Originally posted by Kurk
It's pretty straight-forward that Dooku was not expecting an all out, fueled by the dark side, raging, Zonakin after he taunted him.
Doesn't matter, if we are basing on Stover's version of that fight. Just as that Stover's statement doesn't matter:
Dooku's decades of combat experience are irrelevant. His mastery of swordplay is useless. His vast wealth, his political influence, impeccable breeding, immaculate manners, exquisite taste—the pursuits wealth, his political influence, impeccable breeding, immaculate manners, exquisite taste—the pursuits his life—are now chains hung upon his spirit, bending his neck before the ax.
Even his knowledge of the Force has become a joke.
It should never be an argument, since in Stover's version, at this point Anakin fought already exhousted Count Dooku:
He no longer even tried to strike back. Force exhaustion began to close down his perceptions, drawing his consciousness back down to his physical form, trapping him within his own skull until he could barely even feel the contours of the room around him(...)
(...)it only felt that way because he had flipped overthe rail and he was falling headfirst toward the floor, and neitherhis arms nor his legs were paying any attention to what he was trying to make them do.
The Force seemed to be busy elsewhere,and really, the whole process was entirely mortifying.
He was barely able to summon a last surge of dark power before what would have been a disabling impact. The Force cradled him, cushioning his fall and setting him on his feet.
At that point, only Dooku's proud and ego let him to go toe-to-toe with Skywalker, who was mentally broken by Dooku's Dun Moch.