London System
You play White · 6 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 6
- London SystemD021. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 e6 6. c36 moves
- London System, Pterodactyl VariationD021. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Qa5+5 moves
- London System, with Be2A481. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. h3 c5 6. Be26 moves
- London System, with Be2A481. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Be2 O-O5 moves
- London System, with Bd3A481. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Bd35 moves
- Poisoned Pawn VariationD021. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Qb6 5. Nc35 moves
What is the London System?
The London System is a set-up for White rather than a single line: you play d4, bring the dark-squared bishop out to f4 early, and follow with e3, Nf3, c3, Bd3 and Nbd2. Typical move orders are 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 and 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4. The resulting positions are solid and fairly closed, built on the pawn triangle c3, d4 and e3. It is one of the most popular systems at club level and is also used by strong players who want to avoid heavy theory.
Main ideas and plans
Your plan is much the same against almost everything. Complete development, castle short, and then choose: plant a knight on e5, supported by the d4 pawn and the bishop, as a base for a kingside attack; push e4 when Black allows it to gain space; and play h3 at the right moment so that the bishop can drop back to h2 if Black attacks it with ...Nh5. Black's most testing plan is ...c5 together with ...Qb6, hitting b2. In the Poisoned Pawn Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Qb6 5.Nc3, you deliberately leave b2 hanging: if the queen takes it, you gain time and activity, with ideas such as Nb5 aiming at c7, so Black has to be careful about grabbing it.
Against set-ups with ...g6 the London keeps its shape, but you must be ready for ...c5 and an early queen check on a5, which is what the Pterodactyl Variation, 1.d4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.Bf4 c5 4.c3 cxd4 5.cxd4 Qa5+, is about. In many lines Black tries ...Nh5 to win the bishop pair or ...Bd6 to exchange your bishop; a common answer is Bg3, and if Black takes on g3, recapturing with the h-pawn opens the h-file for your rook. If Black exchanges on d4, choose your recapture by asking which file you want open.
Who is it for?
The London suits players who want a reliable repertoire quickly, prefer understanding a set-up to memorising lines, and are happy with calm positions where they can outplay the opponent later. The downside is that it is not very ambitious: an opponent who plays ...c5 with quick queenside pressure can equalise comfortably, and if you play on autopilot you can drift into passive positions. Before you start, learn how to handle ...c5 with ...Qb6, and decide in advance how you will meet ...Nh5 against your bishop, either with Bg3 or with an early h3 that prepares the h2 retreat.