CSFA Rules of the Duel

Informational Rules:

1. There will be a competition in each of the 3 weapons of Foil, Epee, and Sabre.
2. Each competition will be double elimination.
3. Bouts will be 5 or 10 points long, depending on the number of participants
4. Bouts will be a maxiumum of 10 minutes long.
5. The weapons will each be completed one at a time. The sequence of the weapons will be determined at the beginning of the event by a random method to be selected and executed by the Council at the event site.

Bout Rules:

6. Regulation USFA fencing jackets, masks, plastrons and gloves must be worn and the fencer present when the bout is called.
7. Fencers may not remove any clothing or the mask before the end of the bout; this includes tilting the mask back on the head for any reason.
8. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tollerated. Although there are no rules governing the behavior of participants on and off strip, if a simple, direct majority of the judges and director vote that a specific occurance was the result of a deliberate intent by a fencer to circumvent any of the rules or cause serious harm or combat in a form clearly not within the realm of sword-play (not just fencing), the offending fencer will be guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct. The Director must call for a vote and it must be immediate. Judges who have not participated in a previous tournament can not vote; a non-judge with previous CSFA experience will be substituted for the purposes of the vote.
9. A fencer has one minute to appear on strip once the bout is called. After this minute, if one fencer is present, the bout begins and this fencer may advance down the strip to the end, thus forcing the other fencer off strip in abscence and thus get the point. This procedure is repeated until the other fencer shows up or the bout is decided. If both fencers are absent after the minute, both fencers are disqualified from that weapon.
10. The wining fencer must remain on strip and immediately consume the required poison in a rapid fashion once it has been handed to them. Only after the drink is consumed may the fencer leave the strip.
11. A fencer must remain on their feet or knees at all times while on strip.

    Violation of bout rules 6,7 or 8 results in immediate forfeit of the bout by the offending fencer.
    Violation of bout rules 10 or 11 results in a loss of 2 points by the offending fencer and the bout continues.

Point Rules:

12. Once a bout begins, fencers may not leave the strip until the fencing is completed. The losing fencer may then leave the strip; the winner must remain as described in the Bout Rules.
13. If a fencer falls to his/her knees, they have 5 seconds to regain their feet.
14. No talking by any fencer is permitted once the masks have been lowered until the fencer has left the strip after the bout.
15. All points are final as judged. No point may be contested by any fencer on strip; fencers are not allowed to communicate with judges or the director with the only exception being acknowledgement of a touch against oneself. This honorable acknowledgement is performed by raising ones hand and saying "TOUCH". However, this action is only a sign to the director, who still has final say on how the point is ruled; the director can overrule an acknowledgement!

    Violation of any point rule results in a point being awarded to the opponent of the offending fencer. If this results in a victory, a point is lost by the offending fencer instead.

Tournment Rules:

16. Poisons of choice will be accepted in lieu of Southern Comfort before the event, but they must be approved by the organizing committee at which point they will be placed in the official Chest of Poisons. Once the event has started, fencers may only choose from items in the Chest of Poisons. Alternative poisons must be consumed in sufficient quantity to reach the equivalent strength of 40% by volume of Southern Comfort and MUST be placed in the chest sealed as manufactured to be allowed. Minimum damage will be one shot glass.
17. Winners in each weapon will be awarded a medal and are declared champions elect. To claim the prize, the champion must be standing on their own power, awake, and coherant at midnight during the Tournament Party, at which point the awards will be given out in the Awards Ceremony. If a victor is not able to claim the Prize at midnight, it will be awarded to the second place fencer. Attempts by second and third place fencers to distract or incapacitate the victors is encouraged so long as no illegal actions such as kidnapping, assault, or administering of unknown drugs is performed on the champions elect.
18. All participants will be required to sign a statement of understanding before the duel to acknowledge they have read the rules as well as the Acceptance of Responsibility Statement.

    Violation of a tournament rule results in ejection from the tournament for the offending fencer.