user-1: This opening gives White a big center and aims to destroy it. I have trouble playing the exchange variation as White because Black has great piece activity while my pieces are stuck in passive positions. Is there another variation which also allows White to get a big center while minimising problems?

user2494: I think Bronstein had the right idea in the Exchange Grunfeld against Boleslavsky in the 1st game of the 1950 candidates final. It costs a little material, but it's White who got the active pieces, while the center expanded.
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]
[Event "Bronstein - Boleslavsky Candidates Playoff"]
[Site "Moscow URS"]
[Date "1950.07.31"]
[EventDate "1950.07.31"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "David Bronstein"]
[Black "Isaac Boleslavsky"]
[ECO "D87"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
c5 7. Bc4 Bg7 8. Ne2 O-O 9. O-O cxd4 10. cxd4 Nc6 11. Be3 Bg4
12. f3 Na5 13. Bd3 Be6 14. d5 Bxa1 15. Qxa1 f6 16. Bh6 Qb6+
17. Kh1 Rfd8 18. Rb1 Qc5 19. Bd2 b6 20. Bb4 Qc7 21. Rc1 Qb7
22. Qb1 Rab8 23. dxe6 Nc6 24. Bc3 Ne5 25. Bb5 Rbc8 26. Bxe5
Rxc1+ 27. Qxc1 fxe5 28. Bd7 Qa6 29. Ng3 Qxa2 30. h4 Rf8
31. Qg5 Rf6 32. Qxf6 1-0


-1: <p>This opening gives White a big center and aims to destroy it. I have trouble playing the exchange variation as White because Black has great piece activity while my pieces are stuck in passive positions. Is there another variation which also allows White to get a big center while minimising problems?</p>
 2494: <p>I think Bronstein had the right idea in the Exchange Grunfeld against Boleslavsky in the 1st game of the 1950 candidates final. It costs a little material, but it's White who got the active pieces, while the center expanded.</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1&quot;]
[Event &quot;Bronstein - Boleslavsky Candidates Playoff&quot;]
[Site &quot;Moscow URS&quot;]
[Date &quot;1950.07.31&quot;]
[EventDate &quot;1950.07.31&quot;]
[Round &quot;1&quot;]
[Result &quot;1-0&quot;]
[White &quot;David Bronstein&quot;]
[Black &quot;Isaac Boleslavsky&quot;]
[ECO &quot;D87&quot;]
[WhiteElo &quot;?&quot;]
[BlackElo &quot;?&quot;]
[PlyCount &quot;63&quot;]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
c5 7. Bc4 Bg7 8. Ne2 O-O 9. O-O cxd4 10. cxd4 Nc6 11. Be3 Bg4
12. f3 Na5 13. Bd3 Be6 14. d5 Bxa1 15. Qxa1 f6 16. Bh6 Qb6+
17. Kh1 Rfd8 18. Rb1 Qc5 19. Bd2 b6 20. Bb4 Qc7 21. Rc1 Qb7
22. Qb1 Rab8 23. dxe6 Nc6 24. Bc3 Ne5 25. Bb5 Rbc8 26. Bxe5
Rxc1+ 27. Qxc1 fxe5 28. Bd7 Qa6 29. Ng3 Qxa2 30. h4 Rf8
31. Qg5 Rf6 32. Qxf6 1-0
</code></pre>
