Saber Parries: Parry 3, 4, and 5 Explained

Published on Saber Nation: October 15, 2026

The saber parry positions explained: parry 3 for the outside, 4 for the inside, 5 for the head, plus 2 and 1. What USA Fencing t.105 says makes a parry count, common mistakes, and drills.

A parry is a block with your own blade that stops your opponent's cut before it lands. In saber, most defense comes down to a handful of positions, and three of them do almost all of the work: parry 3 (tierce), parry 4 (quarte), and parry 5 (quinte). Parry 2 (seconde) and parry 1 (prime) round out the set.

Below is what each saber parry covers, what the USA Fencing Rules for Competition (October 2026) say makes a parry count, the mistakes that let cuts through, and drills to build them.

What the rules say a parry is

t.9.2 defines the parry as "the defensive action made with the weapon to prevent an offensive action arriving." t.14 splits parries into two kinds:

Simple (direct) parries are made in the same line as the attack.
Circular parries (counter-parries) are made in the opposite line to the attack.

For saber specifically, t.105.2 says a parry "is properly carried out when, before the completion of the attack, it prevents the arrival of that attack by closing the line in which that attack is to finish." Two things follow from that wording:

Timing matters. The parry has to close the line before the cut finishes.
Whip-over doesn't cancel a good parry. If the parry is properly executed, the attack "must be declared parried" even if the tip of the blade flexes over and touches you.

But a weak parry is not enough. t.96.4 says touches "through the blade," meaning cuts that hit both your blade and your target at once, "are valid whenever they arrive clearly on the target." A parry that only brushes the attacking blade can still lose the touch.

The saber parry positions

The descriptions below are for a right-handed fencer. Left-handers mirror them. Saber's target is everything above the waist, including the arms and head (see the saber target area guide), so the parries are built to cover the head, both sides of the body, and the sword arm.

Parry 3 (tierce): the outside

Parry 3 protects your outside line, the sword-arm side of your body: your right flank, right cheek, and sword arm. The hand sits roughly at chest height on the sword-arm side, the blade is close to vertical with the point up, and the cutting edge faces outward toward the incoming cut.

It is the parry most saber fencers rest closest to, because the on-guard position already sits near it. Our grip guide covers the hand position it starts from.

Parry 4 (quarte): the inside

Parry 4 protects your inside line: your chest, belly, and left cheek. From parry 3 the hand moves across your body to the inside, with the blade still roughly vertical and the point up. The edge now faces the inside.

The move from 3 to 4 is the most-practiced change in beginner saber defense. Keep the hand at the same height and move it across, rather than swinging the point.

Parry 5 (quinte): the head

Parry 5 protects the head. The blade goes up and across above your head, roughly horizontal, with the edge facing up and the hand on the sword-arm side. Head cuts are some of the fastest touches in saber, so parry 5 has to go up early and stay firm.

A common correction: keep the blade far enough forward and high enough that a head cut meets the blade, not your mask.

Parry 2 (seconde): low outside

Parry 2 protects the low outside line, the flank below the sword arm. The hand stays on the sword-arm side and the point drops toward the floor. It is used less often than 3, 4 and 5, but it answers cuts that come in low to the flank.

Parry 1 (prime): low inside

Parry 1 protects the low inside line and belly. The hand comes up and across to the inside with the point down. Some fencers use it as an alternative to parry 4 against cuts aimed at the stomach.

Making the parry count

These are coaching habits rather than rules, but each one follows from what t.105 and t.96 require.

Meet the cut with the strong part of your blade. The rules define the forte as "the one-third of the blade nearest the guard" (t.104). A parry made with the forte is much harder to cut through than one made near the tip.
Close the line, don't chase the blade. t.105.2 is about closing the line where the attack will finish. Move your blade to the position and hold it, rather than swinging out at the attacker's blade.
Stay compact. Parries that go too wide leave the opposite side open and slow down your riposte.
Use your feet. Retreating while parrying buys time. In saber, attackers move fast (see the flunge guide), and a parry made at the last instant is the one most likely to be cut through.
Riposte immediately. t.105.1 says the parry gives the right to riposte, but to annul anything the attacker does next, the riposte "must be carried out immediately, without any hesitation or pause." The parry and riposte guide covers how the referee reads that.

How attackers beat parries

Knowing the parries also tells you how attackers try to get past them:

Feints draw a parry to one line so the real cut can go to another. If you find the blade during a feint, though, t.103.2 gives you the right to riposte. See feints in saber.
Disengages go around the parry instead of into it. See disengage in saber.
Compound attacks chain several of these together. See compound attacks.
Remises keep the attack going after a slow or missing riposte. See the remise.

Parry drills

Drill 1: Called parries Partner stands at close distance and calls "3," "4," or "5." You move to the position and hold it for one second. Ten calls, then switch. Focus on a quick move and a firm stop.

Drill 2: Slow cuts, real parries Partner cuts slowly to the flank, chest, or head. You make the matching parry (3, 4, or 5) and riposte to the head. Build speed only when every parry meets the cut with the forte.

Drill 3: Retreat and parry Partner advances and finishes with a lunge and a cut. You retreat with each advance and parry on the final cut, then riposte. This trains parrying with distance, not just with your hand.

Drill 4: Parry 5 under pressure Partner throws only head cuts at varying speeds. You parry 5 and riposte. Head cuts come fast, and this drill builds the habit of getting the blade up early.

For the footwork underneath all of this, see the fencing footwork guide. For how the referee decides who had priority in a parry exchange, see right of way in saber fencing.

Questions

What are the main parries in saber fencing? Parry 3 (tierce) for the outside, parry 4 (quarte) for the inside, and parry 5 (quinte) for the head. Parry 2 (seconde) and parry 1 (prime) cover the low lines.

What is parry 5 in saber? Parry 5, or quinte, protects the head. The blade is held up and across above the head to block head cuts.

What makes a saber parry valid? Under t.105.2, a parry is properly carried out when it closes the line the attack is going to finish in before the attack completes. If it does, the attack is parried even if the blade whips over and the tip touches.

Can a cut go through a parry in saber? Yes. t.96.4 says touches that hit the blade and the target at the same time are valid when they arrive clearly on the target. A firm parry with the forte is the best protection.

What is the difference between a simple and a circular parry? A simple parry is made in the same line as the attack. A circular parry (counter-parry) is made in the opposite line (t.14).

Learn saber defense in Bethesda

Saber Nation is a saber-focused club at 4701 Sangamore Rd, Suite LL2, Bethesda, MD. Work on parries and ripostes one-on-one in private lessons, or start with beginner fencing classes, youth fencing, or adult fencing.

Sources: USA Fencing Rules for Competition, October 2026 (t.9, t.14, t.96, t.103, t.104, t.105).