Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-26636534-20171019193715/@comment-734582-20171020070653

UntappedRage wrote: You can also say the same for characters of the same power-level, as Madara has never really truly "outsmarted" Naruto / Sasuke in a battle, so to speak. Deciding to launch Infinite Tsukuyomi instead, hoping they would fall under it's effects, it wasn't really outsmarting them, as they knew what he was about to do. He took the safe route, anticipating it would be effective, however was countered by Sasuke who theorized his Rinnegan enhanced Susanno could cancel it out.

So Sasuke outsmarted Madara trying to outsmart him. Yep. I mostly agree, but find this argument to be a bit weird. Madara vs Sasuke/Naruto wasn't really an outsmarting battle since they were all obtaining new powers they hadn't really used before. Naruto and Sasuke did a few clever tactics and Marada dodged or avoided several of them, putting them on a similar level tactics-wise.

Madara went for IT however because the two were cutting it too close for comfort, and rather than squander the comfortable lead he had, Madara in stead made an almost reckless attempt to obtain the second Rinnegan. Once he had that, the Chibaku Tensei were a distraction while he cast IT. Sasuke didn't outsmart him with his Rinnegan because he just figured out that power. As Madara is about to be backstabbed by Zetsu, they're basically still at the same point as the fight started, with no real damage done to either party.