The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

Pretend to be weak, so your enemy may grow arrogant.

Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation.

It is more important to outhink your enemy, than to outfight him

What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

And therefore only the enlightened sovereign and the worthy general who are able to use the most intelligent people as agents are certain to achieve great things.

Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy; forceful execution of even a poor plan can often bring victory.