[Event "London System Repertoire: London System Basics"] [Date "2018.05.19"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D00"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System"] [StudyName "London System Repertoire"] [ChapterName "London System Basics"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/2EaSmZtz/C8pUIq2K"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/davidharoldchess"] [UTCDate "2018.05.19"] [UTCTime "08:26:25"] [Orientation "white"] { In this chapter I outline the basic ideas of the London System against a typical black setup. } 1. d4 { This is always the first move of the London System. } 1... d5 2. Bf4 { Bf4 should almost always be played next, NOT Nf3 which a lot of players (including myself previously) play. Nf3 leads to problems which I'll show in a later chapter. } 2... Nf6 3. e3 { Now we start building a "pawn pyramid" on c3, d4 and e3. Except in some particular scenarios this should be done before Nf3 is played. } 3... e6 4. c3 { The pawn pyramid is now complete. Now we want to develop our remaining pieces: The two knights and the light-squared bishop. The knights will go to d2 and f3 and the bishop will go to d3. } { [%csl Gb2,Gc3,Gd4,Ge3,Gf2] } 4... c5 { This is a common move used to meet the London system. We never want to take on c5. If black decides to take, we will recapture using the e-pawn. } 5. Nd2 { At this point it's actually okay to play Nf3 (due to the black pawn on e6) but in other opening positions you'll want to play this before Nf3 due to some tactical tricks involving Qb6 and Bf5. } 5... Nc6 (5... cxd4?! 6. exd4 { If black takes we recapture with the e-pawn. }) 6. Ngf3 Bd6 { A common idea by black. We almost never want to swap the bishop on d6 (and definitely not on f4) so we retreat the bishop to g3. If black exchanges on g3 we recapture using the h-pawn, opening the h-file for our rook. } 7. Bg3 (7. Bxd6?! Qxd6 { Swapping on d6 allows the queen to be developed to d6, threatening e5. }) (7. Bd3?! Bxf4 8. exf4 { Swapping on f4 isn't the end of the world but it disrupts the typical London pawn structure and may lead to further issues if black takes on d4. }) 7... O-O (7... Bxg3 8. hxg3 { The doubled pawns aren't all bad (the pawn on g3 can be used to probe the kingside and initiate an attack occasionally) and now the h-file is opened for the rook. } { [%csl Rh7][%cal Rh1h7] }) 8. Bd3 { We have developed all of our pieces to good central squares, now we can start to attack! Generally we will move the knight to e5, the queen to c2 and we may have the opportunity to attack via the h-file or the b1-h7 diagonal. } { [%csl Gd2,Gd3,Gf3,Gg3,Rh7,Ge5][%cal Rd3h7,Gf3e5,Gd1c2,Rc2h7,Rh1h7,Rb1h7] } *