Giocco Stretto or "close playing" is the Italian style of close-combat with longswords, comparable with the German Ringen am Schwert.

In his masterwork, the Flos Duellatorum, Fiore dei Liberi illustrates and describes a wide variety oftechniques for using the longsword at close-quarters. Recognising that in actual combat the action may quickly and unexpectedly shift into  grappling range, dei Liberi and other Italian Maestrii refined a strategy of deflecting, controlling and neutralising an enemy's attack. Many neutralising options are given, including counter-thrusts and slicing cuts, disarms, jointlock restraint holds and throws.

Giocco Stretto links

The HACA has many illustrations from the Flos Duellatorum here .

AEMMA's Flos Duellatorum pages are available here .