Sabre is one of the three modern
fencing weapons, the others being
foil and
epee, it is the modern version of the
cavalry sword. Sabre is described by sabre fencers as being the only real
weapon. Sabre can be used to attack either point-thrusting or
slashing allowing for a variety of
attacks.
The target area of sabre is anything above the hips including the arms, hands, and head. The sabre fencer's uniform includes a metallic jacket called a lamé and a mask which, unlike in foil, is metallic because the head is a valid target. When an attack falls within the valid target area the fencers blade completes a circuit with the lamé or mask and the valid touch light is lit on the scoring machine (red for one fencer green for the other).
Sabre bouts are very brief and violent involving many attacks by both parties before a valid touch is scored. Although out of target touches don't score a point in sabre they also do not stop the action as they do in foil.
Sabre shares with foil the rules of attack priority, meaning that a touch is only valid if the attacker had priority. Priority is established by the referee and is based on who began the attack first, once your opponent has begun an attack you must parry and then you can make a counter-attack, if your counter-attack is successful, even if your opponent hits you before you land the counter-attack, you score the point. an attack that was interrupted by a parry is only valid if the counterattack misses the valid target area.