Parry (fencing)
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- This article is about the fencing manoeuvre. For other uses, see Parry(disambiguation)
In fencing, the parry is a maneuver intended to deflect the advancing blade of the opponents weapon.
From the engarde or extended position, there are standard formal positions for the parry, although there are many unrecognised variations in use by "instinctive" fencers.
Formal positions
Positions of parry vary according to the particular school of fencing taught, although for foil and épée they generally take the form of the division of the opponents chest into numbered quarters. There is then a position for each quarter based on whether the hand is palm-up or palm-down. This provides 8 basic parry positions. These are often referred to by a standard number. For example, a "Parry Four" is the first parry learned by most foil fencers.
In sabre fencing the alteration of the target area and the method of attack make the former positions less than fully effective, and as a result the saber fencer learns a different set of standard parries. There are only three main saber parries, as together they protect the entire target area. Usually there are said to be a total of six parries in saber, though 1, 2, and 6 are seen as frivolous and have no place in a serious fencer's game.
Importance for Each Weapon
The relative importance of parrying varies depending on the weapon.
In foil, due to the limited target area, it is fairly easy to parry an attack. In addition, right of way requires that an opponent's attack be deflected before a fencer can counter. For these reasons, parrying is a key element in foil matches.
In sabre, the pace is very fast. Attacks can use either point or edge, and can change direction easily. This makes parrying difficult and unreliable. Skill at parrying tends to be less important than a fencer's ability to control the distance between himself and his opponent. Some sabre fencers rarely parry at all.
The épée is heavy and slow. However, there is no requirement to parry before making a counterattack, as there is in foil, and the entire body is legal target area. Hence, parrying takes on a role that is somewhat less important than in foil, but significantly more important than in sabre.
Right of Way
When fencing with foil or sabre, there exist rules of right of way which determine which fencer is awarded a touch if both fencers hit simultaneously (or near-simultaneously). A successful parry always grants the fencer right of way, and some directors will always award the touch (in an ambiguous situation) to the fencer who parries and then ripostes immediately. Parrying is not the only means to take the right of way, but this gives it tactical significance.