Using Parry 3 in Epee

[jspierre]

I know this is a saber parry, but I like it in epee; it feels strong, I can pick up the blade that comes to my inside line by making the 3 wide, which gives me a pres-de-fer opportunity, or beat in 3.

Do you use parry 3 in epee, and how? I think the problem, if there is one, is the riposte; namely, how do you take a riposte from 3 in epee? In saber, it's often a stop cut to the arm, I think.

[edew]

Why in the world would one want to parry in epee? I do it and I get killed. But that's because I'm not an epee fencer.

A parry-3 in epee puts your point to far up and away from your opponent. So what if you have a strong parry. Your opponent isn't fighting you on strength. If he feels a strong push, he just slips the blade around the bell guard and hit your on the inner part of your forearm. Ta-da. You're left standing there with the tip pointed at the sky while your opponent has his tip buried in your sleeve.

[D'Artagnan1673]

I have looked over a book by Brian Pittman. He has some instruction on how to do a proper parry 4. Parry four is about keeping the opponent's blade in your possesion and using timing to make a riposte. I agree with Edew, parry 3 has no real place in epee. You always want to be able to hit at any time.


As Edew hinted towards, parrying is not always the answer. Many touches can be made through counter attacks.

[oiuyt]

Do you really have a problem with 6 not being strong enough? Covers the same area as 3, doesn't require rotating the arm, is easy to riposte from, etc., etc. I don't see why you'd bother with 3 in epee.
-B :)

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

I have used the circular parry counter-three in epee against other righthanders, and if used with discretion, it can be quite effective. Caveats: you must start it in exactly the right time, start moving forward immediately, and maintain a strong blade contact during the whole circle.

The problem of the your tip pointing heavenwards is solved by lifting the hand halfways through the circle, while at the same time angulating the blad downwards. If done correctly, their foible is in contact with your bell and blade. At the same time their tip is aiming above and to the outside of your shoulder, while your tip is aming at the center of their chest.

I have read and heard about some fencers using other circular pronated parries, but have not seen them done. (I have also read about how to do circular parries - both pronated and supinated - in sabre, but that book is from the 20ies, and those techniques don´t work anymore.)

Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[jspierre]

It's just another blade action, on top of the ones you use all the time, like 4, 6 and 8 in epee. I know one very good epee guy, intl competitor, and he likes 2, although the point may face your opponent's knee (on target but not exactly an easy hit). I think 3 has merit especially on guys that post on a French grip; if you catch it strongly , and hold it, you get a degree of control on the thrust that, yes, is sometimes lacking in 6. Alot of epee guys are extremely good at debrobing 4, 6 in epee, and 3 just mixes it up a bit.

[achilleus]

I use 3, though not often. Usually against opposite handed fencers (lefty vs. righty), who attack with long, fast lunges. The parry is strong, fast and the riposte is easy to the shoulder or back (as Peter describes), or the flank with angulation or flick.

[jjg]

Do you find epee has more hard and aggresive parries. Foil parries seem so small and efficient.

[Katman]

If I somehow manage to parry 3 in epee, it's usually a mistake. Most of my ripostes land on the upper arm/shoulder or face, provided I haven't parried a fleche.

[Christopher J Umbs]

Originally posted by jjg
Do you find epee has more hard and aggresive parries. Foil parries seem so small and efficient.

Not really. I think epee parries are generaly smaller than foil one since you don't want to expose the wrist on a large action. Also, since the epee parries are done with a more extended arm, they are going to be smaller.

Chris

[jjg]

Then which of the three has the most spectacular parries?

[edew]

Foil by far has the coolest parrying actions. There's hardly any parries in epee in the first place. There isn't much parrying in sabre, either, as most fencers use distance to avoid being hit. In sabre, you rarely ever see a compound parry action, like going from 3 to 5 to 3 to circle-3. Very unlikely in sabre.

In foil, that kind of hand movement is par for the course.

[jjg]

I thought for a while in sabre they taught you to basically stand toe to toe with your opponent and there was lots of slashing.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

No, you're confused with the little-known "Viking Tie Breaker."

In the rare event of time having expired with a tied score, the sabrist's off-weapon hands are tied together at the wrist. At the command "fence", each competitor hacks away at the other until a visible hole is torn in their opponent's lame. In Hungary and Romania, a spreading bloodstain is also acceptable as proof of victory.

If the match is decided in less than 30 seconds, by FIE dictate, the victor is allowed to leave the strip, run to the nearest foil bout, and head butt his or her choice of foilist. The sabrist may not remove their mask, although the foilist is not required to be wearing one at the time.

Given the widespread disuse of stopwatches at nearly all USFA/FIE sanctioned sabre matches, the Viking Tie Breaker has become virtually unknown to the new generation of sabre fencers.

[a517dogg]

I use parry three, it's fun and very useful sometimes. I use both normal 3 and sometimes a high 3.

i don't take it as a parry ever, but i do go en garde in 3 because it gives you some interesting options. you get stronger flicks to the inside (assuming you are fencing same handed person) and you can also do fun things like beat up flick toe or flick to their outside. also, when you are in three with your hand back, sometimes it looks like your only option will be to take a parry and the opponent will do a feint attack and you can catch them in their preparation. however i usually only go en garde in 3 in non serious bouts, or bouts that i know i'm going to win anyway.

high 3 i take if i am in a fleche or lunge or if they are closing distance quickly and they have my blade in six. i raise my hand and pronate it, and then flick shoulder, flick back, or rotate into prime and flick hand or leg. that i use frequently against all opponents.

[grphiw]

I hate to sound stupid,but I have two questions: is that what really is a "Viking Tie Breaker"? (If it is, I think I might switch to sabre )
Second, what is parry three?