Can you tell the plans for players on this position?

Hi!

There is a secondary line of the French Exchange that I constantly reach due to the fact that at my level no every player study the french and, certainly, not for white. So, the simple solution is: exchange pawns and then play your game.

I was looking for the plans on this position but nobody cares about this line and only found one video where they mention it and just said "and blacks are OK on this position".  Arrrggg!!!

Here is the line:

Well, at this point I know O am waiting for my opponent and I have some moves in mind Bg4, f6, 0-0 or 0-0-0. If I go f6 and Bg4 and my opponent makes h3, I can move Bh5 and if he makes g4 is a mistake cuz I have a save place for my bishop on f7 and then I can castle on the queen side, BUT... if he just move on the queen side and I castle on king's, my king is save and my position is solid, but I don't really have a plan...

Any idea?

Follow Opening Principles:

Control the center.

Develop towards the center.

Castle.

Connect your rooks.

You have to do 2 more things to complete your opening principles.  What are those 2 things?

Do not move the same piece more than once and... I don't know... fight for the initiative? keep you pieces on active position? keep then defending each other?

But how is this going to help me to create a plan on positions like on the example?

Maybe just an another way to get the same variaton

You're trying to get to the middlegame, when you haven't completed the opening. 

You still have a bishop to develop, and you still need to castle.

If you're not getting the basics, why are you trying to complicate things?

Keep it simple...

Well, I am not sure if you watched the full line. On the 10th move both bishops are developed and the comments says on my next move I castle on either side (probably 0-0-0 if white plays on king's side or 0-0 if white move on queen's). What's missing to finish the opening?

I don't get you.

My apologies...I thought your question started at move 8.Be3. 

But to answer your question about what to do as black after 10.Rfe1...

I would still say follow opening principles and play 10...0-0.  Thought i think youre ok with any of the following: 10...f6, 10...Nf5, 10...0-0-0

When, and where should you castle?

You should castle on the opposite side when at least one of the following factors is true:

1. When you are up in development and your opponent has already castled, you should consider castling in the opposite side. That way you will have a clear game plan and will also be able to capitalize on your development advantage.
2. When you have a damaged pawn structure (doubled paws, missing pawns, far advanced pawns, etc.) on one of the sides you should consider castling on the other side.
3. When opponent’s pieces are especially active on one side of the board, it is usually best to castle on the opposite side.
4. If you want to complicate the game you may consider this option. That may be true if you must play for a win due to a tournament situation, when the draw is not enough. Also that maybe done when you're playing against a stronger opponent, who is much better in simple/technical positions. That maybe your best bet.

You should not castle on the opposite sides when at least one of the following factors in true:

1. When you are behind in development and you need extra time to develop your pieces, it is usually not a good idea to give your opponent a straight forward way of launching an attack.
2. When the opponent’s pawns are advanced towards the side you’re about to castle, it is not a good idea to castle there (especially if the opponent’s king is castled on the opposite side). It will just give him a positional edge in the attack.
3. When there are open/semi-open files in-front of the side you’re about to castle, you should probably reconsider your decision to castle there (especially if your opponent has castled on the other side). That will give him more attacking possibilities, such as rook lifts, various sacrifices, doubling of pieces on the file, etc.
4. If you playing against a weaker opponent you may want to avoid castling opposite sides, in order to avoid sharp game and keep everything under control.

Note: These are general rules, not laws, meaning that there are always exceptions to them. When you’re making a decision what side to castle you should always take your time and evaluate all “pros” and “cons” and base your decision upon your own analysis. This is a very important decision. It pretty much dictates which way the game will continue. Take your time and think twice.

Hey IM Bacon! That's a really useful information. And the best of it is that is not only useful on this position, it is useful on any moment when I am about to castle. I this case I am looking for plans because even if castle on the King's side (which now looks like the best option), I don know how to continue the game, you know? 

I mean, I guess I shouldn't just jump to attack the king. But I don't see any weakness on my opponent I can explode or anything. You know, is not about a move, is about a plan. But any way I really loved explanation and I'm is going to be useful on any time when I am going to castle. 

I think understanding this position can help me improve my chess because being stock here (not being a complicated position where all the pieces are attacking all the pieces) means there is something I have not learned yet. Why I am not able to create a plan on this position? What I am not seeing?

Here is a basic middlegame plan idea for you:

Middlegame Planning:

1. Expand your position:
2. Gain more space.
3. Improve the position of your pieces.
4. Decide on what side of the board to play.
5. Queenside: a-c files.
6. Center: d-e files.
7. Kingside: f-h files.

            Compare, space, material, and weakness(es)

            Play where you have the advantage.

3. DO NOT HURRY. Regroup your pieces, and be patient.

I think its going to come down to person preference.  As you gain experience, you choice of moves might change.

When do i follow principles?  And when can i get away with not following principles? 

Experience will let you know.

I would humbly suggest O-O-O (looks like it may actually be safer than O-O because you have better piece cover on the queenside). Then f6 to get rid of that hole on e5, followed by a g and h pawnstorm.

Hey, @IMBacon, thanks for the explanation of the principles of the middle game planing. That is going to be useful in all my games. And thanks for applying it to the position, it helps me to understand better.

@StinkingHyena, that sounds like a good plan, I had a game a few hours ago with a similar position (not exactly this one) where I did it exactly idea and won.

If you look at my pawns on the king's side, the knight and bishop didn't move from the position of the opening, the same for my opponent's towers and bishop. And the Queens are not so far.