Counter - Short Point
Wide Play - Verse 46
Mirror opponent's sword turn while passing left to thrust
Translation
This is a counter to the False Point or Short Point attack. When your opponent strikes at your sword and then turns his sword around to strike you from the other side, immediately mirror his movement by turning your sword around his in the same manner. As you do this, pass sideways to the left (traversing) to reach his exposed side. From this position, thrust the point into his face. This counter works both in armour and without armour.
Fiore's Words
You tried to trick me with your Deceitful Thrust, turning your blade to strike where I don't adjust. But I turned with you, mirroring your game, and stepped aside to catch you all the same. Now my point sits firm against your face. Your clever play is gone without a trace. In armour or without, this counter's true: What you would do to me, I do to you.
Combat Context
Counter to an opponent who uses a feint or light strike against your sword to draw a reaction, then rapidly turns their blade to attack from another angle. The False Point technique relies on misdirection - making you defend one line while they attack another. This counter defeats that strategy by matching their turn while using footwork to gain positional advantage, so your thrust arrives first, even though they initiated the attack.
Training Notes
- ✦ The key is simultaneous action: as the opponent turns their sword, you turn yours in the same direction while moving your body
- ✦ The traverse step to the left creates an angular advantage - you move off their line while maintaining your point toward them
- ✦ Practice the mirroring motion so your sword follows the same circular path as theirs, but you remain in control
- ✦ The initial strike to your sword is often light or probing - don't overcommit to defending it
- ✦ Your point should naturally arrive at their face as a result of the combined turning and stepping motion
- ✦ In armour, this works because the thrust threatens gaps in face protection; without armour, any facial thrust is effective
- ✦ Timing is critical - begin your turn and step the moment you feel their sword contact and sense the turning motion beginning
Related Techniques
This is card FL46 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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[27v-b] ¶ Questo si'e lo contrario del zogho che m'e denançi, zoe de punta falsa overo di punta curta. E questo contrario si fa per tal modo. Quando lo scolaro fieri in la mia spada, in la volta ch'ello da ala sua spada Subito io do volta ala mia per quello modo che lui da volta ala sua. Salvo che io passo a la traversa per trovar lo compagno piu discoverto. E si gli metto la punta in lo volto. E questo contrario e bono in arme e senza.
This play is the counter to the previous play, the False Point or the Short Point. And this counter is made like as follows: when the student strikes my sword lightly and then turns his sword around to the other side, I turn my sword around his in exactly the same way, stepping sideways to the left as I do so to gain his unprotected side. From here I can make a thrust into his face. And this counter is good both with or without armor.
[21b-d] Per punta falssa che tu me volisti ferir Voltando mi e la spada lo contrario o'fenir Si che la punta t'o posta in lo volto Per modo che tuto lo zogho t'o tolto
To the Deceitful Thrust that you wanted to strike at me, I have struck the counter by turning myself and my sword Such that I have positioned my point in your face, In this way I have removed all of your plays.