Olympic Fencing: Rules, Disciplines, and Strategies

• Fencing is a combat sport contested between two people with swords, often referred to as Olympic Fencing.

• The contest takes place on a 14m long and up to 2m wide strip called the piste, with a center line, en garde lines, warning lines, and limit lines.

• The objective of fencing is to make contact with the opponent's target area with the sword while avoiding being hit, with the aid of electronic wiring that lights up when a valid hit is made.

• In individual contests, competitors fence against each other in elimination matches, with three periods of three minutes each, and the winner is the first to score 15 points or have the highest score at the end of the three periods.

• In team competitions, three-person teams compete against each other, with nine periods of three minutes each, and the team with the highest score at the end of the time wins.

• There are three different disciplines in Olympic Fencing: Foil, Sabre, and Epee, each with unique rules and weapons.

• Right of Way is a crucial concept in fencing, where if both fencers hit at the same time, the point is awarded to the fencer who initiated the attack or controlled the initiative.

• In Foil, the target area is the torso and back, and only thrusting attacks with the tip of the blade count, with Right of Way rules applying.

• In Sabre, the target area is above the waist, and slashing attacks with the side of the blade are allowed, making it advantageous to attack first.

• In Epee, the target area is the entire body, and only thrusting attacks with the tip of the blade count, but Right of Way rules do not apply, and both fencers score a point if they hit simultaneously.

• Penalties in fencing include stepping off the piste, turning your back on your opponent, or using your non-playing hand, with yellow cards indicating warnings, red cards awarding a point to the opponent, and black cards resulting in disqualification.

• Non-combativity can be declared if both fencers refuse to attack each other, resulting in a new period and a strategic opportunity for teams to force their opponents to attack more aggressively.