Unhappy middlegame

The opening coils the spring, putting the pieces in positions to release their energies. In the middle game come the explosions. It is this inevitable clash of forces, the attack and counter attack, the constantly changing dynamics, that make chess the unique, fascinating and instructive game that it is. And this is where, in the lessons of the battlefield, we find so much of its imitation by life. It is rare to be exactly where you want to be after the opening phase has ended, and it’s almost impossible for both players to be happy.