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Djackdau t1_iuhdwzq wrote

Reply to comment by Fortune_Silver in ELI5 How did knights participate in tournaments like jousting without killing themselves? by QuantumHamster

You didn't even need to unhorse the other guy (which would also be quite dangerous). Most of the time it was enough simply to properly break your lance upon their armor.

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UncontrolableUrge t1_iuhueuw wrote

Modern jousting has a point system.

  • 1 point if you touch the shoulder piece of your opponent.
  • 3 points if you hit their shoulder piece with enough force to break your lance.
  • 5 points if you strike them with enough force to unhorse them.

This year at the Ohio Renaissance festival I did not see a single participant unhorsed, but these are friends. But there are no points if you hit them anywhere other than the shoulder piece designed to take a blow, even if you break a lance or unhorse them.

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