序盤から相手に主導権を握られてしまった。
We let our opponent take control from the early stages.
将棋は序盤の駒組みが大切だ。
In shogi, how you set up your pieces in the opening is crucial.
選挙戦はまだ序盤で、情勢は読めない。
The election campaign is still in its early stages, so it's hard to tell how things will go.