect the opponent’s applicable to foil fencing. POINT IN LINE PREFACE blade (cf. t.89.5.a).

2. If the attacker, when attempting to deflect the RESPECT OF THE FENCING PHRASE opponent’s blade, fails to find it (dérobement), the right of attack passes to the opponent.

1. Every attack, that is every initial 3. Continuous steps forward, with the legs crossing t.83 offensive action, which is correctly one another, constitute a preparation and on this executed must be parried or completely avoided preparation any simple attack has priority. and the phrase must be continuous — that is to RUNNING say, co-ordinated (cf. t.9.1). ATTACK t.89 t.89 a faulty action on the part of one of the fencers. oneof of on thepart action a faulty 3 thetarget. off themhas hit oneof evenif been fencers both for are annulled exchanged in thiscase thehits anattack of fencers; both by andexecution conception 2 action simultaneously 1 as follows: t.88 t.88 t.87 t.86 t.85 the final movement theattack. of the final arrive theattacker must before has hit the stop begun that time; fencing istoattack of say aninterval by that the of theconclusion precede validbe must hit thestop the feints ordelay.indecision attacker, immediately, executed be must without it the by to annulany action but subsequent indirect, an immediate . theright andthebeat theopponent to gives executed third theblade theguard,attack of nearest isbadly theone- blade i.e. theopponent’s of made ontheforte 2 theguard. from theblade of furthest the two-thirds blade i.e. beat theopponent’s ismade of onthefoible whenthe priority its andretains out carried is correctly . When,during are aphrase, fencers both JUDGING OFHITS JUDGING . The . The double hit, on the other hand, is the result of of hand, ontheother isthe result . The doublehit, . In anattack ontheblade, beating by whenthebeat is simultaneous action simultaneous ora , hehas theright to riposte. double hit double

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If, after making a successful parry, If, after making hemakes asuccessful a If, during a compound attack, his opponent hisopponent If, during attack, acompound Ifhemakes a If he initiates hisattack Ifheinitiates If, If, during a compound attack, heis If, during attack, acompound If, instead of parrying, heattempts If, parrying, instead of If he attempts to find the blade, does not succeed (isthe succeed not theblade, does Ifheattempts to find If, into a compound attack, hemakes a If, into attack, acompound If, during a compound attack, hemakes If, during attack, acompound Only the fencer whois attackedOnly as is hit: counted thefencer Only the fencer whoattacks as is hit: Only counted thefencer The Referee must replace the competitors on thecompetitors replace must The Referee having his ‘point inline’ , but he continues theattack andhisopponent hecontinues , but each that time andheis there isadoublehit , during which time the opponent makes a stop hit, , during hit, makes astop theopponent whichtime (cf. a dérobement t.15 ) without deflecting the opponent’s weapon. theopponent’s deflecting ) without stop hit hit stop which gives his opponent theright hisopponent towhich gives ) and continues the attack. ) andcontinues F.I.E. Dec. 2018, British Fencing accessed Fencing March 2019 4th British F.I.E. 2018, Dec. on his opponent’s simple attack; on hisopponent’s when his has opponent his point https://www.britishfencing.com/the-fie-rulebooks (cf. whichis parried andhisparried t.15 to dodge the hit thehit to dodge stop-hit ) and being subjected subjected ) andbeing immediate stop hit stop a momentary a momentary finds the finds in time intime without without

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