Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I will reserve all judgement until the oddsmakers update the betting line's tomorrow morning and the exchange market moves.

In warfare - you have five essentials for victory.

* (1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

* (2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

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

* (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

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

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

None of that really has anything to do with winning a debate ... but I think the next part in the good book tells how.

* The good debaters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

* To secure themselves against defeat lies in their own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

* Thus the good debater is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

* Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.