Bad strategy! Alert: hacker
I calculate how many armour points other people have

There are very few people that can do that, the only other one I know is the almighty Gravey4rd.
A troll thing I do that lots of other people do is keep people in the water by fishing rodding them back
I just do an average calculation, not a complete overall head-to-toe scan. Just like 'Leather Chest around 1 (which I know it is) leather pants 1, while I have iron boots, and a leather helmet'
Which is the same.
Many people know but don't use it enough, when using a fishing rod for a stun, use in water etc. switch to another slot in your hotbar and it won't take away durability.
When you guys are mentioning about back up swords, don't necessarily have it in your hotbar, this will take up unnecessary space when you could have it for an ender pearl or whatever, place it above your sword in your inventory. Then if you do accidentally spaz out (yes, I do it as well) just press your inventory key and shift click it in because then you already know where it is. Also do the same with arrows, place it above your bow but in your inventory. With spare flint&steels just place it above the one in your hotbar (and possibly a spare fishing rod incase you press your drop key in the process.
I also agree with Canzianos statement of hotbar order with having the fishing rod in the 9th slot because it is just then 1 flick from fishing rod to sword. Same with your bow. Main reason why flint&steel is 3rd is because you plan out where you're going to place it, you have time change unlike from a bow to sword, or fishing rod to sword.
I can't fishing rod myself forward because I am retarded. But my endless supply of arrows always seems to finish them off.
Be careful of your durability on your flint&steels, always know when it is close to breaking and how many placements are left.
Know how to run. It might seem stupid, but running away/parkour is an amazing skill while running Eg. *Running away sees a one block ledge* majority of people will run straight into and keep on trying to sprint but, if you run diagonal/sideways onto it then flick your mouse back onto the path your were previously taking you will still keep your sprint if done correctly.
Yeh, I was bored so I wrote this.