Sun Tzu's The Art of War:
The Classic Book for All Seasons

(continued)

Favorite Quotes

"Understand the principles (as in Sun Tzu's principles on warfare) and the enemy will be vanquished." Sun Tzu

"Generally, he (who) occupies the field of battle first and awaits his enemy at ease; he who comes later to the scene and rushes into the fight weary." Sun Tzu

"Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuver. What is difficult about maneuver is to make the devious route the most direct and to turn misfortune to advantage." Sun Tzu

"He who knows the art of the direct and the indirect approach will be victorious. Such is the Art of Maneuvering." Sun Tzu

"Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack." Sun Tzu

"In planning, never a useless move; in strategy, no step taken in vain." Chen Hao

"Those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating a situation to creating a situation to which he must confront' they entice him with something he is certain to take, and lures of ostensible profit they await him in strength." Sun Tzu

"Use the most solid to attack the most empty." Ts'ao Ts'ao

"If you are able to hold critical points on his strategic roads, the enemy cannot come. Therefore Master Wang said: 'When a cat is at the rat hole, ten thousand rats dare not come out; when a tiger guards the ford, ten thousand deer cannot cross.'" Tu Yu

"It is sufficient to estimate the enemy situation correctly and to concentrate your strength to capture him. There is no more to it than this. He who lacks foresight and underestimates his enemy will surely be captured by him." Ts'ao Ts'ao

"Speed is the Essence of War. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precaution." Sun Tzu

"Know the enemy and know yourself;
In a hundred battles you will never be in peril."

"Know the enemy, know yourself;
your victory will never be endangered."

"Know the ground, know the weather;
your victory will then be total." Sun Tzu

"One who has few must prepare against the enemy; one who has many makes the enemy prepare against him." Sun Tzu

"It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled." Sun Tzu

"Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no traces; divinely mysterious, he is audible. Thus he is the master of the enemy's fate." Sun Tzu

"When campaigning, be swift as the wind;
In leisurely march, majestic as the forest;
In raiding and rlundering, like fire;
In standing, firm as the mountain.
As unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt." Sun Tzu

"Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy's purpose." Sun Tzu

"On serious ground, gather in plunder." Sun Tzu

Final Thoughts

In this speed-paced, technologyl-driven global society, can the reading of Sun Tzu's methodology on strategic warfare benefit people of this modern era? My response is that technology may change every six months but the method of deploying strategy will never change. As my business and game associate would say, "Strategy development and deployment is a skill for all seasons."

Understanding Sun Tzu's principles can provide one with a proper framework in learning how to develop a good strategy. While the amateur purely focuses on the tactics, the consummate professional focuses on the strategy. In the art of war, strategy is everything. In most conflicts, the strategist usually surpasses the tactician in macro- and micro-victories.

M.E. Hom is a professional amateur game strategist who's currently utilizing the principles of Sun Tzu and 36 stratagems into his "Go" game.