Exchange plan

 I'm concocting an exchange plan. When to trade pieces?

Weak color complex

Condition: pawns are fixed and one or more squares of the same color cannot be defended by enemy pawns

There are two strategies:

• Remove all defenders of that color and keep a knight against a bad bishop. Goal: a winning endgame.
• Remove all defenders of that color and keep a good bishop against a bad one. Goal: a winning kingside attack. Prevent an endgame. Keep at least a rook on the board whenever it comes to an endgame.

Endgame

Condition: think all pieces way and you have a winning pawn ending.

• Trade all pieces. Pieces can defend against promotion or can create counter play.
• Don't trade pawns. A lone king has trouble two fight against more pawns

Condition: you have a passer.

• trade rooks first. Minor pieces and the queen are bad defenders against a passer.

Condition: the opponent has a weak pawn on a half open file.

• trade de minor pieces. The heavy pieces are good attackers of weak pawns. They bind enemy defenders. Open a second front to make use of the fact that the enemy defenders are restricted.

Don't trade at all costs. Don't repair the enemy's  bad pawn structure.

Ahead in material

Condition: you are ahead in material.

• trade all pieces in order to get a winning endgame. This prevents counterplay.
• don't fix the pawn structure of the enemy

Lack of space

Condition: your opponent has a lack of space.

• don't trade pieces. Make use of the fact that his pieces can't follow different attacks fast enough.