Sun Tzu Winning Quotations

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.

He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.

Therefore the skilful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.

Know yourself and you will win all battles.

The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

Therefore the victories of good warriors are not noted for cleverness or bravery. Therefore their victories in battle are not flukes. Their victories are not flukes because they position themselves where they will surely win, prevailing over those wh.

If you follow the enemy's shifts and changes, you can always find a way to win.

When you know both yourself as well as your competition, you are never in danger. To know yourself and not others, gives you half a chance of winning. Knowing neither yourself or your competition puts you in a position to lose.

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

Therefore I say: know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.

Winning isn't enough. The acme of all skill is to defeat your enemy before taking the field.

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

Winning Strategists are certain of triumph before seeking a challenge. Losing Strategists are certain to challenge before seeking a triumph.

If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.

Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle.

In warfare, there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent will succeed and win.

When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal.

Know thy enemy and know thy self and you will win a hundred battles.

When you do battle, even if you are winning, if you continue for a long time it will dull your forces and blunt you edge...If you keep your armies out in the field for a long time, your supplies will be insufficient. Transportation of provisions itself consumes 20 times the amount transported.

He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle; a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory.

So there are five ways of knowing who will win. Those who know when to fight and when not to fight are victorious. Those who discern when to use many or few troops are victorious. Those whose upper and lower ranks have the same desire are victorious.