lichess.org
Donate

Chess

Opening: London System

ChessOpeningTactics
We have to talk about the London System and improve your chess rating with this opening

![](https://image.lichess1.org/display?h=0&op=resize&path=ibrahimore12_stj:ublogBody:hbGRaoIZYKZj:Bo2ApunS.png&w=720&sig=347a35a1deb0e1be7a557a64f70c32d8557164bc)
To make the London system we have to take into account where to move the pieces and the correct continuation.
We are white and the first move will always be d4, Bf4, Nf3, e3, c3, Nd2, Bd3 and if you like you can castling after those moves.
The London System is a popular 1.d4 opening for White which has the reputation of being very solid. The London is considered a system because White can play the same basic setup for almost all of Black's responses. For this reason, the theory on the London is not as extensive as it is for other openings.
The London System can be used against virtually any Black defence and thus comprises a smaller body of opening theory than many other openings. Although it has a reputation as a solid opening, the London System has faced criticism for its tedious nature and lack of dynamic play.
White's future plans will depend upon Black's choice of set-up. Black has a particularly wide range of possibilities in the early stages as White's London structure exerts little influence on Black's side of the board. Black may therefore develop freely. Common options include:
Queen's Gambit Declined-type defence: d5, e6, Nf6, c5, Nc6 (or d7), Bd6 (or e7), 0-0. Black stakes out some space on the queenside. The position will likely resemble a Slav Defence with colours reversed. White will typically post his king's knight on e5 and aim for a kingside attack.
Queen's Indian-type defence: Nf6, b6, Bb7, e6, d6, Be7, Nbd7. Black adopts a flexible hypermodern defence, preventing a knight incursion on e5, and then waits to see how White will proceed before deciding on the placement of the central pawns and on which side to castle.
King's Indian-type defence: Nf6, g6, Bg7, d6, 0-0. Black will typically aim for either ...e5 (after suitable preparation with Nbd7 and Re8) or ...c5 (in which case the game will resemble a Réti Opening with colours reversed). White may prefer to post the king's bishop on e2 rather than d3 in this line, as Black's fianchetto structure means that a bishop on d3 would have limited scope.
Other options for Black include mirroring White's play by also adopting the London System (d5, Bf5, e6, etc.), or playing the Hippopotamus Defence (g6, Bg7, b6, Bb7, d6, e6, Ne7, Nd7) in which case White will probably have little option but to play e3–e4, losing a tempo, and a knight on d2 may not be optimally placed. Additional options for Black include Slav-type structures (d5/c6), Grünfeld-type structures (Nf6/g6/Bg7/d5), reversed Torre Attack (d5/Nf6/Bg4), Chigorin-type play (d5/Nc6/Bg4), etc.
If you learned this opening good luck with your chess games :)