Players employ many different offensive strategies with different goals. Most basic strategies are an attempt to create open lanes on the field for the exchange of the disc between the      thrower and the receiver. Organized teams assign positions to the players based on their     specific strengths. Designated throwers are called handlers and designated receivers are    called cutters. The amount of autonomy or overlap between these positions depends on the make-up of the team.

One of the most basic defensive principles is the force. The marker effectively blocks the     handler's access to half of the field, by aggressively blocking only one side of the handler    and leaving the other side open. The unguarded side is called the force side because the      thrower is generally forced to throw to that side of the field.

The guarded side is called the break-force side, or simply break side, because the thrower  would have to "break"    the force to throw to that side. This is done because, assuming evenly matched players, the handler is considered to have an advantage over the marker. It is     considered to be relatively easy for the handler to fake out or outmaneuver a marker who is   trying to block the whole field, and thus be able to throw the disc. Alternatively, it is generally possible to effectively block half of the field.

The simplest defensive strategy is the one-on-one defense (also known as "man-to-man", "man" or simply "person"), where each defender guards a specific offensive player, called their "mark". The one-on-one defense emphasizes speed, stamina, and individual positioning    and reading of the field. Often players will mark the same person throughout the game, giving them an opportunity to pick up on their opponent's strengths and weaknesses as they play. One-on-one defense can also play a part role in other more complex zone defense                strategies.

 Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual          respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the basic joy  of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the        Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression,               intentional fouling, or other 'win-at-all-costs' behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game    and must be avoided by all players.