Fencing Lesson 6 Strategy

Strategy is how fencers adjusts our actions to force your opponent into a game that favors you. If your opponent is better at attacking than defending, attack him and force him to defend. If he is better at running and flicking than he is at straight attacks, try keeping your guard outside or high, forcing him to concede that part of your lame' and try to hit with straight actions. And try to limit how hard you chase him and how far you will run. If you won't run then he can't either.

The key of course is to first identify the action that is giving you trouble. Once this is done you should be able to adjust your action or reaction and determine a better course for the bout to follow.
After the problem has been stated, the tactical wheel will tell you how to solve it.

One way to help clarify your understanding of the action is to think in actual fencing terminology. Many times fencers who were frustrated at not being able to determine the best course of action could only describe their predicament using words like "thingy," "whippy-flippy", "fast," "up high," or "in the ribs."
Once they were forced to translate, they found they knew the answers immediately. "He is hitting me by parrying six, to which I react high, then disengaging low and outside, or eight."
After you have mapped out the problem in this manner, you will see that the answers are all right there, within the question.

"How do I stop reacting so big? - Oh yeah. Stop reacting so big."
"How do I keep him from hitting my eight? - Um, oh yeah. Parry eight."

In order to determine what adjustments need to be made during the course of the bout, first define the problem in the following terms:
Location: At each stage of the action (initial threat, where? reaction, where? finish, where?)
Intensity: Can the inital threat hit? Am I parrying too large/fast/hard?
Action: Use terms like attack, lunge, adv. lunge. To describe tempo. This will clarfiy the tempo of your responses.

Break the action down by stages;
Initial threat? Pulled back or derobed?
Were there more threats? Where?
Where did the final lunge hit? Where were you at that time?

Four: anything above your bellguard, and inside your bellguard.
Six: above and outside
Seven: below and inside
Eight: below and outside.
Back: a hit on the back with extreme angulation or by flicking.
Back-while-squirming: a hit you couldn't parry because of incorrect en guard position.

Was the attack fast, slow, tight against the hand? Or wide?
Did I react correctly?
Too hard?
Too small?
Too soon?
Am I over-reacting? Over-compensating?
Sometimes threats seem worse than they are. Make your opponent prove his threat. Don't react as though everything your opponent throws at you will hit.

Lunge
Advance-lunge
Double advance-lunge
Balestra / hop-lunge
Extension / thrust
Feint / feign
Fleche

Clarify the means they used to catch you and you will know what you need to do to avoid / evade them next time. Using the correct term will inform you of the correct tempo associated with the action.

When you find yourself facing an opponent that is able to defeat you no matter how hard you fence. Fence smarter, not harder.

Force your opponent to engage the action that favors you. Force him, entice him, coerce or cajole your opponent into an action that allows you a better opportunity than it does him.

Your opponent makes a feint to your six, then hits your eight with a simple lunge.
Ouch! One to zero.
Ready. Fence!
He comes forward again, feint to six.
"What do you do, Jack?...What do you do?"

Many fencers get too caught up in their own little tactical wheel. They get a little too creative and over-estimate their opponent. When this happens you will find yourself getting hit with the stupidest counter-attacks you've ever seen.

When this happens your opponent is not really counter-attacking. He may be trying to parry-riposte, or attack into prep, or even stop-hit. ANY of these things end up being a counter-attack when you come barging in with no regard for your opponent's reaction.

K.I.S.S.
Keep it simple, stupid. Remember, your opponent can only do what you tell him to do. Make your feigns small and clear. If you show your opponent an attack to the four, he will try to parry four. If you show him something vaguely in the four area, he may close his eyes and jump sideways for all you know.

A proper disengage attack requires a properly executed parry. If your oppponent does not react properly, your attack will miss. ALWAYS start from square one.

Test your opponent's reactions with careful forays into his defense. Get in far enough to see him react, and get out before he has a chance to hit you. If you do this with your eyes open you will see what his favorite reaction is.
Once you know what your opponent does when startled, you can plan your attack. Startle him, then disengage the parry you expect him to take, and hit him.

All strategy depends on your lunge. If your lunge causes your opponent to really react, you will have the freedom to disengage anytime.

Practice your lunge and recovery every day. It is more important than any other aspect of fencing, more than bladework, more than footwork. The lunge is the vehicle of all fencing actions. If your lunge is powerful, the game of fencing will open itself up to you. If it is not, you will not see the openings you need to employ the Tactical wheel.