The middle game (1)

*	A game of Go is divided into three stages: the opening, the middle-game fighting, and the endgame.
	The opening: the players build the outlines of territory and carry out the basic construction. The middle-game fighting: players make use of their opening frameworks to expand territory or fight to capture stones. The endgame: the players compete over the borders of their territories.
	When the opening stage is concluded, the middle-game fighting comes next. Let's look at the basic fighting strategies.
*	The direction of play for expanding one's territory
	Dia. 1. The opening stage has concluded. Using this opening framework, the players further expand their territories. Depending on how you play now, the game may change completely.
	Dia. 1
*	Black's failure
	Dia. 2. Black is just building a flat territory with moves on the third and fourth lines. In contrast, White is building influence with moves on the fifth line and higher. There's a difference in scale. White's way of playing is far superior.
	Dia. 2
	Black is just building a flat territory with moves on the third and fourth lines. In contrast, White is building influence with moves on the fifth line and higher. There's a difference in scale. White's way of playing is far superior.
*	Aim at the centre
	Dia. 3. In the opening, when you are building the framework of territory, moves on the third and fourth lines are most appropriate, but in the middle game, in order to further expand your territory, it's important to expand your sphere of influence by playing on the fifth line and higher and aiming at the centre.
	Dia. 3
	Dia. 3. Look at the way White plays with 2, 4, and 6. As you can see, he keeps aiming at the centre and so expands his sphere of influence.
*	An overwhelming lead for White
	Dia. 4 shows the continuation from Dia. 3 above. White's sphere of influence has turned into territory. This is a big difference from Black. White now has an overwhelming lead.
	Dia. 4
	Black can't win if he plays as in Dia. 4. If we liken the Go board to the Earth, the fifth line up corresponds, as we learnt before, to the sky and space. In the middle game, it's important to aim at the sky and space (the centre) and to build three-dimensional positions.