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© Copyright 2004, Jim Loy
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When I make moves, I often consider the concept of mobility. I want my pieces to be mobile (able to move), and I want to restrict my opponent's mobility. That includes considering a kind of superficial mobility, in which a piece is seemingly mobile, but moving it leads to disaster (or some disadvantage).
I see opponents make a move which transforms a healthy position into a loss, because (because of this one move) several pieces become immobile. And entire half of the board can be affected like that. It is hard to come up with a general rule: never do this or that as it will ruin your mobility. But you can consider a move, and look into the future, how does this move affect my mobility. If my opponent blocks it, or threatens some shot, can this piece ever move again? Does this move ruin the mobility of other pieces in the same way (in the future).
Often I find myself getting into trouble; I am running out of moves. Then I often look for some trade of pieces. Trades often are useful tools for accomplishing this or that. But they also may free up a cramped position. You may notice a tension on the board, every move seems critical and complicated. And then one or two trades, and the situation is an easy draw.
A piece (or several pieces) may look mobile, but have very limited mobility because it is needed for some purpose. It has to stay where it is, or move in a very limited direction. It may be needed to save another piece, or it may be needed to prevent an opponent piece from advancing, or it may be needed to trade off the opponent's king or some other piece.
Certain openings, and certain variations, have reputations for being strong or weak. Usually this is because of mobility. The White Doctor gambit (in which Red gives up a piece) restricts one whole side of White's part of the board. Red is free to move, White is restricted. But in such a gambit, one player is a piece down, and may have other troubles, and be relatively immobile because of them.
I will try to come up with some examples.