That when properly formed, it protects the arm and body from all cuts,
and the sword is in the best position to defend the head and leg, which
may be done by merely raising and lowering the hand. In other guards you
have to turn the point down in addition to doing so.
Simply raising or lowering the hand will also parry the thrusts, however
high or low or at whatever part they may be aimed. Tierce and quarte,
which are the other engaging guards usually taken, only defend the right
and left breasts.
The hand and point are also better placed in it than in other guards for
giving the stop thrusts and time thrusts by opposition, and all attacks
except those directed at the head.
The Engaging Guard with the point up is, however, preferred and taken by
some sabre players. It is called outside guard or _tierce_ when the hand
is on the right, and inside guard or _quarte_ when on the left side of
the body. In each of these guards one side of the arm is exposed, and
for that and the above-named reasons I do not like either of them so
well as the one with the point down (_high seconde_).