user12834: How can I stop my knight getting pinned like this in an opening.
I'd like to advance my knight and avoid the pin.


user13012: You will handicap yourself if you are always fearful of being pinned. Strong players know when to prevent the pin and when to allow it. Play through some well-annotated master games where a strong player allows the pin. And dont get carried away thinking about only aspect of the position

user-1: There are a few ways to deal with pins in general:

Break the pin. In the position you posted, a long term plan might be to play e3, Nge2 and O-O
Ignore the pin. In the position you show, if black takes on c3, he surrenders the bishop pair (specifically his better bishop) for a knight whilst giving you a semi-open b-file. But this is at the cost of a weakened pawn structure
Play prophylactically. This depends on the position though. Sometimes it is a weakening move, e.g. playing h3, O-O may allow a sacrifical attack with ...Bxh3
Put the question to the bishop. White may want to test black with a3, putting the question to the bishop of 'are you going to take or retreat?'
Play a cramped  game with Nbd2, which allows c3 if the bishop comes to b4


12834: <p>How can I stop my knight getting pinned like this in an opening.</p>

<p>I'd like to advance my knight and avoid the pin.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/CWaMj.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/CWaMj.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
 13012: <p>You will handicap yourself if you are always fearful of being pinned. Strong players know when to prevent the pin and when to allow it. Play through some well-annotated master games where a strong player allows the pin. And dont get carried away thinking about only aspect of the position</p>
 -1: <p>There are a few ways to deal with pins in general:</p>

<ol>
<li><strong>Break the pin</strong>. In the position you posted, a long term plan might be to play e3, Nge2 and O-O</li>
<li><strong>Ignore the pin</strong>. In the position you show, if black takes on c3, he surrenders the bishop pair (specifically his better bishop) for a knight whilst giving you a semi-open b-file. But this is at the cost of a weakened pawn structure</li>
<li><strong>Play prophylactically</strong>. This depends on the position though. Sometimes it is a weakening move, e.g. playing h3, O-O may allow a sacrifical attack with ...Bxh3</li>
<li><strong>Put the question to the bishop</strong>. White may want to test black with a3, putting the question to the bishop of '<em>are you going to take or retreat?</em>'</li>
<li><strong>Play a cramped  game with Nbd2</strong>, which allows c3 if the bishop comes to b4</li>
</ol>
