ChessThe London System is 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4. White brings the queenside bishop out to f4 first, then sets the pawns up in a solid triangle with e3 and c3. Its big selling point is "whatever you play, I set up the same way." The ideas are simple and there is little to memorize, so it is great to practice slowly when you play chess against the computer.
Moves and position
The London is more of a "setup" than a fixed string of moves:
1. d4puts a pawn in the center.2. Bf4brings the bishop out, and it has to come out before e3, or the e3 pawn will shut it in.- Then come e3, Nf3, c3, Nbd2 and Bd3, and finally castling.
Why must the bishop come out first? Because once e3 is pushed, the c1 bishop is blocked by its own pawn. Put it on f4 first, then push e3, and both the pawns and the bishop are happy.
What White wants
- Set up first, then decide: The c3, d4 and e3 pawns are hard to break through, and after castling the king is very safe.
- A knight on e5: A knight on e5 is strong. Support it later with f4 and you can attack on the kingside.
- Keep both bishops: When Black tries to trade off the f4 bishop with Bd6, White often drops back to g3 so Black doesn't get a cheap trade.
What Black wants
- Hit the center with c5: The c-pawn hits d4 and makes White's pawn chain less comfortable.
- Queen to b6, hitting b2: Once White's bishop leaves c1, the b2 pawn has one less defender. This is Black's most common counterattack.
- Trade off the f4 bishop: Swap off White's best bishop with Bd6 or Nh5, and half of White's attack is gone.
Main lines
Standard setup: against 1... d5
This is the most typical London. White follows up with Bd3 and castles, then jumps to e5 with the knight when it fits. Black usually castles early and looks for chances on the queenside with c5 and Qb6.
Against a King's Indian setup: 1... Nf6 and g6
Black skips d5 and puts the bishop on g7 instead. White still uses the same setup. The move h3 matters: if the black knight wants to go to h5 to trade bishops, or the black bishop wants to come to g4, White is ready.
Jobava London: 2. Nc3, then Bf4
This is a newer version of the London that has become popular in recent years. With the knight on c3, it can jump to b5 at any moment and team up with the f4 bishop to hit c7. The game is sharper than the standard London, so if you like attacking, give it a try.
A common trap: the black queen grabs b2
Once the London bishop leaves, c1 is empty and the b2 pawn has to look after itself. Black's favorite trick:
If White just keeps developing according to the setup:
White is a pawn down and busy protecting the queenside rook and knight, so the game is passive from the start.
What White should do: when the black queen comes to b6, deal with b2 first. A common answer is 4. Nc3: if Black still takes on b2, the white knight jumps to b5 and threatens to land on c7 with check while hitting the rook on a8, and the black queen is in danger deep in White's camp. You can also play 4. Qc1 and simply guard b2.
Remember: once the bishop leaves, check what it was guarding.
Who it suits
- Players who don't want to memorize lines: The same setup handles most of what Black can play.
- Players short on time who want to get solid quickly: The ideas are fixed. Learn them once and they last a long time.
- Players who like to build up an edge slowly: Set up first, then look for a chance to attack.
Like the Queen's Gambit, it is a 1. d4 opening. The difference is that the Queen's Gambit challenges the center right away with c4, while the London sets up the bishop and pawns first and is in no hurry to open the game.
FAQ
Isn't the London System boring?
Simple ideas don't mean boring. Many of the world's top players play the London, and a knight on e5 plus a kingside attack can get very fierce. For beginners, the big plus is that you rarely get into trouble right out of the opening.
Why does the bishop have to come out before e3?
Because once the e3 pawn is pushed, it blocks the c1 bishop's diagonal. Put the bishop on f4 first, then push e3, and the bishop is outside the pawn chain and free to move.
What is Black's best answer to the London?
The most common plan is to hit the center with c5, then bring the queen to b6 to attack b2 and make White spend time defending. Black can also trade off the f4 bishop with Bd6 or Nh5.
Try it yourself
Use the button below to start a game against the computer from the London System, and try to build the whole setup. For other openings, go back to the openings guide. For something different, head back to the online chess home page.
Play this opening against the computer