Narrow Play - Verse 55
Cross, close, sword-to-neck throw with elbow control
Translation
This technique is performed against an opponent's crosswise strike from the left. Meet their strike with your own crosswise strike from your left side. Immediately after crossing, advance into close range while maintaining your cover. As you close, grasp your own sword at the middle with your left hand while throwing the sword around your opponent's neck. Place your right foot behind their right foot. Pinch or control their right elbow with your left hand as you apply the sword to their neck. From this position, execute a throw by leveraging the sword against their neck while your foot blocks their base, taking them to the ground.
Fiore's Words
Against your crosswise blow from the left, I meet you with mine from the same side. Then, as swift as thought, I enter close under cover and seize my own blade at the middle. Around your neck, I cast my sword like a snare, my left hand pinching your right elbow. My right foot stands behind yours on the right. Thus, similar to the last play, I bring you down into the deep earth, and I accomplish this while I myself remain standing on my feet, leaving you with little honour.
Combat Context
This technique counters an opponent's committed crosswise strike, typically during the transition from wide to narrow play. After successfully meeting their attack with your own crosswise strike, you exploit the moment of contact to aggressively close the distance. The technique capitalises on controlling the opponent's weapon arm while applying a devastating throw using your sword as a lever. This is an advanced close-quarter technique that requires good timing on the initial crossing and confident entry into grappling range.
Training Notes
- ✦ The initial crossing must provide sufficient cover to safely enter close range
- ✦ When grasping your own sword in the middle, maintain control of both ends
- ✦ The left hand performs double duty: controlling the opponent's right elbow and helping guide your sword around their neck
- ✦ Foot placement is critical; your right foot behind their right foot creates the blocking base for the throw
- ✦ The sword acts as a lever against the neck, while the foot blocks backward movement
- ✦ Practice the transition from crossing to close entry smoothly and quickly, as Getty emphasises 'subito' (quickly/suddenly)
- ✦ The throw works by combining the neck lever with the leg sweep/block created by your foot position
- ✦ Control the elbow to prevent the opponent from defending or countering during the setup
Related Techniques
This is card FL55 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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[30r-b] ¶ Questo zogho se fa per tal modo zoe che uno vada cum lo colpo mezano contra lo mezano de parte riversa e subito vada cum coverta ale strette, e butti la spada al collo del compagno como qui e depento. Buttar lo po in terra senzo fallimento.
This play is performed as follows: against a crosswise strike from his left, you meet it with a crosswise strike of your own from your left.[2] Then you quickly move to close range under cover, and then throw your sword around your opponent’s neck, as you see drawn here. From here you can easily throw him to the ground.
[15r-d] Questa e una altra presa de butar uno in terra cum tuta la spada. Zoe che aquesto scolar incrosa cum lo zugadore della parte dritta e passa ale strete, e cum la mane sua stancha penze lo cubitto dritto del zugadore. E subito gle butta la spada al collo piglando la sua propia spada al mezo. Ello suo dritto pe dredo lo suo dritto dello zugadore. Acosi lo butta[3] in terra cum pocho honore.
This is another catch to throw someone to the ground, sword and all—that is, that this Scholar crosses with the player on the right side and steps into the narrow; he pinches the right elbow of the player with his left hand, and then quickly he throws his sword to [the player's] neck, grasping his own sword at the middle (his right foot behind the right of the player). In this way, he throws [the player] to the ground with little honor.
[30r-c] ¶ Te similj in terram ludo consternimus altam. Hoc quoque perficiam. pedibus tamen ipse[4] manebo.
During a similar play, we bring you down into the deep earth. I will accomplish this also; nevertheless I myself <I> remain on my feet.