Learning Fiore De Liberi

A sword fight can be divided into two sections, Before the Cross, and At The Cross. If you are At The Cross, and uncross, you are now Before the Cross again. There is no After the Cross portion of a fight. This is not to say that every sword fight does, or should, end up At the Cross. I am saying that for the sake of discourse, we can divide the fight into these two pieces.
In an ideal fight, you make a cut, strike your opponent and win. In a less ideal then fight, your opponent doesn't get hit, but you don't either. In the worst case scenario, your opponent hits you and you lose the fight. This all happens in Before the Cross. It's much better to never come to the cross, then it is to come to the cross. However, most fights will come to the cross, and so we must learn to deal with that.
Before the Cross is more of an intellectual pursuit then physical. You attempt to maneuver yourself into a distinct tactical advantage before striking, while your opponent attempts to do the same you. Knowing the wards, their strengths, their weaknesses and reading your opponent are the keys to winning this game.
When the fight starts, both opponents start in a ward (intentionally or not), if one or neither like that, they'll change wards. This can go on for some time, each trying to outguess and outmaneuver the other. This is the intellectual chess game that knowing your wards can allow you to win. It's physical, you have to know how to make a cut after all.
When blades cross, there are options, depending on where the blades cross. Sometimes there are only two options, other times three. The winner here, is the first to act. It's not a game of physical speed at this point, although it's helpful, but mental speed. The first to recognize the cross, orient there thinking, decide which option is best and acts the fastest wins. The only way to win this fight, is to practice.
Practice and study then, are the keys to victory.