A solid setup for White: pawns on d4, e3 and c3, bishop out to f4 before e3, then calm development. The same plan works against almost anything Black plays, so there is little theory to memorise. The course also covers the sharper Jobava London with 2.Nc3. This is a beginner opening course for White (ECO D02) with 6 variations and 3 traps, written for players rated around 900. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of London System
Play Bf4 before e3, so the dark-squared bishop is not locked in behind the pawns.
Build the pyramid d4, e3, c3: it blunts Black's counterplay against d4.
Put the knights on f3 and d2 and the light-squared bishop on d3, aiming at h7.
Later, Ne5 and a kingside pawn push (h4 or g4) give a direct attack.
Against an early ...c5 and ...Qb6, answer the attack on b2 actively: Qb3 to offer a queen trade, or Nc3 so that ...Qxb2 runs into Nxd5 or Nb5 hitting c7.
Watch the d6 square: when Black's bishop sits on d6 and the queen leaves d8, Bxd6 often wins a piece.
Variations you learn
Main line against ...d5 – 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 …. Black mirrors with ...d5 and ...e6. White completes the standard setup and keeps an easy, safe position.
Against the King's Indian setup – 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Be2 d6 …. Black fianchettoes with ...g6 and ...Bg7. White keeps the same structure and often plays h3 so the bishop on f4 has a retreat square.
Against an early ...c5 – 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 c5 3. e3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 cxd4 …. Black hits d4 at once with 2...c5. White develops calmly with e3, Nf3 and Nbd2, recaptures exd4, then uses the Qb3 and Nh4 ideas to bother Black's light-squared bishop.
Against the Queen's Indian setup (...b6) – 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Nf3 Bb7 5. h3 c5 …. Black fianchettoes the light-squared bishop with ...b6 and ...Bb7 to control e4. White plays h3, c3, Nbd2 and Bd3, then aims for e4 with Qe2.
Against the Dutch (...f5) – 1. d4 f5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 …. Against 1...f5 the London bishop still goes to f4 and controls e5, the square Black's Dutch structure weakens. White builds e3, Bd3, Nbd2, h3, castles and prepares a central break with Qe2 and e4, or c4.
Jobava London (2.Nc3 and Bf4) – 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 a6 …. An aggressive alternative: White puts the knight on c3 before the London bishop, eyeing Nb5 against c7. Against ...c5 and ...cxd4, White recaptures exd4 and gets a quick, active development.
Traps
The loose bishop on d6 – In the main London, Black's bishop on d6 is guarded only by the queen. If the queen leaves d8 to grab b2 with ...Qb6, Bxd6 simply wins a piece.
Jobava Nb5 fork – In the Jobava London, knight on c3 plus bishop on f4 both aim at c7. If Black plays ...Bf5 and then ignores Nb5, Nxc7+ forks king and rook.
Poisoned b2 pawn: Nxd5! – Against 2...c5 and 3...Qb6 White can ignore the attack on b2 with 4.Nc3. If Black grabs the pawn, Nxd5 threatens both Nc7+ and Rb1, and Black loses material.
The line trainer
The line trainer for London System has 50 lines that grow out of 1. d4, learned a few new ones a day with spaced-repetition review.
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