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Gold has just captured a silver dog in f6, and several more captures could quickly follow.

A race position occurs when both sides can make quick progress in different parts of the board. A race will slow or stop when one side chooses defense over offense. If too many captures occur, however, there will be few pieces left to use for defense. It is thus important to avoid or quickly exit a race that one cannot ultimately win.

In this game, each side left a home trap vulnerable. Silver got a strong attack on c3, but lost a dog in f6. On 5s, Silver had to decide whether to capture the c2 horse or use two steps to preserve his own camel in the northeast. Silver chose the former, using his fourth step to ensure that the camel loss would not be immediately followed by another loss. Gold correctly captured the silver camel in f6, but then continued to race, neglecting defense until it was too late. Silver's multi-piece attack opened a goal path which Gold could not outpace. After capturing the silver camel, however, Gold could have moved his elephant west to defend c3, exiting the race with enough pieces left to delay a goal. The gold camel might have then dominated the east.

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This race centers around goal threats and trap control.

A capture race may quickly turn into a goal race, due to the space cleared. 37g and 38g of this game forced Silver to defend goal rather than continue a cleanup which might have soon resulted in a silver goal. On 38s, Silver had to stop the d6 rabbit; merely freezing it in place would not be enough, as Gold could unfreeze and unblock it with Dc7s rd7w, leaving two steps for goal. If Silver used his elephant to stop this goal, his own threats in the east would be gone. 38s mg6ww Rd6s me6w would preserve Silver's eastern threats, delay Gold's threats, and even threaten the c7 dog. Alternatively, 38s cf7w rg8w ee4s Mf4w would stop a one-turn goal and threaten the gold horse, which is needed to defend goal. Even if Gold subsequently captured the b6 horse and reestablished his goal threat, Silver could block it with his western dog and continue to press his eastern threats, perhaps capturing the gold camel or horse. The played 38s stopped the gold goal, but allowed Gold to pull even in material and create a new goal threat. To win a race, one must have a strong response to anything the opponent might do.

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Silver's potential goal threats restrict the gold elephant, and Gold's advanced pieces are at risk.

A race typically involves two active elephants. If one elephant is stuck, even temporarily, any race is likely to favor the opponent. In this game, a race began while the gold elephant defended goal. Gold captured both silver horses, but did not have time to capture the advanced silver rabbits. Silver allowed her camel to be captured on 30g, as her eastern goal was then unstoppable.

In essence, a race occurs whenever each respective elephant leads an attack on an away trap. Even before any piece is captured, it may be fairly clear who would come out ahead in the event of a double cleanup. One can decline or exit such a race by bringing the friendly elephant home to defend; a slow counterattack may then be feasible.

While early rabbit advances require caution, a goal threat could decide a race even before captures begin, as one side might soon have to defend goal rather than keep pace with captures.