Exchange of Thrusts
Wide Play - Verse 37
Void offline while crossing opponent's thrust, riposte high
Translation
This technique is called the Exchange of Thrusts. When your opponent thrusts at you, immediately advance your front foot off the line of attack. Then pass with your rear foot to the side, also moving off the line. As you do this, cross his sword with your hands held low while directing your point upward into his face or chest.
Fiore's Words
I am the Exchange of Points, a cruel deception: In all the art, no thrust is more false than mine. You thrust at me with your point, and I give you this reply: I move off the line to make myself secure; my hands cross low while my point rises high, and suddenly your face or chest receives my steel.
Combat Context
This is a counter to a direct thrust in wide play (zogo largo), before you have come to grips. The technique exploits the opponent's commitment to a linear attack by voiding offline and simultaneously controlling their blade while delivering a counter-thrust. The deceptive element lies in appearing to receive the thrust while, in fact, exchanging it for your own from a position of safety.
Training Notes
- ✦ The footwork is critical: advance the front foot first to begin moving off-line, then pass the rear foot to complete the void to the side
- ✦ Keep your hands low during the crossing action to control the opponent's blade from below their thrust line
- ✦ The point should rise naturally as you extend into the opponent's face or chest, don't lift with the arms, but rather direct through proper body mechanics
- ✦ Practice the timing: the advance must be 'subito' (sudden/immediate) as the opponent commits to the thrust
- ✦ The crossing action should redirect the opponent's blade while simultaneously delivering your counter-thrust
This is card FL37 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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[26v-a] ¶ Questo zogho si chiama scambiar de punta e se fa per tal modo zoe. Quando uno te tra una punta. subito acresse lo tuo pe ch'e denançi fora de strada, e cum l'altro pe passa ala traversa anchora fora di strada, traversando la sua spada cum cum[20] gli toi brazzi bassi, e cum la punta dela tua spada erta in lo volto o in lo petto come depento.
This play is named “The Exchange of Points”,[17] and it is done like this: when your opponent thrusts at you, quickly advance your front foot off the line, and with the other foot step to the side,[18] also moving off the line, crossing his sword with your hands[19] low and with your point high into his face, or chest, as you see drawn here.
[14v-c] Questo zogo che se chiama scambiare de punta, e se fa per tal modo zoe quando te tra una punta subito acrese lo tuo pe denanci fora de strada a cum l'altro pe passa ala traversa anchora fora de strada, atraversando la sua spada cum gli toii brazi bassi, E cum la punta dela spada erta in lo volto o in lo petto come e aqui dipento.
This play, which is called the Exchange of Thrusts, is made in this way: that is, that when he attacks with the point, quickly advance your forward foot out of the way and with your other foot step to the side (also out of the way), crossing his sword with your arms low and with the point of your sword up in his face or in his chest, as is depicted here.
[20b-c] Aquesto e de punta un crudelle schambiar In l'arte piu falssa punta de questa non se'po'far Tu me trasisti de punta e questa io t'o dada E piu seguro se po far schivando la strada
This is a cruel exchange of thrusts: In the art, a more deceptive thrust than this cannot be made. You attacked me with the point and I have given you this; And I can make more secure it by voiding out of the way.
[15r-a] ¶ Si subito nostrum ludendo vertimus ensem / Sic capiti ut palmis ludendo nocere valemus.
If, suddenly, we turn our sword by means of the play, Thus we have the strength to injure the head using the palm during the play.