The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.

You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

And regulation entails organizational effectiveness, a chain of command, and a structure for logistical support.

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.

Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.