Last night I was fencing a student and we found ourselves facing eachother in one of those Kurosawa pauses that sometimes happens when two people who know each others moves very well are watching and waiting. I realized his right side was open and his left was guarded. He knew this as well and we were both chambered for cuts-to-longpoint-thrusts, which was the ideal move at that range.
I realized two things in that moment: one, I remembered that I have a known-in-the-club tendency to twitch right before I launch an attack. It’s a nervous habit that I only really manifest under stress. It’s hard to break. Two, I realized that he could reasonably expect me to attack his right. I also frequently take obvious openings because I can often make it not matter that a defense is prepared by being more efficient than my opponent. 16 years of fencing will do that.
So there I am, knowing what move is expected and how it’s being prepared for. So I made a gamble. I twitched voluntarily to provoke the attack to cover their right while skewering me. At the same time I moved very slightly off-line to the side and shot my sword not at his right but at the much MUCH smaller pocket of his left armpit, going over the top of his sword as his point shot over my shoulder and past my head. It landed perfectly.
I’m telling this story because I think there’s a lesson in Liechtenauer’s teachings here that can be applied in general. I did not goad my friend into making a mistake, because he didn’t make one. Based on his own knowledge and experience and high level of skill he did exactly what he should’ve done. I used his intelligence and experience against him.
The lesson that I’ve been rolling around in my head this morning is this: what seems like the sensible choice can in fact be the other person using our own understanding of what is real, and even our extensive knowledge of our area of expertise, against us. You can be played by your own brilliance, sometimes, especially if your opponent is a little clever, knows you well, and leverages it against you.
This works on a lot of levels: moral, intellectual, philosophical. I sort of already knew it, but I’m grateful to a skilled peer and a good exchange for reminding me of it.
You’re never immune to being played by your own ability.
Take from that what you will.
