When the climax is reached

30日第3轮
许银川胜洪智
徐天红负汪洋
柳大华和蒋川
赵国荣胜陶汉明
吕钦胜于幼华

3rd round 30th December
Xu Yinchuan beat Hong Zhi
Xu Tianhong lost to Wang Yang
Liu Dahua drew with Jiang Chuan
Zhao Guorong beat Tao Hanming
Lu Qin beat Yu Youhua

In the book 'Xiangqi Basic Tactics', with a translation by Zhang Quansheng, it is mentioned that a game of Xiangqi can be divided into three stages: the opening, the middle game and the endgame. The three stages are closely linked. In the opening stage, both sides deploy their forces in a battle formation, and each player vies to occupy the strategic points on the chess board. The middle game can be directly influenced by the opening play. Quite often, a game is going to be decided in the endgame, when the climax of the battle is reached (over). If one player has taken the initiative in the opening stage, he or she can rely on the strength (of the initiative) to develop further and gaining more superiority. On the other hand, though a player has lost the advantage at the opening, if he could respond with correct moves in the middle game, he still can regain the initiative and enter into the endgame, even with a better position. Bear in mind that a surprise attack can win victory well before the middle game is completed.