It was madness at fencing tonight, jammed. I don't know if I can even remember how many people were there just for sabre. For the kids: RY, NL, JM, Jessie2, Shannon, Alissa, Doreen, AD. For adults: CR, Tom, DJ, Alexei, Chris, MK, AL, Danielle back again, and Dave Mandell--Dave's getting ready for an alumni meet. It was nice to see him.

We took over three strips and were fencing fast fives, two up and then down. CR took me aside when I got there and asked me how the heck I managed to beat girls like Merza at the last tournament, or CR herself for that matter. I tried to explain but it's not easy. Mostly I can beat some very competent young women, when I do, because I know my distance really well and I manipulate it against them. CR has difficulty beating them I guess because she tends to sort of gesture dramatically with her arms and shoulders, rather than just make the action. Tactically she's sound, she makes good actions, but it's as if she's presenting the action rather than executing it. After we talked I beat her pretty soundly. She tends to psych herself out when she's fencing me. I can't wait until she gets over that--she could be an awesome opponent.

I didn't fence very well otherwise tonight. It was just too noisy and cacophonous, and I was feeling out of it and rattled. That doesn't surprise me--I fenced well in the tournament on Saturday, and fenced well on Monday, but inevitably when I take a little break I fence well to begin with and then fall apart.

Although I did experiment when fencing Danielle with a half-retreat beginning off the on-guard line. It is interestingly effective--she would just miss me, because she would expect me to be nearer than I was--but she adjusted and just made a stronger attack.

I left around 8:00 and came home.