What is it about?

This article explores an ingenious strategy from an ancient Chinese legend. In the story, General Tian Ji races horses against the King of Qi. Rather than simply placing the horses (which would have resulted in a loss), he rearranges the order of the horses—sacrificing one to win the other two—and ultimately secures victory. The author uses mathematics and probability theory to summarize this idea. He shows how this strategy can be applied to many situations involving powerful opponents, such as business, sports, and negotiations. This article calculates the probability of winning, drawing, or losing based on how you arrange the horses.

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Why is it important?

It teaches us a profound lesson: You don't have to win every battle to win the war. In today's fiercely competitive world, smaller or weaker players (such as startups or underdog teams) can still succeed through clever competitive strategies. They can sacrifice short-term gains for long-term success. This strategy is particularly applicable to small companies competing against larger companies, teams with fewer resources, and any team facing unfair or intense competition. It transforms ancient wisdom into a modern decision-making tool.

Perspectives

Potential applications of this strategy include business planning (e.g., product launches, resource allocation), game theory and operations research, and negotiation and competitive strategy. It encourages strategic thinking—focusing on timing, order, and wise sacrifices rather than brute force. Future research could explore how this model works in real-world contexts such as sports, investing, and even politics.

Professor Jian-Jun SHU
Nanyang Technological University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: On Generalized Tian Ji’s Horse Racing Strategy, Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, June 2012, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1179/0308018812z.00000000014.
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