Wasting tempo or maneuvering

[Look]

If a piece moves several times in a row, at moments that's waste of tempos and other moments that's maneuvering. In my opinion in opening and middle game usually tempos are lost because the number of pieces on the board is high. On the other hand in end games the number of pieces on the board is low so maneuvering most likely has a tell there.

Example 1:
Scandinavian game.
[pgn]
[Date "2014.10.22"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B01"]
[PlyCount "6"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.22"]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 *


[/pgn]
Black's queen moves 2 times in 3 moves and still it is not placed in a desirable square. White can develop by attacking the queen, gaining time.


Example 2:
A rook end game.

[pgn]
[Date "2014.10.23"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/6k1/P7/8/8/8/r7/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "18"]

1. Kf1 Kf6 2. Ke1 Kg7 3. Kd1 Ra3 4. Kc2 Rh3 5. Kb2 Rh2+ 6. Kb3 Rh6 7. Ka4 Rf6
8. Kb5 Rf5+ 9. Kb4 Rf6 *
[/pgn]

White's king and black's rook make several consecutive moves and they are maneuvering.

[matthewlai]

Yes, this is very well established chess theory and you'll read about it in probably all beginner books.

Do you have a question about this, or idea, etc?

[PK]

IMHO manoeuvring implies absence of a direct threat. Hence Your Scandinavian Defence example is not maoeuvring, but just protecting a piece. Taking material and sacrificing it wouldn't count as well. So white does not manoeuvre playing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5 6. Bxf7!?