Tournament Rules

The LHO Ruleset for 2026 has not yet been finalised. While the vast majority of the rules and regulations won’t change, we may make some adjustments before the end of 2025.

The London HEMA Open will be run according to the Wessex League Rules as of September 2025. 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.

  • All warnings are immediately formal. Verbal warnings do not exist.

  • Full list of penalties

    • 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 score as above, but minus 1 point (false edge cut to the head scores 2 points, to the arm scores 1 point)

    • 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.

    • 3 points for a cut made with the rapier to the head

    • 1 point for a thrust to limbs

    • 1 point for a cut to the torso or limbs

    • 1 point for a thrust with the dagger. Dagger cuts don't score.

Ruleset

    • Matches will be fought in pools, followed by direct 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 fencers 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.

    • Tournament managers will try to allocate fights from late running pools onto empty pistes. If this leads to a fencer having back-to-back fights, they will have a maximum of 3 minutes to rest.

    • 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.

    • 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.”

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

    • Fencers may raise a protest after the referee has made their call.

    • Fencers must return to their corner and raise their hand. They may not address their opponent directly.

    • Fencers must wait until approached by the referee to voice their protest.

    • The referee may choose to consult with the other fencer and side judge. The referee may also choose to disregard the protest.

    • Fencers may make a maximum of two protests in their favour. If the protest is upheld, this does not count towards the limit.

    • Fencers may protest to concede hits or upgrade hits received to a deeper target without counting towards the protest limit.

    • Protests must be done in a quiet and controlled manner. Shouting and gesturing is unacceptable and will be penalised.

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.

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

  • 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.

  • Description text goes here

  • 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)

All warnings are immediately formal, with a table of offences available here as a guideline.

Penalties

  1. White Card - reprimand valid for the tournament stage, replaces a verbal warning. No points annulment for offences that would otherwise lead to points annulments

  2. Yellow Card - reprimand valid for the weapon tournament. A more serious ‘final’ warning before penalty hits are awarded

  3. Red Card - reprimand valid for the entire event. Point penalty is awarded.

  4. Black Card - offender is removed from the tournament, and at the discretion of the Tournament Manager, removed from the event. Organisers may also ban the fencer from future tournaments and pass on their name to other event organisers.

  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

Table outlining fou rules categories for a sporting event, such as football, with columns for first, second, and subsequent offenses. The categories include minor penalties, major penalties, extreme penalties, with different consequences marked in white, yellow, red, and black. The table specifies penalties' descriptions, their associated colors, and their consequences for each offense.

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.