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[Ch'en Hao says: "He plans no superfluous marches, he devises no

futile attacks." The connection of ideas is thus explained by

Chang Yu: "One who seeks to conquer by sheer strength, clever

though he may be at winning pitched battles, is also liable on

occasion to be vanquished; whereas he who can look into the

future and discern conditions that are not yet manifest, will

never make a blunder and therefore invariably win."]

Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory,

for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

14. Hence the skilful fighter puts himself into a position which

makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for

defeating the enemy.

[A "counsel of perfection" as Tu Mu truly observes. "Position"

need not be confined to the actual ground occupied by the troops.

It includes all the arrangements and preparations which a wise

general will make to increase the safety of his army.]