How to exploit a very slight space advantage

RCMorea this is a serious attempt to show how to play for a win with a very slight space advantage. It is not for players who think they can sit around and wait for their opponent to make a serious blunder.

This is a position that masters and grandmasters have given as an example of how the Ponziani Opening is easy to draw against. I have seen this position for many years.

There are three things they [the opponents to the Ponziani] never mention:

1. White had better moves before reaching this position.

2. They did not see that really only White had chances in this type of position.

3. White can at least try to play for a win. 

Actually, I would disagree with this but you are welcome to give examples of how the play might have gone.

Fiveofswords   Can you show us the similiar queenless middlegame from the Petroff?

I agree that you want as few trades as possible when you have a space advantage but in this position, if you do not trade rooks, Black will take over the e file with his rooks which will force you to trade rooks anyway. 

Did you mean 7. ...Be6?

Disagree, if Black takes over the e file with his rooks he can trade of one or both bishops and have the advantage. Your plan will not work. No way would Black allow it.

nice thread

Hope everyone realizes that White could not win without Black making an error.

White can put on the pressure but cannot force a win without Black making a mistake. 

Lol. Dank game.

It all went so smooth. I dont even know where Black went wrong, what should he had done? 

Interesting but black can play on different ways this Pozaini opening.

First.  1e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5  7.Da4 f6 9.Bb5 Nge7 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Be3 Bd7 etc

And also after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 is 4...d5!? interesting.

And if black plays the Petrov then also you will have no Ponzaini.

It is even more instructive on how not to play the opening. 

Actually White did NOT play the very best moves in this opening.

Does 39...f5+ draw? Looks the only way to get f5 is with double by K & B but d6 and h6 doesn't seem to allow. Black can protect h6 by shuffling g7 and h7 and I'm not sure White can invade. 

@Tschaturanga: Thanks for taking the look. That Bh5-e8  then Bg6 is crafty. I should've figured there was no escape for Black after getting that B bound but I never considered the potential problem on d7.  

don't trade peices