If behind in development, keep the position closed

Let's say that you made a small mistake somewhere and have fallen behind in development. It might have been a mistake in the opening or in the early middle game, but you suddenly realize that your opponent is better developed than you are. This isn't necessarily fatal, as long as the position stays closed.

What do we mean by a closed position? It's a position with rigid Pawn structures and few open lines. This means that the line pieces have difficulty moving from one part of the board to another. The Pawn structure chops the board into smaller regions and the pieces, especially the line pieces, are confined to those small regions.

Why is this important? Reduced mobility means that your better developed opponent will have fewer opportunities to exploit the superior development. This will give you time to complete your development.

Thus guideline works both ways. If your opponent has fallen behind in development, then it is to your advantage to open the position.

See Positional Play (under 'Suggested Reading') for more about

• Piece activity
• Pawn structure