| Fencing bouts pose a distinct set of tactical problems | | | | will end tied, and have to fence for a deciding touch. It |
| related to the time remaining in the bout. If you do not | | | | may be to your advantage to delay the final hit if you |
| understand the situation and act accordingly, you risk | | | | can until insufficient time remains for the opponent to |
| losing when victory was possible. Some guidelines: | | | | score, giving you a short breather before fencing the |
| (1) Always know what the score is. Normally this is | | | | deciding touch, and putting the opponent under |
| announced after each touch, but even then some | | | | increased pressure. |
| fencers become confused. If you are not sure what | | | | (5) If the score is tied as time starts to wind down, |
| the referee just said ask politely who had which | | | | follow the advice for when you are behind. Now you |
| number of hits. | | | | want to score a solid hit, but in conditions that make it |
| (2) Have a sense of the time remaining. The referee | | | | unlikely the opponent can score again. Either score at |
| or timekeeper normally will not announce the time. But | | | | the last possible moment, or score earlier and use the |
| you may always ask for the time remaining when a | | | | tactics for when you are ahead. |
| halt is called. | | | | (6) If you are fencing for a deciding touch after time |
| (3) If you are ahead and less than one minute remains, | | | | has expired, be sure that you understand the situation. |
| make your choices based on the tactical situation that | | | | If you have priority, you will win if the opponent does |
| has gotten you to the lead. If you are scoring well | | | | not score a hit. If you do not have priority, you must |
| either on attack or from your defense, continue to set | | | | score a touch or the opponent will win. In either case, |
| up the tactical situations you have found successful. If | | | | the person who scores a single touch wins. An error |
| the situation is more even, use attacks to keep the | | | | now costs you the bout with no chance of recouping. |
| opponent off balance and to prevent the development | | | | Prepare carefully and use everything you have |
| of a series of actions that will be likely to hit you. | | | | learned about the opponent in the bout. Clear your |
| These attacks should not be over committed - you do | | | | mind of negative thought and do not allow pressure to |
| not want the opponent to be presented with an easy | | | | exist - let the opponent be the one who feels pressure |
| opportunity for a riposte or counterattack. This is not to | | | | and is defeated by worries about how to win (if you |
| say that you should not attack when presented with | | | | have priority) or how to avoid losing (if they have |
| the right circumstances, but rather that you should not | | | | priority). |
| feel pressured to attack continually. Above all, do not | | | | Any of these courses of action require practice, just |
| change your tactics to protect your lead, as the odds | | | | like any other fencing technique or tactical combination. |
| are good you will start getting hit. | | | | You can fence practice bouts that simulate being |
| (4) If you are behind and time is getting short, do not | | | | ahead with 30 seconds left, being behind with 30 |
| feel pressured to attack in every situation. Obviously a | | | | seconds left, being tied with 30 seconds left, or fencing |
| poorly thought out attack may set you up to be hit, | | | | the overtime 1 minute with or without priority. Doing so |
| making the tactical situation even worse. Prepare | | | | will help you develop a sense of time without the input |
| carefully, set your best trap, attack at the right moment | | | | of your watch, and will sharpen your understanding of |
| from the right distance, and tie the bout. If time remains, | | | | what techniques work for you in these situations. |
| do it again to win. If time does not remain, at least you | | | | |