Rules summary
Quick reference
Rules Summary
Nine essentials on one card. Put it on your phone lock-screen, pin it in your club, print it for first-time parents. For depth, see full rules and scoring.
What counts as a hit
Foil: torso only. Épée: entire body. Sabre: above waist.
Priority
Foil + sabre: simultaneous hits → one point, decided by priority. Épée: both score.
Bout length
Pool: 5 touches / 3 min. DE: 15 touches / 3 × 3 min + 1 min priority.
Yellow card
Warning. Next same-category offence escalates to red.
Red card
Penalty point to opponent. May be given directly for serious offences.
Black card
Expulsion from the event. Additional sanctions possible.
Safety kit
FIE mask (350N domestic / 1600N senior), 800N jacket + plastron, glove, breeches.
The piste
14m × 1.5m strip. Stepping off the back end costs a touch.
Salute
Bout starts and ends with a salute to opponent + referee + crowd. Skipping it is a red card.
Want to go deeper? Scoring explainer → · Target areas → · Referee signals →