Notation Legend

This page holds the full Saber Standard Notation vocabulary. It is the reference for every notation symbol.

For first-time readers, start with the six beginner lines in Targets, Attacks, and Parries. The tables below include the wider twelve-line reference for notation lookup.

Reference page

This page is meant for lookup. Beginners do not need to memorize every symbol before practicing CM-A.

Printable one-pager

The Quick Start Guide puts the target diagrams, the CM-A to CM-J sequences, and their telegraphs on a single printable page.

Targets are named from the attacker's perspective, using the hours of a clock face placed on the partner.

Full attack reference

A plain number is an attack toward that target line.

Symbol	Meaning	Status
1	1-o'clock attack	Beginner core
2	2-o'clock attack	Full reference
3	3-o'clock attack	Beginner core
4	4-o'clock attack	Full reference
5	5-o'clock attack	Beginner core
6	6-o'clock attack	Full reference
7	7-o'clock attack	Beginner core
8	8-o'clock attack	Full reference
9	9-o'clock attack	Beginner core
10	10-o'clock attack	Full reference
11	11-o'clock attack	Beginner core
12	12-o'clock attack	Full reference

Full parry reference

A number followed by P is a parry against an attack to that target.

Symbol	Meaning	Status
1P	Parry an attack to the 1-o'clock target	Beginner core
2P	Parry an attack to the 2-o'clock target	Full reference
3P	Parry an attack to the 3-o'clock target	Beginner core
4P	Parry an attack to the 4-o'clock target	Full reference
5P	Parry an attack to the 5-o'clock target	Beginner core
6P	Parry an attack to the 6-o'clock target	Full reference
7P	Parry an attack to the 7-o'clock target	Beginner core
8P	Parry an attack to the 8-o'clock target	Full reference
9P	Parry an attack to the 9-o'clock target	Beginner core
10P	Parry an attack to the 10-o'clock target	Full reference
11P	Parry an attack to the 11-o'clock target	Beginner core
12P	Parry an attack to the 12-o'clock target	Full reference

Blade and contact symbols

Symbol	Meaning
P	Parry (block)
©	Complete
©A	Complete wide — vertically across
B	Bash
X	Lock
x	Keep the lock into the next move
S+S	Saber stand-off — prolonged lock
H	Hold
Re	Recoil / bounce back
Sbr	Saber

Thrust symbols

Symbol	Meaning
0/3	Thrust directed to target's 3
0/3P	Parry incoming thrust, vertical guard moving toward 3 parry

Body and movement symbols

Symbol	Meaning
S CW	Spin clockwise (left shoulder toward right)
S CCW	Spin counter clockwise (right shoulder toward left)
T180-cw	Turn 180 degrees clockwise
J	Jump — hop
D	Duck
E	Evade
K	Kick
G	Grab
Su	Support
RW	Right wrist

Grip and handedness symbols

Symbol	Meaning
Ig	Inverted grip
Pt	Pitch
1H	One handed
Rh	Right handed
Lh	Left handed

Footwork symbols

Symbol	Meaning
St-B	Step back
St-L	Step left
St-R	Step right
--B	Back

Flourish symbols

Flourish notation describes stylized saber movement layered into choreography.

Symbol	Meaning
Fl-Rev	Reverse flourish (saber spin)
Fl-Fwd	Forward flourish
Fl-F8	Forward 8s flourish
Fl-R8	Reverse 8s flourish
Fl-Sb	Stab flourish
Fl-H	Overhead / helicopter flourish
Fl-P	Vertical front propellor flourish
Fl-RP	Vertical flourish behind your back
Fl-OA	Plum / Obi-Ani flourish

Notation modifiers

Symbol	Meaning
M	Modifier (example: 3PM6 — parry 3 with tip pointing down at 6)
Bl-	Blend (example: Bl-1 is blend 1)
( )	Optional 2nd move of attack or defense

Terms needing confirmation

The following terms have been mentioned in discussion but are not yet confirmed from the current project source material.

Term	Status	Note
Pop	Needs confirmation	Add once the official symbol and definition are confirmed
Th	Needs confirmation	Previously listed here as "forward thrust"; thrusts are otherwise notated 0/3