The London System

• At a glance

  The London System

  419 games, 69.3%: against 1…Nf6, IMRosen develops the bishop to f4 and adapts the rest to each defense.

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

• The big idea

  Your games: 494× · you score 67%

  Against 1.d4 Nf6, IMRosen plays 2.Bf4.

• The big idea

  Your games: 5× · you score 80%

  After that, the plan depends on the defense: Ne5 and the classical London against …e6 and …d5, h4 and Nc3 against …g6, Qf3 and long castling against …b6.

• The big idea

  Your games: 5× · you score 80%

  419 games, 69.3%: above his overall score with White, 63.7%. The lines are quiet by Stockfish's standards, almost always close to equal, but the White plans are easy to play quickly.

• The big idea

  Your games: 5× · you score 80%

  The course follows Black's defenses: …c5 against Ne5, the London with …O-O and …Qc7, the fianchetto against h4, …b6 against Qf3, the …b5 gambit against d5, then the …Qa5+ check.

• Principle

  The bishop comes out before e3

  Your games: 495× · you score 67%

  2.Bf4 puts the bishop outside the pawn chain before e3 shuts it in. This is the basis of every line in the course.

• Principle

  The knight on e5

  Your games: 78× · you score 79%

  Against …e6, …d5 and …Bd6, the knight jumps to e5, supported by the f4 bishop and the d4 pawn. It hampers Black's development and supports a kingside attack.

• Principle

  Against …c5, the check on b5

  Your games: 11× · you score 77%

  When Black plays …c5 before castling, 6.Bb5+ forces the king or a piece to move, and the d7 square becomes weak.

• Principle

  Against the fianchetto, the h-pawn

  Your games: 50× · you score 68%

  Against …g6, IMRosen plays Nc3, e3 and h4: the h-pawn threatens h5 and the opening of the h-file in front of Black's castled king.

• Principle

  Against …b6, the queen on f3

  Your games: 30× · you score 57%

  4.Qf3 contests the diagonal of the b7 bishop and prepares long castling. Then e4 takes the center.

• Imbalance

  A fixed structure

  Your games: 36× · you score 74%

  With d4, e3 and c3, the White center no longer moves. Black has time to develop, but the White plan stays the same from one game to the next.

• Imbalance

  The d6 bishop against the f4 bishop

  Your games: 78× · you score 79%

  …Bd6 offers to trade White's good bishop. The e5 knight cuts the diagonal, and the f4 bishop stays put as long as the trade does not suit Black.

• Imbalance

  Opposite-side castling

  Your games: 16× · you score 44%

  Against …b6, IMRosen castles queenside: both sides attack the enemy king, and speed matters more than structure.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • Only one first move to know: 2.Bf4 against every defense.
  • Simple plans: Ne5 against …d5, h4 against …g6, long castling against …b6.
  • Against 6…Kf8, the White position is the more comfortable one.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • Against …b6 and …a6, long castling has given poor results.
  • Against 2…d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 c5, the position reached 13 times scores only 35%.
  • Little advantage according to Stockfish: most lines stay close to equal.
• 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 16: The London System

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