Tournament Rules

The London HEMA Open will be run according to the Wessex League Rules as of November 2023. The LHO Committee will attempt to keep up to date with Wessex Rules as much as possible, but this document should be considered the authoritative ruleset for the LHO.

Summary

  • Bouts will last up to 3 minutes or a 10-point cap, whichever is reached first.

  • Progression out of pools will only take wins and net points into consideration.

  • Afterblows and doubles are weighted

  • Clean disarms score 3 points

  • Grappling does not score but can be used to control the other fencer to score a touch with the weapon

  • Throws, joint locks, and kicks are prohibited and will be penalised.

    • 3 points for a cut, slice or thrust made to the head.

    • 3 points for a thrust to torso.

    • 2 points for other valid hits (cut or thrust to a limb,​ or cut to torso)

    • 2 points for a controlled pommel strike with the end of the pommel, only valid to the mesh of the mask

    • One-handed strikes outside a grapple score 1 point less than their equivalent (eg. a one-handed cut to the leg scores 1 point)

    • 3 points for a cut, slice or thrust made to the head.

    • 3 points for a thrust to torso.

    • 2 points for other valid hits (cut or thrust to a limb,​ or cut to torso)

    • False edge cuts do not score

    • Strikes with the sabre guard are prohibited, and will result in a warning.

    • 3 points for a thrust made with the rapier to the head or torso.

    • 1 point for a thrust to limbs, or cut to torso or head

Tournament Structure

  • Matches will be fought in pools, followed by eliminations.

  • Everyone has one bout with everyone else in their pool.

  • After all pools, an overall ranking will be constructed across all pools. The top 16 or 24 in this ranking (depending on overall number of participants) will progress to eliminations.

  • Winner of an elimination fight proceeds to the next round, until the semifinal. Winners of semifinals fence for the gold medal, and losers of semifinals fence for bronze medal.

Bout Structure

  • A bout is fought for 3 minutes or until one fencer has reached the score cap of 10 points. Timekeeping is not paused during simple scoring but may be stopped in case of protest, discussion, equipment failure or safety issues.

  • Ten seconds before the time limit is reached the table will call “last exchange”. That exchange will be allowed to be run to its end, as long as the fencers are actively trying to fence.

  • After this the table will announce the score to the referee, who will officially announce the winner of the match and the final score.

  • If scores are tied after 3 minutes sudden death is played – the first scoring hit will win the bout. Draws are not possible.

Exchange rules

  • Fencers begin each exchange in their corners. The referee will confirm that they are ready to begin, then call “Fence!/Fight!”​ to begin the exchange.

  • Upon observing a scoring action the referee will call “Halt!”​. Both fencers must then cease offensive actions immediately. ­ Parrying late attacks from the opponent is permitted but continuing to attack the opponent after halt is called is a foul and will be penalised.

  • The referee may call “Halt!” if one fencer steps out of the ring or a grappling action lasts for a long period with no clear dominance by either fencer. 

  • Referees, fencers, their coaches, and their audience may call “Halt!” only if there is an equipment failure, injury, or other immediate safety concern.

  • The referee will consider the exchange. If unclear, they may consult the assistant referee. If still unclear they may consult the fencers for their recollection. They will then describe ​the scoring exchange, and the score ​resulting. Examples:

    • “Red cut to hand, no return. 2 points red.”

    • “Blue thrust to the torso, fell short, followed by red cut to head, parry failed, afterblow late. 3 points red.”

    • “Blue thrust to arm, parried, red thrust to mask, afterblow cut to leg. 3 points red, 2 points blue. 1 point red.”

Protests

Fencers are encouraged to demonstrate awareness, honesty and sportsmanship in assisting the judges.

If a fencer wishes to concede a hit against themself they can indicate this to the referee, however they are also welcome to challenge a verdict, offer information on a hit they believe they have made, or seek clarification on a referee’s decision using the following procedure:

  • If a referee has given their verdict after an exchange and a fencer disagrees with it materially, they may protest by returning to their corner and raising a hand.

  • The referee will give an opportunity for the fencer to briefly explain their position.

  • They are not bound to accept this but will take into account the information offered by fencers and judges and arrive at an appropriate synthesis.

  • They may also decide that the exchange is insufficiently clear and award no points.

  • Fencers should not address their protest or query directly to the other fencer.

During the pools stage, fencers may make a maximum of three protests in their favour per match. This does not apply in the eliminations, but note that repeatedly protesting to raise spurious or irrelevant points will be frowned upon and may attract a warning. 

Scoring

Hit quality

All strikes must be executed with control. Scoring strikes do not need to be hard but must demonstrate quality:

  • Only attacks with the edge, point or pommel (longsword) score points.

  • The referee may disregard hits they consider mechanically insufficient: Incidental strikes, cuts with questionable edge alignment, very light cuts with the point, light flicks with the tip, and cuts made with a very small arc.

  • Slicing cuts​ require the edge of the sword to move across the target area (pushed or pulled), with positive pressure onto the target- a missed thrust that simply glides past, or a weapon held against the body in a grapple would be insufficient.

  • Thrusts must fix the point​ onto the target with positive pressure.

    • 3 points for a cut, slice or thrust made to the head.

    • 3 points for a thrust to torso.

    • 2 points for other valid hits (cut or thrust to a limb,​ or cut to torso)

    • 2 points for a controlled pommel strike with the end of the pommel, only valid to the mesh of the mask

    • One-handed strikes outside a grapple score 1 point less than their equivalent (eg. a one-handed cut to the leg scores 1 point)

    • 3 points for a cut, slice or thrust made to the head.

    • 3 points for a thrust to torso.

    • 2 points for other valid hits (cut or thrust to a limb,​ or cut to torso)

    • False edge cuts do not score

    • Strikes with the sabre guard are prohibited, and will result in a warning.

    • 3 points for a thrust made with the rapier to the head or torso.

    • 1 point for a thrust to limbs, or cut to torso or head

Disarms

  • 3 points for disarm. Disarming ​an opponent will score if the opponent’s control of their weapon is removed, control of one weapon (either fencer’s) is kept, and grappling distance is broken, or control of the grapple is clearly established. Dropping a primary weapon or losing it in contact will usually be scored as a disarm.

Non-Scoring actions

llegal targets

The following targets are illegal, and are worth no points:

  • Back of the head

  • Spine

  • Groin

  • Back of the knee

  • Foot

Fencers should avoid presenting their back to their opponent and may receive a warning for doing so and point penalties after the second infraction.

Ring Outs

  • Ring-outs do not score, but repeatedly stepping out of the ring on your own accord will incur a warning, which can be followed by loss of points. Purposely leaving the ring for any reason, for example to avoid being scored on, to deny your opponent a positional advantage, or to run out the clock, will incur a loss of points.

  • Accidentally stepping out of the ring while maneuvering out of measure will not incur a loss of points, unless repeated or abused.

  • If a fencer unintentionally leaves the ring in a way that denies their opponent a gained advantage (eg. Red fencer unintentionally steps out of the ring because they repeatedly retreated from Blue fencer without attempting to regain ground) a loss of points may be incurred at the referee’s discretion.

  • Physically pushing or forcing your opponent out of the ring is not allowed and will never score. Throwing or shoving the opponent, such that they fly backwards, or are knocked over out of the ring, are prohibited and will be penalised.

Grappling

Controlled grappling is allowed to gain control of the opponent’s sword. Scoring only takes place one a clean disarm takes place, or a scoring touch with a weapon is made.

If grappling lasts for a long time without any scoring hit, or if any fencer is on the ground, the referee will call “Halt” and reset the exchange. The referee may also interrupt grappling at any time if they judge it is becoming dangerous.

Doubles and afterblows

The London HEMA Open operates on a weighted afterblow system. After a scoring hit with the weapon, there is an opportunity for the struck fencer to attack back

  • Afterblows must be made within one tempo after the initial attack.

  • Doubles are scored when both fencers attack and hit in the same time.

  • Disarms, grappling and pommel strikes do not qualify as scoring double/afterblow actions.

There is no distinction for competitors between doubles and afterblow, however recording doubles is part of the data gathering process when using the HEMA Scorecard tournament management system.

Scoring

Doubles and afterblows will be weighted against each other.

PenalTies

The London HEMA Open follows two main principles:

  • Control (do not use excessive force, prohibited techniques and targets etc.)

  • Good Conduct (respecting the boundaries of the fight, showing respect to fencers and staff)

Referees are given wide powers of discretion​ in both deciding what is a foul, and what penalty is appropriate.

Penalties

  1. Informal warning - a verbal caution for the fencer to adjust their behaviour. This is unrecorded, and used for minor or accidental infractions.

  2. Formal warning - a recorded warning. This will be applied for more serious infractions or repeated minor infractions.

  3. Penalty point - score deduction of 1 point. This may be applied at the same time as a formal warning. Any further warning following the first formal warning should result in a point deduction.

    1. This point deduction supersedes any scoring action by the penalised fencer. For example, if Blue fencer’s cut to the head is judged to be excessive force, they do not score the normal 3 points and receive a point deduction from their prior score.

  4. Disqualification - the fight immediately ends in a loss for the disqualified fencer and is no longer allowed to participate in the tournament. Organisers may also ban the fencer from future tournaments and pass on their name to other event organisers. This is applied for the most serious penalties or repeated infractions.

  5. Removal of protest right - the fencer will no longer be able to protest calls. This will be used if a fencer uses the right of protest inappropriately or in bad faith

Examples of fouls:

  • Failing to obey ​or ignoring a referee’s instructions, including continuing to attack after a halt is called.

  • Deliberately removing equipment after kit check

  • Deliberately or negligently injuring an opponent (or dangerous actions ​likely to do so) this covers not just banned techniques such as joint locks, but also uncontrolled strikes with the weapon.

  • Deliberately hitting illegal targets.

  • Striking the floor.

  • Repeatedly leaving the ring

  • Throws and kicks.

  • Turning the back to the opponent.

  • Interfering with the conduct of the bout​­, calling halts without reason, repeated protests against referee’s calls without reason, etc…

  • Unsporting conduct,​­ verbal abuse of opponent or officials, displays of disrespect, etc…

Eligibility

The London HEMA Open reserves the right to share information on fencers who we disqualify for serious infractions. The LHO shares the list of banned fencers - if a fencer has been banned or disqualified from another tournament, this ban applies to our events as well.