Openings

When you are looking for an opening, what, exactly, are you looking for? This is an attempt to classify. Note that most of these are a matter of degree; while there is a distance at which an opponent absolutely, positively cannot respond, mostly you get something farther away than that. The physical openings put pressure on the mental ones. They force the opponent to make the right choices faster in order to have a chance. Most practical openings are a combination of these. For example, an opponent at a certain distance who is focused on defense isn't open, while the same distance provides a blatant opening on an opponent who is intent on preparing an attack.

Physical:
1. Distance- Too close, not enough time to react
2. Position- out of position, takes too long to complete the reaction. important distinction: you want an opening target, not an open target. Open targets close. For example, if the inside line is open, it will close when you attack it. If they are moving to close the outside line, they're going to finish that motion, then come all the way back to close the inside line. Much better.
3. Balance- a shift in balance making them slow to get away, or locking them in place

Mental:
1. Inattention- resting, thinking, mind elsewhere
2. Intention- focused on doing something else, or preparing something else. Inattention is vague, out of it, but can snap back. Intention is busy, and better, because they often won't even notice what you're doing. 
3. Expectation- prepared to defend an attack other than what you are doing. Could be twitch defense to protect the wrong target, or a deflecting defense that is weak vs. a strong attack.