Translation
With my right hand I will give a round turn to your dagger, directing it about next to your arm which I hold. And your dagger will remain in my hand as a pledge. And then I will deal with you again as you are worth.
Interpretation
Against a fendente stab, you jam the attack with the cover of the 4th master by grabbing your opponents right arm using a sword grip
As your opponent draws their hand back, keep the pressure on with your left hand, pushing back toward their face. With your right hand, you are making a variation on a hooking block.
Slide your right hand up. With your thumb well tucked in, catch the blade on the radial edge of the hand, between the base of the first finger and the thumb. This is the moment shown.
Push forward with your right hip, moving your hand in a tight scooping motion on the inside line. This will turn the blade horizontally. Once you get it past about 90 degrees, roll your hand back so that the thumb faces toward you again. Let the dagger blade roll across the back of your hand. Grab the blade and form a fist with the point extending from the base. Strike your opponent in the face with a hammerfist strike.
Between the picture point and the strike is a distance of about 30 cm. You need to be fast and smooth to make it in time. It is an extreme close range technique, and you will be pretty much standing in their space by the end of it.
Whether the dagger is actually stripped from the hand or not is something of a moot point. The turn means that your opponent will have completely lost control of it. If they do manage to keep a firm grip, by pushing on their arm with your left hand, you are effectively making them stab themselves. The right hand mostly just directs the point.
Having stabbed them in the face, you can easily take the dagger by the handle with your right hand. With your left hand, sweep away any remaining defences, and use your newly acquired dagger to make a finishing strike. Continue on with the remainder of the five things you must always do.
Variations on this theme can also be seen in the following plays.
- Dagger – 8th scholar of the 1st master
- Dagger – 5th scholar of the 4th master
- Dagger – 11th scholar of the 5th master
- Dagger – 1st scholar of the 9th master
- Dagger – 2nd scholar of the 9th master
- Dagger – 9th scholar of the 9th master