Answers.Body: <blockquote>
    <p>Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out
    the first stage of a game?</p>
    
    <p>One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your
    bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus
    become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable
    on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>This entire question is unclear, but I will give it a try to answer. Let us start one by one:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out
    the first stage of a game?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Now why would you want to do that?</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your
    bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus
    become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable
    on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Aha! So you wish to keep the board crowded in order to exploit the "advantage" knight has over a bishop!</p>
  
  <p>Well, it is time to answer:</p>
  
  <p>You can not keep the board crowded unless both you and your opponent "agree" to do so.</p>
  
  <p>He can always try to exchange pieces and reduce the tension if he chooses, and the best thing you can do is to try and stop him <strong>by making the exchanges unfavorable for him.</strong></p>
  
  <p>Unfortunately, the opening theory has advanced a lot, and there are ways for both sides to obtain a good game, so the above plan will be very hard, if not impossible, to execute. </p>
  
  <p>Another thing: simply exchanging the bishop for a knight, and trying to keep the pieces on board will <strong>not</strong> give you an advantage. <strong>It will all boil down to the placement of your pieces.</strong> By the way, exchanging the bishop for a knight early leaves your opponent with the bishop pair, which may give <strong>him</strong> the advantage.</p>
  
  <p>I would strongly suggest you to find a resource ( book/online tutorial ) for playing the opening.</p>
  
  <h2>EDIT IN RESPONSE TO THE OP's EDIT:</h2>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Why do you want to avoid exchanges?</p>
    
    <p>To see if it is possible to avoid exchanges without hurting your
    positioning, or by only hurting it in an insignificantly marginal
    manner.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>This is not possible, I am afraid. You will have to exchange at some point and here is why:</p>
  
  <p>When amateur wants to exchange pieces, he uses his own to "chase" the opposing one until the exchange has been made.</p>
  
  <p>Master, on the other hand, puts the piece he wants to exchange on the strong squares, thus forcing the exchange. That way the piece becomes annoying and strong and opponent is forced to exchange it or else he will stand worse.</p>
  
  <p>In a strong game, versus strong opponent you will not be able to dodge the exchange.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>What is your goal?</p>
    
    <p>To prolong the game. Perhaps if it were a game of speed-chess, and you
    wished to run down the clock to play for a draw; this could be a good
    strategy. Perhaps if you knew your opponent to be impatient, this
    could be effective against him.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>This is very much possible, but you will need to play <em>typical middlegame positions</em> in order to achieve this. Furthermore, you will need to be the one who dictates the game. This is very important requirement. </p>
  
  <p>You can play <a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/5023/strategy-in-isolated-queen-pawn-positions">positions with an isolated pawn</a>. My answer provides comprehensive coverage of the plans for both sides. Still, let me remind you-side with the isolated pawn exchanges pieces only when it can get a definite, visible-with-the-naked-eye benefit. As long as the board is packed with pieces the advantage is on its side. Side without isolated pawn strives to exchange minor pieces and enter endgame. Again, in the endgame you can prolong the game as much as you want as you will have the advantage. Usually you will be the only one who can play for a win and your opponent usually will have no counterplay but will be forced to passively defend.</p>
  
  <p>Another typical position that has a lot of maneuvering and is slow is <em>Carlsbad pawn structure</em> and it arises from Queen's Gambit Declined after White exchanges on <code>d5</code> with the move <code>cxd5</code>. White again has lots of plans here, but you would be interested in <em>minority attack</em>. Minority attack creates a weak pawn for Black on <code>c6</code> and allows White to perform long maneuvers in order to take it ( just don't underestimate Black's mating attack on the kingside! ). This would be ideal choice for you.</p>
  
  <p>You could try <em>French defense</em> with both colors. With White you can try <em>Advance variation</em>, and with Black <em>Winaver</em> sounds good. Again, both positions require long maneuvers.</p>
  
  <h2>END OF EDIT:</h2>
  
  <p>Best regards.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-03-18T00:49:16.153Z
Answers.Text: It would give him the advantage late game on an empty board.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Anon
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Answers.Text: @Akiva: It **could** is the right word. It seems that OP believes if he exchanges bishop for a knight and keeps the board "packed" he will **100%** get the advantage, which is a false assumption. Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
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Answers.Text: What was said, was, **as knights are generally more valuable on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)**
  "100% will get the advantage" ergo was not the intended inference. I appreciate the suggestion, but I think you read the op too strongly.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Anon
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Answers.Text: @Akiva: You are correct, I did exaggerated there, but still it does not change the core point of my answer that he **can not** prolong opening, **nor he can avoid exchanges**. I apologize, but the question is so poorly phrased. By the way, please stop "speaking in third person", it confuses me :) Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-03-18T02:13:21.733Z
Answers.Text: That redaction was very big of you; thank you. **I apologize, but the question is so poorly phrased.** ; I think this is a fair criticism, and I do really appreciate the advice given. Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Anon
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Answers.Text: @Akiva: I have just saw your edit. Things are more clear now. In order to edit my answer to be more useful, please provide the following information: Why do you want to avoid exchanges?  What is your goal? Do you aim for a mating attack? If you seek positions that favor knights over bishops you do not need to keep the board full. Do you need a middlegame position that gives lots of maneuvering and has a high chance of dodging the endgame ( maybe you do not like to play endgame )? Just explain in more detail why you want to dodge exchanges, so I can help you better. Thank you. Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-03-17T23:56:15.080Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-03-18T07:29:32.447Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-04-13T12:48:53.737Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.Body: <p>I'm not sure if I (or anyone that has answered) understands your question correctly. But I would assume you want to know how to avoid middle-game positions early in a game.  </p>
  
  <p>To answer the question: </p>
  
  <p>Playing aggressively and creating threats while developing your own pieces leaves your opponent behind in development and still struggling to complete the opening goals. </p>
  
  <p>Preventing the opponent from castling. </p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-10-24T01:53:11.777Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Savage47
Answers.Body: <p>From my experience (I am Fide Master) the main rules for the openings are:<br/>
  1. Protect the King - Castle Kingside or Queenside.<br/>
  2. Fight for the central squares (e4, d4, e5, d5).<br/>
  3. Develop your pieces. <br/>
  4. Don't move your piece twice in the opening.<br/>
  5. Play standard opening moves.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-03-17T13:15:15.523Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-03-17T13:15:15.523Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2710
Body: <p>Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out the first stage of a game, namely, to preserve all your pieces as long as possible.</p>
  
  <p>One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)</p>
  
  <p>So once again, the goal is to lose as few pieces as possible for the longest stretch of time. </p>
  
  <p>Some questions were posed to me for clarification:</p>
  
  <p><strong>Why do you want to avoid exchanges?</strong> </p>
  
  <p>To see if it is possible to avoid exchanges without hurting your positioning, or by only hurting it in an insignificantly marginal manner.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What is your goal?</strong> </p>
  
  <p>To prolong the game. Perhaps if it were a game of speed-chess, and you wished to run down the clock to play for a draw; this could be a good strategy. Perhaps if you knew your opponent to be impatient, this could be effective against him.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Do you aim for a mating attack?</strong> </p>
  
  <p>No.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Do you need a middlegame position that gives lots of maneuvering and has a high chance of dodging the endgame ( maybe you do not like to play endgame )?</strong></p>
  
  <p>Great Question; This would be ancillary. </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-03-17T13:54:58.060Z
Comments.Text: can you clarify what you mean by 'dragging out' the first stage of the game?
Comments.UserDisplayName: guru
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-03-17T15:30:54.153Z
Comments.Text: Can you reword your question to clarify the intent of prolonging the opening phase of game? Once your pieces are activated and you've done your best to shape the battlefield with your pawn formations, the opening is pretty much over (time to leave book!) and you're thrust into the next stage of the game, often kicking and screaming if you played the opening badly. :)
Comments.UserDisplayName: shivsky
Tags: <opening><knights><bishops><stalemate>
Title: What are good strategies or principles to prolonging the first stage of a game?
ThreadText: # What are good strategies or principles to prolonging the first stage of a game?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-03-17)
  
  Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out the first stage of a game, namely, to preserve all your pieces as long as possible.
  
  One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)
  
  So once again, the goal is to lose as few pieces as possible for the longest stretch of time.
  
  Some questions were posed to me for clarification:
  
  **Why do you want to avoid exchanges?**
  
  To see if it is possible to avoid exchanges without hurting your positioning, or by only hurting it in an insignificantly marginal manner.
  
  **What is your goal?**
  
  To prolong the game. Perhaps if it were a game of speed-chess, and you wished to run down the clock to play for a draw; this could be a good strategy. Perhaps if you knew your opponent to be impatient, this could be effective against him.
  
  **Do you aim for a mating attack?**
  
  No.
  
  **Do you need a middlegame position that gives lots of maneuvering and has a high chance of dodging the endgame ( maybe you do not like to play endgame )?**
  
  Great Question; This would be ancillary.
  
  **Tags:** opening, knights, bishops, stalemate
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: can you clarify what you mean by 'dragging out' the first stage of the game?  
  > **username_2**: Can you reword your question to clarify the intent of prolonging the opening phase of game? Once your pieces are activated and you've done your best to shape the battlefield with your pawn formations, the opening is pretty much over (time to leave book!) and you're thrust into the next stage of the game, often kicking and screaming if you played the opening badly. :)  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2014-03-17. Score: 3
  
  > Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out
  > the first stage of a game?
  >
  > One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your
  > bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus
  > become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable
  > on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)
  
  This entire question is unclear, but I will give it a try to answer. Let us start one by one:
  
  > Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out
  > the first stage of a game?
  
  Now why would you want to do that?
  
  > One way I can imagine this being useful, if early on you exchange your
  > bishop for an opponent's knight, having a crowded board would thus
  > become in your best interest, as knights are generally more valuable
  > on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)
  
  Aha! So you wish to keep the board crowded in order to exploit the "advantage" knight has over a bishop!
  
  Well, it is time to answer:
  
  You can not keep the board crowded unless both you and your opponent "agree" to do so.
  
  He can always try to exchange pieces and reduce the tension if he chooses, and the best thing you can do is to try and stop him **by making the exchanges unfavorable for him.**
  
  Unfortunately, the opening theory has advanced a lot, and there are ways for both sides to obtain a good game, so the above plan will be very hard, if not impossible, to execute.
  
  Another thing: simply exchanging the bishop for a knight, and trying to keep the pieces on board will **not** give you an advantage. **It will all boil down to the placement of your pieces.** By the way, exchanging the bishop for a knight early leaves your opponent with the bishop pair, which may give **him** the advantage.
  
  I would strongly suggest you to find a resource ( book/online tutorial ) for playing the opening.
  
  ## EDIT IN RESPONSE TO THE OP's EDIT:
  
  > Why do you want to avoid exchanges?
  >
  > To see if it is possible to avoid exchanges without hurting your
  > positioning, or by only hurting it in an insignificantly marginal
  > manner.
  
  This is not possible, I am afraid. You will have to exchange at some point and here is why:
  
  When amateur wants to exchange pieces, he uses his own to "chase" the opposing one until the exchange has been made.
  
  Master, on the other hand, puts the piece he wants to exchange on the strong squares, thus forcing the exchange. That way the piece becomes annoying and strong and opponent is forced to exchange it or else he will stand worse.
  
  In a strong game, versus strong opponent you will not be able to dodge the exchange.
  
  > What is your goal?
  >
  > To prolong the game. Perhaps if it were a game of speed-chess, and you
  > wished to run down the clock to play for a draw; this could be a good
  > strategy. Perhaps if you knew your opponent to be impatient, this
  > could be effective against him.
  
  This is very much possible, but you will need to play *typical middlegame positions* in order to achieve this. Furthermore, you will need to be the one who dictates the game. This is very important requirement.
  
  You can play [positions with an isolated pawn](https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/5023/strategy-in-isolated-queen-pawn-positions). My answer provides comprehensive coverage of the plans for both sides. Still, let me remind you-side with the isolated pawn exchanges pieces only when it can get a definite, visible-with-the-naked-eye benefit. As long as the board is packed with pieces the advantage is on its side. Side without isolated pawn strives to exchange minor pieces and enter endgame. Again, in the endgame you can prolong the game as much as you want as you will have the advantage. Usually you will be the only one who can play for a win and your opponent usually will have no counterplay but will be forced to passively defend.
  
  Another typical position that has a lot of maneuvering and is slow is *Carlsbad pawn structure* and it arises from Queen's Gambit Declined after White exchanges on `d5` with the move `cxd5`. White again has lots of plans here, but you would be interested in *minority attack*. Minority attack creates a weak pawn for Black on `c6` and allows White to perform long maneuvers in order to take it ( just don't underestimate Black's mating attack on the kingside! ). This would be ideal choice for you.
  
  You could try *French defense* with both colors. With White you can try *Advance variation*, and with Black *Winaver* sounds good. Again, both positions require long maneuvers.
  
  ## END OF EDIT:
  
  Best regards.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: It would give him the advantage late game on an empty board.  
  > **username_3**: @Akiva: It **could** is the right word. It seems that OP believes if he exchanges bishop for a knight and keeps the board "packed" he will **100%** get the advantage, which is a false assumption. Best regards.  
  > **username_0**: What was said, was, **as knights are generally more valuable on crowded boards. (Or so I am told)** "100% will get the advantage" ergo was not the intended inference. I appreciate the suggestion, but I think you read the op too strongly.  
  > **username_3**: @Akiva: You are correct, I did exaggerated there, but still it does not change the core point of my answer that he **can not** prolong opening, **nor he can avoid exchanges**. I apologize, but the question is so poorly phrased. By the way, please stop "speaking in third person", it confuses me :) Best regards.  
  > **username_0**: That redaction was very big of you; thank you. **I apologize, but the question is so poorly phrased.** ; I think this is a fair criticism, and I do really appreciate the advice given. Best regards.  
  > **username_3**: @Akiva: I have just saw your edit. Things are more clear now. In order to edit my answer to be more useful, please provide the following information: Why do you want to avoid exchanges?  What is your goal? Do you aim for a mating attack? If you seek positions that favor knights over bishops you do not need to keep the board full. Do you need a middlegame position that gives lots of maneuvering and has a high chance of dodging the endgame ( maybe you do not like to play endgame )? Just explain in more detail why you want to dodge exchanges, so I can help you better. Thank you. Best regards.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2019-10-24. Score: 1
  
  I'm not sure if I (or anyone that has answered) understands your question correctly. But I would assume you want to know how to avoid middle-game positions early in a game.
  
  To answer the question:
  
  Playing aggressively and creating threats while developing your own pieces leaves your opponent behind in development and still struggling to complete the opening goals.
  
  Preventing the opponent from castling.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2014-03-17. Score: 0
  
  From my experience (I am Fide Master) the main rules for the openings are:  
  1. Protect the King - Castle Kingside or Queenside.  
  2. Fight for the central squares (e4, d4, e5, d5).  
  3. Develop your pieces.   
  4. Don't move your piece twice in the opening.  
  5. Play standard opening moves.
  
  
  ---
  
  