What White should do if Black give us freedom on the center?

Lets say you open with e4 or d4 and blacks plays a couple of "slow" moves, not really fighting the center.

I know as a general rule you should inmediatelly take it with e4 and d4, but how much more? Lets add a third pawn? Maybe even 4? What are the ideal squares for our pieces?

This happens to me quiet a lot on club games, playing with old guys who likes to chill and develop without putting pressure, and I end up sticking to my starting idea like "set up a london system" without taking any advantatge at all.

Thanks.

There are no cookie cutter rules.  If you open 1.e4, and Black doesn't immediately contest the center (i.e. 1...c5 or 1...e5), you play 2.d4.  After that, it strictly depends on Black's reply.

For example:

- Openings where Black contests a central pawn on move 2 - These might include openings like the French Defense and Caro-Kann Defense.  Black attacks e4, and affixiates d4.  For example, after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, White must decide whether to protect, advance, or exchange the e-pawn.  He doesn't have time to expand his center.  Let's say you advance with 3.e5, now with d4 affixiated and the e-pawn already past the d-pawn, all you have is the c-pawn to protect d4, and so after 3...c5, you play 4.c3 (not c4).

See how it is all centered around what is attacked?  What is weak?  In the French, Black attacks d4.  White must protect it to maintain his space advantage in the center.

Instead, after 1.d4, if Black responds 1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3, White threatens to expand in the center with e4.  If Black plays 3...Bg7, you play 4.e4.  If he stops it, with say, 3...d5, then you don't play e4.

It is not about how many pawns you push out.  It is about what the weakness is, and how to go about attacking and guarding it.

For example, common weaknesses in various openings:

French Defense - White d4-pawn, Black e6-pawn and e5-square

Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation - White - e4-square, Black - c6-pawn

King's Indian Defense - White - d4-square, Black - d6-pawn

And the list is endless.  There is no hard and fast rule.  You must look at specifics based on each individual opening.

Exactly.

In other words, if you could free develop and take the center, how it would look like? I've seen strong players with openings with pawns on e4, d4, and f4 + knights on c3 and f3. 

There are Black openings that delay a center-pawn push, but will later on counter it face-on or flank (c and f- pawns) You just have to be familiar with what Black is playing and if you are not, just simply stick to the principle of occupying the center while still being careful of over-extension and some weakness you created when pushing those pawns. Pawns in the center will always give you more space, so its always a good thing.

This also happens to me. 

I think it is better once you have developed your pieces, you should penetrate into the opponents defense.

Mostly bishops come useful here in this case.

By penetrating , I mean that find simple tactics that usually wins a pawn or two..

The final chapter of Simple Chess by Michael Stean covers the abstract idea of space. Basically, he suggests that space is grabbed and consolidated, and there is a sense in which one has to have faith (perhaps echoing Steinitz on development and the possibility of a combination) that some idea will become apparent in the position.

Tarrasch's games are good for space seizure and the subsequent exploitation. I believe having the confidence to seize space was an important step in my chess journey. Players will often back down against the Pirc or Alekhine's etc of the higher rated player. This is long term wrong, but short term may buy a draw.

Grab, the space, usually avoid exchanges so the the opponent;s pieces will trip up - hopefully - over themselves. Also BE PATIENT. You should aim for a slow python like squeeze!

This is what you should do: