Sabre (fencing)

Sabre is one of the three main disciplines in modern fencing. It is practiced alongside the foil and the épée. While other weapons only allow scoring with the point, the sabre is unique. A fencer can score a touch through thrusting or by cutting. They can use the cutting edge or the back of the blade to hit the target.

This ability to use the entire blade makes the sport very fast and decisive.

The sabre weapon has a very specific technical design. The blade is made of steel and is often rectangular in its section. Many blades have a V-shaped base that transitions into a flat end. This design allows the blade to be flexible toward the tip. The blade is attached to the handle by a fastener called a pommel. This pommel also helps electrically separate the handle from the guard.

A large, smooth guard protects the fencer's hand from injury. The sabre is generally shorter and lighter than an épée. This lighter weight allows fencers to move the weapon with great speed.

To score a point, a fencer must hit a specific valid target area.

This area includes the entire torso above the waist. It also includes the head and the arms up to the wrist. The legs, hands, and feet are excluded from the target. Modern competition uses an electrical system to register these touches. A fencer wears a conductive jacket called a lamé. They also wear a conductive mask and often a glove with a conductive cuff, known as a manchette.

When the blade hits these conductive parts, it completes an electrical circuit.

Sabre was the last of the three fencing weapons to adopt electrical equipment. This transition occurred in 1988. This was 32 years after the foil and 52 years after the épée became electric. In 2004, following the Athens Summer Olympics, the rules for timing were changed. The window for recording a touch was shortened. This change significantly altered the sport's strategy. It made the game much faster and placed a higher emphasis on footwork.

The scoring apparatus helps the referee make final judgments. When a hit is registered, light signals appear on the scoring box. These lights are color-coded, using red and green for each fencer. The box also produces an audible signal, such as a short ring or a continuous note. If both fencers hit within the lockout period, both lights will turn on.

The lockout period is the minimum time between registered touches. Following the 2016 Olympic Games, this timing was modified from 120 ms to 170 ms.

When two hits occur simultaneously, the referee uses the concept of "right of way." This rule determines which fencer had priority. Priority can be gained through active, passive, or defensive actions. An active attack begins when a fencer extends their arm and threatens the target. This action must continue until the front foot touches the strip.

A defender can also gain priority through a "point in line." This is a defensive position where the fencer holds their point toward the opponent's target before an attack begins.

The evolution of timing has changed how fencers defend themselves. Before the timing was shortened, fencers used solid parries to block attacks. Now, defenders often use a "beat-attack." This involves using an extending arm to deflect the opponent's blade halfway through their movement. Fencers must also be careful of the "remise." A remise is a second attack made after the first has technically finished. The shorter timing makes the sport more precise and requires very neat, small movements.