Introduction

"I like the OTN and have been using it since I ran across it six or so months ago. As with any domain-specific notation, it takes a little practice to get comfortable with, but you can pick up 90% of what you need in a Sunday afternoon. My coach asks that I write down the phrases we work on in lessons... the OTN is far easier to scrawl after a lesson than English or some idiosyncratic abbreviation thereof. More importantly, I find that the OTN makes it much easier to recall those phrases later."

— PhineasGage, cool online guy,
Nov 2004

Half of all conversations about fencing tactics are lost in hand-waving, definition-making, and backtracking to clarify what was said thirty seconds ago. Fencing needs an abstract way to represent actions, a notation that can serve as a starting point for discussion of the nuances that invariably crop up around the actions.

The notation has to be simple and easy to remember. It should be able to show all the simple actions, but also show complexity when needed. It has to work via email or word processor — so there can't be fancy characters, layout, or hand-drawn figures.

Why "Oxford" system? There are some other tactical notation systems out there, so the "Oxford" distinguishes this one from the rest.

In the examples below, don't worry about understanding all the characters. They become clear pretty quickly. If you want the language definition, it's here.

What is Oxford Notation good for?

You can write out actions during fencing arguments. You can note actions that fencers use onstrip. You can write drills for students and classes. You can create your own etudes — fencing "katas."

How to write an Attack, parry riposte

C A	{Coach attacks.}
S P R	{Student parry ripostes.}

Line one is the first part of the phrase, line two is the reaction. How simple! What more could we possibly need? We could get more specific with the targets.

C A4	{Coach attacks to the 4 target.}
S P4 R4	{Student parries 4, ripostes to 4 target.}
S cP6 R6	{Or, student circle-parries 6, ripostes 6.}

Line one is the first part, lines two and three show two possible options for the student.

What else is there? Lefty-vs-Righty considerations.

Cl A4	{Left-handed coach attacks to the 4 target.}
Sr P4 R6	{Right-handed student parries 4, ripostes to 6 target.}
Sr cP6 R4	{Or, righty student circle-parries 6, ripostes 4.}

In writing drills, there can also be decision making. How does a foil student know when to make a lateral parry 4, and when to make a circular parry 6?

C A4/A4+	{Coach attacks to the 4 or deep 4 target.}
S P4 R4	{Student parries 4, ripostes to 4 target.}
C A4-	{Coach attacks to the near 4 target.}
S cP6 R6	{Student circle-parries 6, ripostes 6.}

How to write some footwork

We can't leave out the footwork…

C a a a...	{Coach starts a marching attack.}
S hr a L	{Student executes Bucky Leach's "getawaygo", a half-retreat advance lunge.}
S rr line	{Or, student double retreats and presents a line.}
S a P R	{Or, student can step in with a parry riposte.}

How to write a long phrase

Long phrases look like short phrases, only with more indentations. Here is a parry riposte set of stacked actions, the sort you would find near the beginning of an advanced foil lesson.

C A	{Coach attacks}
S r P4 R4
C ctrP6 F6/R6	{Coach counter-parries 6, and ripostes (or feints) to the 6 target.}
S P6	{Attempts to parry.}
C D4	{Disengages/derobes around parry to 4 target.}
S P4 R4

How crazy can Oxford Notation get?

Pretty crazy. This is a worst case scenario!

C [Ihi#4 a#8] [Ilo#4 aa#8] F6+#8 F8#8 j#8 -#4: \P7#16 Fl6+#16

{Coach prepares forward with fast steps and slow circular hand movement, jumps — pauses for reaction, and picks it up with a flying parry 7 flick to shoulder.}

If you use this phrase to explain something, you should be shot.

Where to go from here?

You can learn the language definition, and see how specific this notation can get. (Click here.)

You can look at Oxford Notation for (among other moves), the German invitation marching attack, the force-of-will attack, the chest whip attack, the dancing Russian attack. There are also some drills. (Click here.)

You can write comments to the author, Walter Flaschka.