The piste or strip is the playing area. Regulations require the piste to be 14 meters long and between 1.8 and 2 meters wide; the last two meters on each end are hash-marked, so as to warn a fencer before he/she backs off the end of the strip. There is also a 1.5 meter runoff to allow fencers who flèche. The piste is also marked at the center and at the "en guard" lines, located two meters either side of the center line. Retreating off the end of the strip with both feet gets a touch against. Going off the side of the strip with one foot halts the fencing action. The fencers then return to the piste, with the each fencer able to fully extend their arm and blade without either fencer's point past where the fencer left the piste. Going off the side with both feet gets a penalty of the loss of one meter, and if this results in the offender going off the end of the strip, a touch is awarded to his opponent. After each touch, fencers begin again at the en guard line, 4 meters apart, or if these lines are not available, roughly at a position where their blades can nearly touch when fully extended. If no touch is scored but play was halted, the fencers come en guard at the position they were stopped.

The Piste.