London System

• At a glance

  London System

  423 games, 51.2%: your structure holds, but you drop points every time the black queen comes out to b6.

  18 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  The London is a simple deal: your dark-squared bishop comes out to f4 before e3 locks it in, then you set up the c3-d4-e3 triangle, which nothing breaks.

• The big idea

  The price: your bishop has left c1, and no piece guards b2 anymore. What you buy: a position with no weaknesses, one you can play blindfolded in blitz.

• The big idea

  Over 423 games, you score 51.2% (195 wins, 43 draws, 185 losses), barely more than your overall score with White (51.1%).

• The big idea

  Move order matters: 2.Bf4 brings you 54% over 161 games, 2.Nf3 only 48% over 157 games.

• The big idea

  Your losing positions have one thing in common: the black queen on b6, attacking b2. 4…Qb6 straight away: 11 games, 23%. 5.c3 Qb6 then your queen to b3: 5 games, 20%.

• The big idea

  This course gives you the right answer to each, then deals with the two other leaks: …Bd6 against your bishop, and …Bg4 in the Slav structure.

• Principle

  The bishop comes out before e3

  Your games: 449× · 53% of points

  2.Bf4 first: after e3, the c1 bishop would be locked in. In this order, you score 54% over 161 games.

• Principle

  The c3-d4-e3 triangle

  Your games: 52× · 54% of points

  Nbd2 then c3: d4 is held twice by pawns, and the d2 knight supports e4. Don't play c3 before Nbd2 without a reason.

• Principle

  b2 is defended from c2

  Your games: 6× · 50% of points

  Against …Qb6, the queen goes to c2: she guards b2 and eyes h7. On b3, she walks into …c4 and the trade that opens the a-file.

• Principle

  Against …Bd6: Bg3

  Your games: 9× · 50% of points

  The bishop drops back to g3 rather than leaving Ne5 in front of a battery. If …Bxg3, hxg3 gives you the h-file.

• Principle

  Against …Bg4: Nbd2 and h3

  The knight on d2 lets the queen recapture on f3. After h3 Bxf3 Qxf3, you have the bishop pair.

• Imbalance

  Your active bishop against Black's structure

  Your games: 52× · 63% of points

  Your f4 bishop is out, Black's c8 bishop is often locked in behind e6. That's the London's edge, and Black will do everything to trade it off.

• Imbalance

  b2 without a defender

  Your games: 33× · 41% of points

  The c1 bishop has left: b2 is no longer guarded. …c5 and …Qb6 hit d4 and b2 at the same time.

• Imbalance

  The h-file after hxg3

  When Black trades on g3, your h-pawn recaptures: your structure stays compact (e3, f2, g3) and the h1 rook looks at h7.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • A structure with no weaknesses: d4 held by c3 and e3, no isolated pawn.
  • One setup against almost everything: Bf4, e3, Nf3, Nbd2, c3.
  • Your dark-squared bishop is active before the game even starts.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • b2 has no defender left: …Qb6 is the reply that costs you the most.
  • Black can trade off your good bishop with …Bd6 or …Nh5.
  • A quiet position: you need to know what to do once you've developed.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 18: London System

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