Possible Clues:

• “Courage is in the air in bracing whiffs / Better than all the ____ an’s and ifs” (Robert Frost)
• Dated lover allowing no room to move
• Situation where you can't move
• Unexciting partner in an impasse
• Old pal giving tie
• Old friend causing impasse
• Draw companion who's out of condition?
• Hardened companion comes to standstill
• The draw of the French relative in France, for instance
• Deadlock as board move out?