I know it's a bit too late for this, but strategic aptitude isn't really about one's intelligence as much as it is about preparation. Yes, one has to be very smart to assemble these plots inconcievable by human standards but when it comes down to it it's about prep. I don't think just because "Character X has "outsmarted" Character Y" makes X any more intelligent than Y, it means that X caught Y by surprise.
Matthew_X's comments