London System

London System is a chess opening with the ECO code A48. It goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 7 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
• 2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
• 2... g6 – Black plays the pawn to g6
• 3. Bf4 – White plays the bishop to f4
• 3... Bg7 – Black plays the bishop to g7
• 4. e3 – White plays the pawn to e3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4... O-O.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the London System course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: London System (1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4)
• Continues with: London System – adds 4... d6
• Related line: London System (1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6)
• Related line: London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation (1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Qb6 5. Nc3)

Browse every named opening · Opening courses