As a London Player, I certainly hope my opponents watch this video!  too funny...

Madhatter:

Bf2can take the bite out of this line. The idea is to delay Nf3 and use the move to get a little ahead. 

From Win with the London System by Johnsen and Kovacevic-

playing 2.Bf4 doesn't change anything does it? (I know someone who plays this.)

Nice vido and instructive!! I have been studying the London from White perspective and this really helped balance out the ideas on both sides very well!

Nively done... thanks!

good video

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i like the london system:P

Very good and instructive, thank you.

I just noticed there's been some other discussion about the refutation to 6. Qc2 (see other posters below).  There's another slight correction to post on it.  

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. c3 Qb6 6. Qc2? 

If 6...Bf5 immediately 7. d x c5! is a good move.  7...B x c2 8. c x b6 a x b6 9. Na3 Be4 10. Nb5 threatening fork so e.g. 10...Kd7.   Black's queenside pawns are terrible and white has active bishops and knights so it looks like there is some advantage to white here.

Therefore first eliminate the possibility of 7. d x c5 with:

6...c x d4! 7. c x d4 (or 7. e x d4) Bf5! 

Now as in the video 8. Q x f5? Q x b2 9. Be2 e6! 10. Qd3 (no 10...c4 anymore) Q x a1 11. Qc2.   It is to no avail that the queen reaches c2 because black has 11...Ba3 (the b1 knight is pinned) after which 12...Qb2.  Preparing this bishop move rather than displacing the white queen from the b1 - h7 diagonal must be the key point of the tempo-gaining 9...e6.

I guess it's a case of knowing 6. Qc2 is a terrible move, so never actually seeing it being played means the reason why it's a terrible move becomes a bit more obscure.  However, this line could lead to disaster without knowing the Ba3 resource!!

Really good video, that's just a minor minor point to help the odd anti-London-system player get the edge.  

More interesting question in the diagram countchocula posted is 1.Nd6. Then 1...Bd6 2.Bd6 and I have to like the white bishop. And btw at 2:29 Qa5 fails to b4 because Nb4 us met by Bd2.

In general I don't comment on videos after the fact, but CountChocula asked a very legitimate question that I had in my notes but forgot to cover.

After Nc7+ Kd7 The white knight is quite short on squares, and with moves like bd6 and/or Nh5 coming up, white is going to have to worry about his safety.

And to DvSevan32- you're totally right. My bad, honest mistake.

Very good video!

In the position at 11:54 in the video, what if 10. Nc7+ ?  It seems uncomfortable for black, but is not addressed in the video.  Any feedback is appreciated.

i found over 700 master matches in the Chess.com master database for the London System, right up to move 4, a fair number.

I think the comment "unbelievably soild" is more of a factual observation than a compliment. Most of the comments were negative and you can tell Sam doesn't like the London System or any other passive d4 system. He's entitled to have this opinion, but you have to deal with any position you face in chess, no matter how awkward or negative. It happens in sport when teams are ultra defensive, it's just a fact of life that has to be dealt with, not moaned about.

he calls it "unbelievably solid" so hes not exactly bashing it evan... and Im wondering where are all the london system games at the GM level youre mentioning. It was seen a little at a blitz tournament a while back but in serious competition it is very, very rare.

 

my GM db says that after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6  white plays 3.c4 over eight thousand times whereas 3.Bf4 gets played only 500 times. that 8k is not even including all the GMs who played c4 right away on the second move. the difference in % is 5, which is rather large for that level.

so although very solid at any level its not going to be used at a higher level often, when they want to win as white. perfectly playable and great at class level where you can whip people IMO

Good video.

But, to say that white isn't playing for an advantage on move 3 or 4 in the London System is unfair and misleading. To say it's "Unprofessional" is harsh and a bit insulting. Why don't you tell all the GMs who play the London System and regularly win with it that they are playing in an "Unprofessional" way. White still gets plenty of opportunities to attack after mover 3 and 4. The London System is often solid, slow and stodgy, but the game often opens up (as you have shown) and often leads to exciting games, of which I have played many.

Why criticise a tried and trusted opening that has many GMs as devotees???

great video!!  I would like to see a vid vs. stonewall positions!

On the Qc2 line, with Bf5, im a bit confused on the analysis, It seems to me that after, e6, Qd3, c4, Qd2 the queen would still be trapped after taking the rook. I believe the move c4 before e6 would get the job done, completely blocking off the queen and gauranteeing the rooks capture. That is the analysis I have come up with and the only game in the database that follows the Bf4 path uses the move c4 early, and white resigns about 5 moves later. Correct me if im wrong but I think your analysis was a bit faulty on that point.

Great video! I have a friend whole only plays this system and it's very annoying. Thanks!