How can I take advantage?

[arkady_tsep]

Since this is a fencing forum and we have so many experienced fencers here, I thought I'd take advantage of the collective knowledge here to find a solution to a problem.

In my club there's a foilist who likes to keep his blade low and to the outside (8th position with point away) as he slowly closes distance with his opponent. He's a very experienced fencer, and I assume he's got some reason why he almost always leaves this invitation. Does anyone know what he's trying to do with this, and is there a way to take advantage of it? If anyone can help me get inside his head on this, I would love the help.

[WhipLash]

i'm definately not experienced, so i dunno if i should even be posting. but since no one has posted yet i'll give my thoughts. probably wrong though.

i think he keeps the point away is so that you can't attack his blade easily, eg. with beat/ bind. even if u try your motion is larger and he can spot it in time to disengage. it does expose his inside targets, but he is probably counting on being faster than u and being able to parry in time.

i'm trying out something similar...i'm holding my point in septime, and usually my opp attacks sixte/quarte and i do a clockwise sweep of their blade (bind?) and riposte. that way i can parry even if i can't tell where he is attacking, be it sixte, quarte, octave. but got tricked by modern coupe from the more experienced fencers though.

anyway juz my two cents...probably flawed so dun take too seriously

[SJB]

Simple: He's trying to draw an attack/counter-attack to his quarte so he can hit you with a quick direct reposte should you try to attack in his prep or counter-attack.

The trick is either to do a stop hit with feint disengage or feint time in tempo.

Feint time in tempo being:

2 steps forward, 1 back

2 steps forward, 1 back

2 steps forward and when he *thinks* you're going to step back attack direct (quickly) or feint disengage attack into his step forward catching him unawares.

[telkanuru]

I thought the purpose of holding your blade in lowline absence is to provoke the counter-attack/attack into prep and just finish, obtaining the attack. Lowline makes it so you cannot beat or tap the blade to regain right of way.

What you must do is trick him into finishing earlier with a false counter, and then hit him.

[TooLoftheDeviL]

Originally Posted by telkanuru

I thought the purpose of holding your blade in lowline absence is to provoke the counter-attack/attack into prep and just finish, obtaining the attack. Lowline makes it so you cannot beat or tap the blade to regain right of way.

What you must do is trick him into finishing earlier with a false counter, and then hit him.

That's the ticket, usually. Too many people think that lowline attacks are prep somehow. In fact, locally a lot of directors will call it that way causing my head to explode. But at regional type, or national events, the people who counter-attack into these kinds of actions aren't going to get the touch.

edit: Forgot to add, Telks right about what to do about it. Fake the counter-attack so he thinks you're just another sucker, and then get out / parry-riposte, that sort of thing.

[jBirch]

Blade in low line is often called "in absence". In absence is usually done best against fencers who have a poor perception of distance (they use the blade to gauge how far away the target is), don't understand what is a preparation and what is en garde and those who like to prepare with blade actions (beat, prise-de-fer, press, etc...).

It's a dangerous way to call an attack to 4 since the only response is a fast sweeping parry which is easily deceived. Better for the "make him think it's a prep" kind of situation.

Hope this helps.

James.