Fencers come on guard when the Referee gives the order ‘On Guard’, after which the Referee asks, ‘Are you ready?’. On receiving an affirmative reply, or no reply, the referee gives the command for fencing to commence with the word ‘Play’.
Fencers are always put on guard, whether at the beginning of the bout or, subsequently, in the centre of the width of the piste. When placed on guard during the bout, the distance between the two fencers with their arms extended straight and the blades in line, the points of the two blades do not make contact.
After the scoring of a valid hit the fencers are put on guard in the middle of the piste. If no hit is awarded they are replaced in the position which they occupied when the bout was interrupted.
The bout stops on the word ‘Halt’. Directly the order ‘Halt’ has been given, a fencer may not start a new action; only the movement which has begun before the order was given remains valid. Everything which takes place afterwards is entirely non-valid (see Rules: On Guard).