game of two halves

plural games of two halves

1. Something that makes a major turnaround over the course of its lifespan.

   The Conservative century was therefore a game of two halves with regard to the procedures for defining parliamentary constituencies.

   2011, David Gilbert, David Matless, Brian Short, Geographies of British Modernity: Space and Society in the Twentieth Century, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   In a few minutes they would be reporting their performances for Vijay's spreadsheet, and Doug would be almost certain to say it had been a game of two halves. Well, it had been for him at least. Nick had been losing all night, but looking across the table it seemed that Doug was back where he'd started.

   2011, Tom Campbell, Fold, →ISBN, page 105

   We also understand why Dracula is a game of two halves: the first half (the attack) takes us from the Natural to the Unnatural path; the second half takes us back.

   2001, Fred Botting, The Gothic, →ISBN, page 78