Fencing
Demystifying the fencing scoring system
This guide breaks down how the fencing scoring system works.
Some athletes get a rush from being on the field with a team. Others, like one-time Olympic medalist Miles Chamley-Watson, prefer one-on-one combat. Chamley-Watson describes what he loves about facing off against a single competitor in a fencing match.
“You’re in a sword fight,” Chamley-Watson says. “It’s you and an opponent with the same thing in your hand—who’s better?”
Miles Chamley-Watson competes during Red Bull En Garde
© Rob Tringali
The answer to which fencer reigns supreme comes down to the official fencing scoring system. The rules of the game are designed to fairly decide a winner and set the stage for a duel that leaves fans wanting more. This guide breaks down how the fencing scoring system works.
01
Fencing scoring system overview
Fencing matches, or “bouts,” are scored over three rounds. You’ll battle in a series of attacks and counter-attacks — or parries and ripostes — and score when you land a hit on their opponent’s target area. The points are recorded via an electronic scoring system. Both fencers wear electrically conductive lamé, and their swords contain wiring attached to body cords. One point is awarded for every valid touch landed on your opponent, and the first fencer to reach 15 points is declared the winner.
It sounds simple, but there are key scoring details to watch out for within each of fencing’s three disciplines. The valid target area — the portion of an opponent’s body where hits earn you points — differs in foil, epee, and sabre fencing. Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell which fencer scores the point when attacks happen instantly. Only foil and sabre, though, recognize “right of way” rules about which fencer is given priority when a point is too close to call. Of course, the differences don’t end there.
02
Scoring in foil fencing
Foil, the most prevalent form of fencing, involves using a thin sword with a blunted tip at the end of the blade. Points can only be scored with the tip of the sword and only on your opponent’s torso. The scoring system will light up each time someone scores, with red and green lights to note which fencer landed the hit. Foil fencing also uses white lights to mark hits landed outside the valid target area.
If a point is in question during a fencing bout, the referee is responsible for determining who gets right of way. Fencers may be awarded priority if they have an arm extended in offense or parried their opponent into a missed hit. If right of way can’t be determined because of a simultaneous hit, no one is awarded a point, and the match continues.
03
Scoring in epee fencing
The epee sword is similar to the foil sword. It’s slightly heavier, but it’s still a slim blade with a blunted tip, which is the only part of the weapon that can score points. Epee fencing has the largest target area, as fencers can score points by landing a hit anywhere on their opponent’s body. Right of way, though, isn’t a factor in epee scoring. If two hits happen at the same time, lighting up both the red and green lights on the scoring system, each player gets a point.
04
Scoring in sabre fencing
Right-of-way rules are the same in sabre and foil fencing, but that’s where sabre’s similarities with other disciplines end. In contrast to the thrusting weapons used in foil and epee fencing, sabre blades are slashing weapons without the blunted tip. If a fencer lands a hit with the sabre’s tip, front edge, or final one-third of the blade’s back edge, that’s a valid point. Fencers can only score points from hits above the belt — essentially the same target area that would be vulnerable on a cavalry horse.
Additional scoring considerations
Miles Chamley-Watson and Aleksey Cheremisinov
© Spencer Gordon-Sand / Red Bull Content Pool
Penalties in fencing
While fencing, be mindful of breaking safety and decorum rules that can result in penalties. Conduct such as taking off your mask before the match has ended or turning your back to your opponent can earn you a penalty card. A first penalty gets a simple warning with a yellow card, but it won’t affect your score. Make the same mistake twice, though, and you’ll get a red card, which also means your opponent is given a point. A third penalty results in a black card, which means you’ve been disqualified from participating any further in the competition.
The role of the referee in scoring
The referee is responsible for enforcing all the rules, judging both fencers’ moves, and determining whether a hit yielded a valid point. In addition to keeping a close eye on the score box lights, the referee will lead the match with hand signals and verbal commands.
The referee kicks off the match when they call “fence.” They also send fencers back to their en garde lines when the right of way can’t be determined. They call “halt” to pause the match if a penalty was committed or a hit was landed. And most importantly, they signal whether a point was deemed valid. Without the referee, the match can’t move forward.
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Winning a fencing match
Tiebreakers and point shortages
The goal is to gain 15 points, but if time runs out on all three rounds, the fencer with the highest number of points wins. If a tie occurs, a “sudden death” round gives fencers an additional minute to score the tie-breaking point. Before the sudden death clock starts, the referee draws lots, similar to drawing straws, to determine a winner in case no additional points are scored.
The role of scoring and fencing strategy
Scoring rules have a huge impact on strategy, especially the valid target area and where on the blade you can land a hit. Since foil matches can only be won in a small attack area, hitting your exact target is key. Epee fencers have a larger target area to guard, so swift counter-attacks are essential to master. Sabre matches proceed at a quick pace and with a larger area of the sword in play, so quick defense reflexes are vital. The strategy fencers take, as dedicated by each discipline’s scoring system, is part of what keeps fencing fans on their seats.
Settle the score and master your fencing technique
The first part of learning how to hone your fencing strategy is understanding all the rules and regulations. After you’ve gotten the hang of landing valid hits, you can venture into more advanced offense and defense tactics. Once you’ve become an expert on what is and isn’t allowed on the mat, you’ll know how to train to win.