The chapter develops the principle of striking at emptiness, defending fullness. Avoid what is strong, strike what is weak. Like water flowing along the ground, the army should flow around obstacles and pour through gaps.
The strategist's task is to make the enemy fight where he chooses, on his terms, while presenting an unreadable shape. The opponent who must defend everywhere is strong nowhere. By concentrating force on a chosen point of weakness while threatening many points, the smaller force defeats the larger.
The deeper move is informational: be everywhere visible to the enemy in some form, but invisible at the decisive point. Let him chase rumors and threats so that his actual defense thins. When he protects his front, his rear is weak; when he protects his right, his left is weak.
The civilian application: do not contest strength directly. Find the place where the opposition has not invested, where attention has not yet arrived, and concentrate effort there. Most contests are won by where the fight happens, not by which side is stronger overall.
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