1) If the position gives the opportunity
2) No, you don't calculate to get the initiative. You should learn positional concepts. If you can, then you are having the initiative.
3) If their initiative is forced, then you cannot turn it without a mistake by them. However, I advise you to always check in-between moves, and counterattacks
4) Practically impossible. If you want to avoid counterplay, you must have a considerable amount of space advantage.
Btw, I'm not quite a strong player so you better ask masters.
The other answer(s) weren't bad or anything, I just like to talk about chess so:
1)
An initiative means a player is making threats. So #1 is a very broad question. I guess I'll give a broad answer... when there are undefended (or inadequately defended) pieces or squares, or when a king is exposed, but only when the opponent's pieces can come into contact with these points. Weak pieces mean threats of winning material, weak squares are often points of infiltration, and an exposed king can be checked.
2)
In chess it's not often useful to look 10 moves ahead... but sure, it's possible to calculate a long tactical sequence, and at the end notice something like an exposed king. You could then rationalize that the exposed king + a few attackers means high chance of initiative.
Usually though it's more of a positional sense. You notice something like 4 of your opponent's pieces are able to come into contact with a complex of associated weak points, and you infer that if the opponent goes for these sorts of maneuvers, an initiative is likely to develop.
To know what makes things weak, and notice when they're associated (an easy example would be a dark square weakness) you can study a book on positional play.
3)
In chess, usually your opponent's advantages are theirs to keep for a while, and each player has their own trumps they will try to exploit. So in most cases, if your opponent has the initiative, your advantage is likely more static... like more material, a better pawn structure, or a much safer king. In these cases your goal is to find a way to survive their threats while keeping as much of your trumps (or gaining new trumps) as you can. For example if you're ahead a knight, you might sacrifice a few pawns to end their initiative (they threaten the pawns, and you just ignore it and let them be captured). While they're capturing pawns, you consolidate your position so that there will be no more threats for your opponent to make and you're still ahead that knight.
Also, usually when one player has a an advantage in one area, the other player will have trumps in a different area. So for example if their initiative is on your queenside you might ignore those threats and try to develop an attack on the kingside, even sacrificing material to do so. In that case the trumps would be exchanged, you would be down material, but have an initiative for yourself.
4)
You may play an opening that gives your opponent static advantages and gives yourself an initiative... but these may be exchanged over the course of the game, and in the end, maybe the best way to win is to give your opponent a temporary initiative while taking a decisive advantage for yourself. This is to say, don't be afraid of it so that you're avoiding it all the time.
But ok, maybe the question is asking how to not let an opponent gain the initiative unnecessarily. In this case, at all times try to avoid undefended pieces, an exposed king, pawn weaknesses... anything that may give the opponent targets of attack. Again it will help to study positional play to gain the ability to identify positional weaknesses like pawns and even sets of empty squares.
Can you suggest any book or any other reference for me to study positional chess and square theory
Can you suggest any book or any other reference for me to study positional chess and square theory
In order to understand what the initiative is or anything in chess you must first change your perspective of chess.
Chess is Siege Warfare in game form. Siege warfare was a form of war practiced during the middle ages. It involves 3 methodologies (restrain, blockade, and execute the enemy). The best book ever written about Siege Warfare as practiced in chess is My System by Aaron Nimzowitsch.
Initiative is a powerful thing.If the opposing player has hanging pieces or pawns it can decide the game for you.My questions are
1) How initiative develops?
2) Can you see 5 10 moves ahead and see an initiative ?
3) How to turn your opponents initiative in your favour?
and lastly
How to avoid giving initiative?