Must i develop my Bishop on my next move?

   I feel the need to develop my bishop. Perhaps because that's what I'm supposed to do in the opening. I thought of Bf4 but i feared g5 of which i will lose a tempo. Be3 always make me think of a pawn fork on d4 or e4. I feel Bd2 is too passive. What frustrates me most is that devloping the bishop might not even be necessary at this position... How will i know what to do???.

move order is 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e6 3.Nf6 h6 4.Bd3 d5 5.o-o Nge7 6.Nc3 a6

7. Bf4 is a perfectly fine developing move. I don't see how your bishop could be in danger. Black playing ...g5 seems too weakening to me. Your knight has safe escape squares to run to, and you could drop your bishop back if necessary and keep it on the long diagonal.

I feel your Bishop can stay there for few moves, meanwhile you can prepare for a kingside attack via F file rook to g3, e5 pawn push, moving F file  knight to h file and finally queen to g4. 

I agree with Bf4, inviting g5. He would then have a semblance of a pawn push going towards where you king is castled and still has the option to castle long. I guess that would be good for your opponent.

I agree with Be3 not being the greatest move, but not because of the pawn fork. I don't see any pawn forks in the position as things stand.

 However on e3 your bishop would be blocked by your own d4 pawn and left with nearly nothing to do.

Which leaves Bd2 and I feel its a fine option. The bishop is not doing much right now, but from d2, the bishop has great potential to jump to both f4 and b4 depending upon which way your opponent castled.

Re1 is the only option worth considering left, and one could play Re1, but personally in the position I would have played Bd2 and then Re1, and take things from there. It would follow the opening principles of moving each piece at least once till all pieces have moved.

Secondly from personal experience, I have been punished in games for leaving development of bishops for later and failing to connect the rooks.

Can't we play e5 ?? ( Just curious to know )

To prepare to fianchetto the bishop to b2

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

Review what i posted, study the position, and then give your answer as to what move you think you should make.

I'd go for something like a3 (so I can play Ne2 without Nb4 getting my bishop) then Re1 and Ne2 in some order.

Ne2 was my first instinct.

I don't really understand b3 except to say it's flexible. The bishop can even go to a3.

The main thing to note though is that it's very awkward for black to finish development. So keep control of the center, ask black to make some more moves, and let him squirm a bit. That's why my first impression is Ne2. It unblocks the c pawn (c3 might help support the center) and the knight can go to g3 (supports e4). Also the knight on c3 is awkward. d5 and a6 make it look a little foolish.

I guess the engine's a3+b3 fits with the theme of:  "black is awkward so make him play more moves and he'll pull himself out of position."

As for the bishop on c1. Sure it's beginner principals to move it right away, and I wouldn't call Bf4 a mistake, but it's hitting a lot of air on f4. Lets say black plays something like g6 and Bg7, maybe you could have made use of it on a3. maybe on b2. Maybe black goes for some g5 expansion so Bf4 just accelerates it, we don't know yet.

As a separate example, the Italian and sometimes the Spanish are two openings where often the queen's bishop (on c1 or c8) is not doing a bad job where it is, and delays its development for a long time until it's clear where it's most useful.

IMBacon Bd2 or Bf4 because it controls  more squares and its not blocked by my pawn.

Thanks so much BobbyTalparov. I especially like the last variation you gave (7...bf4 8.g5...) it makes me feel i played my previous moves quite well. 

The best move here is 9.O-O

Yes!  Castle on move 5, and again on move 9!  Brilliant!  

I assumed that 9. O-O means that on move 9 you put your glasses on to take a closer look...

;)

Ha!  I see what you did there...

thanks BobbyTalparov  And this might be selfish of me but expect more questions from me about my opening play because i really wish to get better at it. You know, play as you top players do. 

 BobbyTalparov you're by all standards a top player to me. 

I'd do b3, then Bb2. Might not be the best, though. But Bf4 isn't bad.

Some ideas to consider.

Put another way, No, you don't have to develop the B.