In China there supposedly lived a man named Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu was reported to have lived between 500 and 320 B.C. His tomb has never been found and there is some speculation on who he really was. His military tactics and strategies have lasted more than a millennia and still apply today. Sun Tzu’s wisdom transitions seamlessly from the battlefield to the poker tables. Having finished reading the Art of War for the second time I realized his warfare strategies work well in Texas Hold'em and other poker variations. Here are a collection of his more famous quotes and the situations that applies to poker.

 

“All warfare is based on deception.” – Your style of play must adapt with each hand, opponent, and situation. It can be profitable to act weak when you have a strong hand. Set traps for your opponent to fall into.

 

“Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.” – If someone has gotten lucky and outdrawn you let them think they are better than you and wait for another opportunity to stack them.

 

“If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him.” – Put your opponent on tilt.

 

“The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities... It is best to win without fighting.” – Win the dead money pre-flop by applying pressure and aggression.

 

“If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.” – Pay attention to all of your opponents and yourself. Be mindful of how table dynamics can alter the game.

 

“If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” – By having knowledge of your opponents you can be more certain of how they will act and why. This will allow you to maximize your profit at minimal risk.

 

Sun Tzu constantly preaches having knowledge available whether from spies or personal experience. Knowing what your opponent will do is critical to how you respond to ensure victory. Make sure you have a plan, when you act blindly you get yourself into sticky situations. Now that you have some of Sun Tzu’s knowledge here is one last quote to those of you looking to move up in limits.

 

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”