As White

London System

d4, Bf4, e3 and a solid pyramid against almost anything. Learn the setup, then how to meet each way Black tries to bother it.

See every line as a tree Read about it in The Study
StartThe ideal London setup

1The setup

0 of 1 learned

2Bishop hunters

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3Classical ...e6 and ...Bd6

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4The mirror: ...Bf5

0 of 3 learned

5...Nc6 systems

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6Early ...c5 and ...Qb6

0 of 3 learned

7Fianchetto setups

0 of 3 learned

8The Dutch: 1...f5

0 of 1 learned

9The Jobava London: 2.Nc3

0 of 1 learned
Rules of thumb
Moves 1–2
d4 and Bf4 against almost anything.
Move 3
Usually e3. Against the mirror ...Bf5, play c4.
...Nh5, no ...d6
No h3 needed. Use Bg5 or Be5. The queen sees h5 while e2 and f3 are empty.
...d6 played
Play h3, then Bh2. Keep the bishop.
...Bd6
Let ...Bxf4 happen. exf4 grips e5.
...Nc6
c4, a3, then Bg5. d5 is the target.
...Qb6 early
Qb3 once c3 is in. Before c3, Nc3! and b2 is poisoned.
...e5, then ...e4
Bh2, Nfd2, then c4 and b4 on the queenside.
...g6 with ...d5
Ne5, trade off the g7 bishop, then f4.
...b6 and ...Bb7
Bd3, Nbd2 and Qe2: fight for e4.
1...f5
Bf4 eyes e5. Trade Black's dark-squared bishop, then c4.
Want it sharper?
2.Nc3 first, the Jobava: Nb5 hits c7.