fencing lefties

[Crimsonflames]

what are some good ways to take on a lefty fencer as a righty fencer? or what are some things to keep in mind?

[Inquartata]

I'll let you know when I figure it out myself! Lefties are the bane of my fencing existence!

Seriously, since you fence foil, I'll let foilists answer this.

[Feltan]

It isn't a big mystery.

Lefties are very used to fencing right handers, but not vice versa. So, as a right hander, fence a lefty like they fence you -- it is a like looking in a mirror. They don't enjoy any advantage that you don't by virtue of them fencing lefty.

Regards,
Feltan

[dreamer90024]

I actually find fencing lefties much easier because my coach gives lessons left handed, but one thing that helps me (at least in epee) is that no matter who I'm fencing I try to line up the bell guards. That way righties and lefties look more similar and it's not as difficult to go between them.

[Steve Khinoy]

I actually find fencing lefties much easier because my coach gives lessons left handed, but one thing that helps me (at least in epee) is that no matter who I'm fencing I try to line up the bell guards. That way righties and lefties look more similar and it's not as difficult to go between them.

Dreamer's advice is good--you generally want to fence shoulder-to-shoulder with lefties (and many others).
Here's the basic problem:
If you're a rightie looking at a lefty, the only target you can see much of is the inside line. Your opponent's outside line is covered by the weapon arm. So you aim your attack at the inside line. The lefty, of course, is expecting this from long experience. He waits, takes as late a parry as he dares, then ripostes.
The late parry means that if you're feinting to the inside and finishing outside, your final runs into his blade and weapon arm. You can't feint outside, because the line is closed. So you feint inside, then outside, and finish inside. But the lefty is parrying late, so your final still runs into his parry. Or he stop-thrusts. What to do?
Worst of all, while you're distracted by trying to figure out your plan, the lefty attacks and hits you! He might like to launch a sweeping (flick or otherwise) attack to your low deep inside line or an flick to your shoulder. Otherwise, his attacks are nothing that you're not used to.
Of course, you can use his favorite attacks against him. The attack deep to the inside line has a good chance against a late parry and the flick or coupé to the shoulder also has a good chance--if you've practiced it! The low outside line is also open, even if you can't see it. These are the most effective simple attacks. You can also use one-fent attacks: feint inside-high (4) and finish with a half-disengage to low-outside (8) -- which should be opened up by the parry. These can be preceded by actions on the blade--for example, from your outside, circle-four beat-coupé or flick to the outside high (shoulder), You can also beat 4 and flick to the back -- a difficult shot, but effective. There are a few others. The point is that they have to be practiced!
Some lefties like to stay in lunge after a parried attack, then take a deep parry-4--riposte. This can be countered by a disengage-riposte. Conversely, you should be prepared for disengage-ripostes from the left.

The best advice, though, is to fence as many lefties as possible--and take (at least mental) notes.

[max_mz]

being right handed i like to use the parry one (or prime) or an attack with prime-prise de fer against lefties if i want to hit them on the belly (in four to be concise) - going on his four without removing your lefty opponent's blade can be quite dangerous. you can also feign in six and hit in four, but be sure you are quick.

if i want to hit the flank i feign in six and go around his parry, you can't see the target area because its behind your opponents elbow - but its there :P. or feign in four and hit the flank.

...i liked the left shoulder very much as target but with new timings it's become a bit dangerous because the best way to land a hit there is with a flick ... and they dont come as easy as before ...

fencing against lefties is fun

[dramamine]

make sure you are very conscious of how far away you are because a lot of inexperienced right handers let themselves drift in too close to lefties.

otherwise you fence them like anyone else. think about it. how do you fence a right hander? there is no answer to this question, my advice to you is to practice simple actions like feint disengage and your basic parry ripostes. i personally think that certain actions work well on most lefties, counter six riposte with 1 disengage to the chest (in six) works really often, prime is a little easier because of the way the target is, parry four riposte to the shoulder or flank (no flick).

[MikeDeadly]

My self being a lefty when I fence, my advise to you is to practice honing your point control so you can feint-dissengage to my weapon shoulder (feint to my right shoulder, dissengage to my left). I do that all the time to righties....and it works like a charm. Its just a really tough shot but the ppl that can hit it, use it effectively against people of the opposite hand.

Mike

[remise]

Feinting then hitting them on the left flank works well also. If your feint looks realistic and your disengages are small and quick, you will be able to pull this off with no problem.

[Craig]

What Steve said...

When I started fencing, there were a lot of lefties at my club, so I quickly became very used to fencing lefties. I was so comfortable that I preferred pools filled with lefties than righties.

Just continue to fence more lefties and the mystique will fade away. You use slightly different target choices and the distance is slightly different, but it's still just fencing.

Craig

[muaddib]

Think about your distance. If you stand the same distance face to face with a lefty, they will be closer to you because their weapon is in the same line as yours. Move back a half step .

Since their weapon is in the same 6 line, you must protect that line. If you have a weak on-guard or center on-guard, try keeping up a good 6 on-guard.

Try parry 4 disengage reposte, or parry 4 deep, reposte to the back. Counter 6 disengage is great too. Also prime as mentioned.

On attack, try feinting outside, way outside, then disengage to 4 at the end. Or counter 6 per-de-fer disengage 1 2. The list goes on and on...

[Larrison]

Pretty good advice here, particularly on the distance..
My usual fencing partner is a leftie - I'm a rightie -- so I'm pretty used to fencing a leftie.

Based upon what I've seen from other R's fencing a L -- the one deadly thing to avoid is to fencing them to go for a hit to the chest. I recently watched a pretty good (B class) fencer fence a novice leftie, and almost lost his DE to them -- it was 8-7 at the break. The better fencer just kept trying to go around the Leftie's guard and attack to the chest -- which opened his flank wide, and the novice was good enough to take advantage of this, repeatly.

Stay back, and look for a parry riposte, or if you want to take it to them, go for the flank, under the elbow. A feint to their 6 (chest) then a half-disengage and attack with a lower line to their flank. Or try this with a counter-beat and attack. And once they start lowering their hand, that may open up their shoulder or back.

[pacer]

I think Larrison has it right. Even in epee going for the chest on a Leftie is usually a mistake. Going for the flank or outer side works best for me. And as with Larrison my usually fencing partners are left handed

[Li'l Bebe]

I used to have major issues with lefties too, but then I figured out this little idea:

You can do exactly what they do to you to them.

Of course they'll be more experienced at trying it, but in practice, just give him a couple points to see what he does to you, then do the exact same thing to him. If you practice it enough, you'll start getting points.

But just for the heck of it

My favorite move on lefties: Get them attacking fairly quickly, getting really into it. Keep your arm bent, and your blade up and out of the way. That way if they try and parry, they'll have to extend their arm fairly far to get in the beat, exposing their 8. Then when they go for their finishing action, whether it be a straight attack or beat attack, extend your arm in their 8, and step into their lunge. If you do it right, they miss, and you score on counter-attack.

Plus it really pisses them off, so all the better

[shlepzig]

I learned more about fencing lefties by watching them fence.

Lefties have some very distinct styles, and they develop some very particular techniques to deal with the the off-hand confrontation. During training try to emulate some of the actions you see other lefties do when fencing righties.

I found it gave me a better point of view of how they developed their offensive/defensive technique. Once I started doing this, my record against lefties was much more in-line with the rest of my bouts.

Shlep

[Grasshopper]

Lightly take blade in 4 on advance and then make half clockwise circle and hit them under arm with lunge. Target is smaller, but you simply must get used to this.

Also, don't worry about hitting their arm a few times in a bout. This is just evidence that you are getting close. Better to hit off target than to miss completely because you are taking too much time to aim at small target area.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

my trick against lefties (in foil) is to get a few off target shots on the leg. By the time they expect this attack, you can just aim a little higher, and clip them right in the love handles.

[Grasshopper]

my trick against lefties (in foil) is to get a few off target shots on the leg. By the time they expect this attack, you can just aim a little higher, and clip them right in the love handles.

That is smarter than it sounds. Hitting the lefty off target a few times makes them less motivated to try their little dodges and squirms. I miss the days when I could walk over lefties with massive flick attacks to 4.

[Crimsonflames]

hey these are great ideas and advice. im gonna go through all of your advice slowly and find what u really want me to do. one again, thanxs a lot!

[Lemberg]

What helped me.... is... having a left-handed coach