I tend to find.....the higher ranked players (say 1600+) seem to want to swap queens when it becomes possible....and will do so really early on......but when it comes to swapping off bishop for bishop or knight for knight when the opportunity presents....they don't tend to do this so much.....what do you all think?

lol serious posts only:p haha....i've been to calgary!! awsome place!!!! challenge me if you like:)....omg off topic already ... tsk!

lol is fine....i always thought higher players were just chicken for swapping off queens early! if i have my queen on the board, i always feel powerful and confident of winning (maybe misplaced haha) even if i'm a piece or two down! good point about minor imbalances!

Depends entirely on the position, I think lower rated players probably just don't think their opponant will exchange queens early on and miss tactical points. A couple of lower rated players I have played offered an exchange of queens assuming I would'nt do it and that their game would be easier without them on the board. However I did it as it lead to a win of a pawn with no compensation. I am rated around 2000 and can say that in my opinion I would never "try" to get rid of the queens early or keep bishops and knights. Sometimes the best move is to exchange queens though, and sometimes it is'nt.

I try to exchange my queen for a piece of lower value - without sacrificing positional integrity, of course.

 Actually it is the lower ranked players who have an 'attitude' issue which clouds their logical play. The better players might be happy with an equal-material swap (including Queens) if the opponent is also left with, say, doubled isolated pawns. Lesser players are happy to do the same (but not with queens),thus they understand basic manouvres yet have an unnecessary attitude about the Queen.