When betting on an outcome, place an equal bet with another person on the opposite result. This way, regardless of the actual outcome, you will not incur any net loss.

When drafting onerous contracts, incorporate ambiguous terms that allow for broad or narrow interpretation. For example, upon a city’s surrender, promise to preserve everything if no uprising occurs, without specifying publicly or privately whether this applies to your own soldiers or the city’s inhabitants. If necessary and fairness demands, you can later reject the agreements.

When making promises, include conditional phrases such as “if you perform this or that to my satisfaction” or similar stipulations. This way, it will be easy to find a reason to void the promise by claiming that the conditions were not met to your satisfaction.