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Namir · 09-21-2003, 07:45 PM

Can someone tell me exactly what searching is?

Peach · 09-21-2003, 07:52 PM

"Searching for the blade" is attempting to parry. If a referee says you were searching, it usually means that you did not have the attack. It's not part of the official terminology of a referee, and is more of an explanation for a call.

Capt. Slo-mo · 09-21-2003, 08:18 PM

I would put a slightly different spin on searching. Searching is usually called when you try to take the blade of your opponent with a beat, or a bind....and miss. The miss can be because you flat went by your opponent's blade, or they took evasive action to make you miss.

With most directors, if you search, and miss, ROW immediately shifts to your opponent.

KShan5[PrFC] · 09-21-2003, 10:37 PM

I second that. I have seen referees use the term too. I've used it...then again my skills as a ref are shall we say limited.

edew · 09-21-2003, 10:59 PM

Searching doesn't necessarily imply not finding the blade. I often call "fencer A searches, finds the blade, and makes the riposte."

The action, as seen by the referee, is a lateral movement of the blade towards the opponent's blade. If the blade is moving towards the opponent's target, it's not likely to be called searching. If it's moving laterally (perpendicular to the fencers' axis), and especially if it's trailing the opponent's blade, then it'll be call searching. If it finds it, then certainly the search is successful.

Wizardly · 09-21-2003, 11:17 PM

You'll often see this term used in the contect of compound attacks. Should the defender "find" the blade during a compound attack, (s)he has the right to riposte.

Inquartata · 09-22-2003, 08:11 PM

Using the term for FINDING the blade seems apt to cause confusion to me. Wouldn't it be better to call it a beat in prep or a prise de fer attack?

Namir · 09-22-2003, 09:20 PM

Thanks, that explains that...
thanks again...

KShan5[PrFC] · 09-22-2003, 09:49 PM

Well not always. Some times when directing I hear the complaint from a fencer that his opponent searched therefore it should be their touch, and I'll answer "Yes, he searched and found the blade." But usually I'll use beat or pris.

MyrddinsPrecint · 09-23-2003, 12:35 AM

"searching"- when one writes in the air, with their blade 'i have no clue what the f*** i'm doing'

sometimes this "search" ends up doing something good.

most of the time, it just makes you look like you have no clue wtf you're doing.

i write this with a great deal of experience, since i've only had depth perception since a month ago when i got contacts : )

(oh, i'm gonna beat... oh... shoot... she was three feet away.... oh.... she hit me... *sigh*)

Namir · 09-23-2003, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MyrddinsPrecint
"searching"- when one writes in the air, with their blade 'i have no clue what the f*** i'm doing'

Umm... OK thats a bit diffrent then...
Yeah...

In my case it is when I am attacking or reposting in which case I could understand the call, if I feint 6 and swoop under the blade and into 4 and then into the enemy, but half the time their is blade contact which tends to get confusing... Whould this be explained by me attacking feinting 6 and attacking into 4 again and them getting confused or lost and giving the enemy opponet the point?

If I am understanding this correctly...

tchwojko · 09-23-2003, 03:45 PM

In epee, it's what you do for your tip after you've lost both screws.

MyrddinsPrecint · 09-23-2003, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Namir
Umm... OK thats a bit diffrent then...
Yeah...

In my case it is when I am attacking or reposting in which case I could understand the call, if I feint 6 and swoop under the blade and into 4 and then into the enemy, but half the time their is blade contact which tends to get confusing... Whould this be explained by me attacking feinting 6 and attacking into 4 again and them getting confused or lost and giving the enemy opponet the point?

If I am understanding this correctly...

i normally see "searching" called when you try to do something and aren't in control of your blade or the action enough to actually succeed. if what you're doing looks like you're confused and you messed up, you obviously have lost right of way at some point. you're 'searching'. you're not attacking, not beating, but in order for the you to know that the director realizes you created blade action and were trying to do something, you were 'searching'.

or, at least, that's the sense i seem to get it as.

i think it's one of those things like "mal parre" -- not really nececary, but it makes fencers feel better, that at least the director knows what they were trying to do.

DanInMI · 09-24-2003, 03:48 PM

In Michigan the directors that are using the term "searching" are using it to describe a situation in which a fencer has attempted to "beat" then attack. the attacker, however, fails to find the oppenents blade (derobement) before finishing the attack, and the opponent has counter attacked. In such a case the right of way passes to the personthat avoided the beat and counter attacked.

Unfortunately, much to the frustration of many Michigan fencers, many of our directors can't seem to tell the difference between a disengage and a failed beat. So I am sure that Namir probably is wondering why a director would call a double disengage attack "searching" and give the right of way to the other guy.