Modern sport fencing is a discussion that centers around the question, "How can I score points in a competition?

This can be very satisfying to the people involved, but it's a fundamentally different from classical fencing, where we attempt to the best of our ability to simulate a serious fight with sharps. If my object is to wound or kill, I'm unlikely to fleche or flick (the first is near suicidal with sharp weapons, the second is wholly impossible and ineffective even if it were possible), and I will employ a very conservative strategy. If my object is to set off a light and sound a buzzer while remaining at least one point ahead, I can try all sorts of manuevers that would be anathema to classicists, and take risks that would be suicidally stupid in a serious fight. The difference is that of a martial art and a game. They don't mix well on the strip becuse they are discussing different things. Given two fencers of similar talent, one a classical fencer and the other a sport fencer, the classical fencer will tend to win on the classical piste while the sport fencer will tend to win on the ...  more