[Warning: Here ye be spoilers!

This series of articles are all based upon the HBO television series Game of Thrones and will talk about everything that happens from the beginning of the show until the current broadcast at the latter half of the fourth season. Please don't read this article unless you're up to date with the show.]

There’s lots to enjoy from Game of Thrones: from tempo-increasing sexposition, to snappy banter in a bleak world, to the many moral choices made in the grey drab of the Westeros wilderness… this show has it all.

It’s wildly entertaining to watch these fine character actors plot and scheme against each other, but wouldn’t you know it, there is a method behind all of this madness. A Chinese method.

Sun-Tzu created the Art of War as the proverbial textbook on military strategy; this manual served to teach generals the one great lesson: how to win.

Sun-Tzu is also credited with the 36 Strategems, a compilation of strategies and tactics that may be of use to the wily commander who can successfully utilize them. And since Game of Thrones is all about plotting and scheming to triumph over your enemies, all of Sun-Tzu’s 36 Strategems are featured prominently in this epic tale.

A caveat: these aren’t very nice things to learn, but then neither are the characters portrayed by actors on the show. Winning a war or a battle may require a lot from the soldiers that fight it, but it can also ask a lot from the ethical decisions made by its commanders.

As often said in the Game of Thrones, you win or you die, there is no middle ground. Here, then, is how not to die:

Parts 1-6: Winning Strategies

1. Stealthily Cross the Sea Through Guile

Chinese and pinyin: 瞒天过海 (Mán tiān guò hǎi)
Definition: to act in an underhanded way to achieve your objective; basically, lying to get what you want; (literally) to cross the sea by a trick
Original Chinese story: The emperor Tai Zong is tricked to enter a house that is actually a boat that he would not board because he’s afraid of the water; this way, the emperor is safely escorted over the sea.

Lying: it’s wrong, it’s immoral. And yet, it’s a very useful tool to get what we want. All that matters is to be sure your intentions are pure, and then the ends justify the means.

Notable Game of Thrones Examples:

• Anything Littlefinger says, but not so much Varys who often gives rather concise and truthful answers
• Mirri Maz Duur lying to Daenerys Targaryen about being able to heal Khal Drogo in revenge for the death, rape, destruction of her people and temple
• Arya tricking the farmer that the Hound is her father in order to be given hospitality
• Arya tricking Twyin at Harrenhal that the reason she pretends to be a boy because it’s easier to travel, and not because she’s Arya Stark
• Sansa faking her submissiveness upon first being confronted by Lysa that she is going to steal Petyr Baelish from her

2. Beseige Wei to Relieve Zhao

Chinese and Pinyin: 围魏救赵 (Wéi wèi jiù zhào)
Definition:  to counter attack; to relieve the besieged by besieging the besiegers; (literally) to besiege the State of Wei to rescue the State of Zhao
Original Chinese story: When Pang Juan of the State of Wei laid seige to the State of Zhao, he used his entire army, a fact that Tian Ji exploited when he lead a contingent from Qi to attack the State of Wei, empty of soldiers

Another way to say this may be “a good defense is a strong offence”. There isn’t a clear GoT example here. For this to be a true example, the Lannisters should circumvent Robb’s army to march on Winterfell if they were to be besieged.

Notable Game of Thrones Examples:

• Balon Greyjoy attacking the North when the Starks are busy fighting the Lannisters
• The easy routing of a Winterfell empty of soldiers by Theon Greyjoy

3. Kill Using a Borrowed Knife

Chinese and Pinyin: 借刀杀人 (Jiè dāo shā rén)
Definition:  to attack using the strength of another; to get somebody else to do your dirty work for you; (literally) to lend a knife to kill somebody
Original Chinese Story:  The King of Zheng managed to get the State of Kuai to kill its own people by publishing a list of conspirators that the King of Kuai became irrationally angry over.

According to the 36 Strategems, the best way to do something is not to do it yourself, but but trick someone else into doing it for you. Another notable example of the “master manipulator” is Ryan O’Reilly from OZ.

Notable Game of Thrones Examples:

• Littlefinger persuading Lysa Arryn to poison her own husband John Arryn, and then writing to her sister Cathlyn Stark to blame the Lannisters, which would then initiate the War of the Five Kings
• The Tullys encouraging Sansa to marry Ser Loras as a way to keep her away from Lannister influence, but not succeeding
• Cersei forcing Sansa to write a letter asking Robb to stand down his army and swear fealty to Joffrey
• This strategem does not include Viserys trying to use Karl Drogo’s army to take over Westeros for him as it was much too obvious and not a subtle at all

4. Gather Strength Through Patience

Chinese and Pinyin: 以逸待劳 (Yǐyìdàiláo)
Definition: to wait for the enemy to wear themselves out; to nurture one’s strength and bide one’s time
Original Chinese Story: Gao Lu ordered his Lu forces to only attack Qi by the third charge of the battle; by then, Qi forces were already tired from their exertion

This means to manage your resources of stamina and energy better than your enemies.

Notable Game of Throne Examples:

• The strategy employed by the Lannister forces from season three onwards by not meeting Stark forces on open ground; instead, they try to keep one step ahead of them and win through attrition; also known as the “Fabian strategy”.
• In a practical example, Bronn the Sellsword wins the trial by combat for Tyrion at the Eyrie by constantly dodging Ser Vardis Egen’s attacks and waiting for the fully-armored knight to get tired before attacking. It’s noted from Lysa that he “didn’t fight with honor,” something Bronn accepts, but then he points out that he is still alive.
• Is also the one strategy Bronn brings up to win against the Mountain when Tyrion asks Bronn to fight for him again.

5. Plunder a Burning House

Chinese and Pinyin: 趁火打劫 (Chèn huǒ dǎ jié)
Definition: to profit from somebody’s misfortune; (literally) to steal from a house that is on fire
Original Chinese story: An evil abbot tries to steal Tripikata’s beautiful robe by setting their bedroom on fire; meanwhile, a bear spirit shows up and steals it for himself.

You can always do the honorable thing and not kick your opponent when he is down… or you can win by using other people’s misfortune to your benefit. This tactic covers the real estate trick of purchasing houses from people who have just died, and stealing boots off a dead hobo.

Notable Game of Thrones Example:

• the Hound trying to take Sansa with him during the chaos battle of Blackwater Bay
• (counter example) Syrio Forrel tells Arya Stark that being anxious and afraid about her father’s imprisonment means that it’s a good time to practice sword-fighting

6. Clamor in the East, Attack from the West

Chinese and Pinyin: 声东击西 (Shēng dōng jī xī)
Definition: to misdirect; a diversion; (literally) to make a feint to the east but attack from the west
Original Chinese story: Zhu Jun was able to suppress the Yellow Scarves rebellion by sending false word that he was going to attack the southwest corner of the city of Wan, but instead attacked the northeast corner.

This is usually known as the “oldest trick in the book”, and it got its name for being so effective. Attracting the enemy’s attention can be a good thing if you know what to do with it. This tactic is also otherwise best known for everything having to do with magic and illusionists.

Notable Game of Thrones Examples:

• The capture of Jamie Lannister by Robb Stark using a feint at Battle of the Whispering Woods
• The assassin use of a fire to distract Winterfell personel before attempting to kill Brandon Stark

Do you have anymore examples you can think of? Please add them in the comments below. But please, no book spoilers!

[To be continued in parts 7-36]

Photos: Game of Thrones Wiki