The Ultimate Beginner Guide To The London System

I am now about to teach you The London system, one of the best openings at the Beginner level with an easy set up to remember and a crushing attacking plan.

I hope you like this blog as well as the lines and variations i will show you today!

1.

the London system starts of with 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4

there are a couple of responses black can do but the most common is 2...Nf6 here you will play 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 on the board black played 4...Be7 but they may also play 4...Bd6,in another chapter i will show you how to play against that move.but after 4...Be7 you play 5.c3 O-O 6.Bd3 c5 7.Nbd2 Nc6 and we have reached the end of the opening

now i will show you your middle game plan from this point on

in this position you will play the common London idea of 8.Ne5 putting your knight on a good out post square,lets say black plays 8.Bb7 you will now play 9.Qf3 Nc6 now you play the unexpected move 10.Qh3 taking aim at your opponents h pawn 

hear there are several ways your opponent may defend his h pawn lets look at all three of them

if 10...h6 you can sac the bishop with 11.Bxh6 gxh6 12 Qxh6 and there king is in the open with all of your attacking pieces and will be checkmated soon

next is 10...g6 then you will play 11.Bh6 Re8 12.f4 and blacks position is virtually dead

then there is 10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 Ne4 12.f3 and you will win there pinned knight

2.

Instead of 4...Be7 what if your opponent plays 4...Bd6? well you will play 5.Ne5! OK yes...most chess manuals prefer 5.Bb3 but i think its better to play Ne5 because its dynamic and more tricky for your opponent 

now if your opponent plays 5...c5 (which is one of the most popular moves in this position) but now you can play 6.Bb5+

the usually play 6...Bd7 but that loses to 7.Nxd7 and if any knight recaptures you play 8.Bxd6

but if we rewind and they play 7...Bxf4 you the double check them with 8.Nxf6+ Ke7 9.exf4 gxf6 10.dxc5 and you are a minor piece  and a pawn up

3.

what if they go copy cat on you?  if your opponent goes 2...Bf4 then you play 3.c5! then they usually play 3...e6 4.Nc3 Nf6 and 5.Qb3! because there pawn is now undefended and you put pressure on there d pawn

now what if they play 3...dxc4 then you play 4.e3 b5 5.Qf3! and if they play 5...c6 you play 6.Bxb8 discovering there bishop on f5 and you will win it on the next move 

4.

  now what if they don't respond with 1...d5 and instead play 1...Nf6? well you will play 2.Bf4 as usual 2...g6  now instead of the usual set up you will play 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 and you have two pawns in the center and have a considerable advantage and you will play moves such as Bc4 and Nf3 

i have spent two hours doing this blog so i hope you liked my introduction to the London system,i hope to do more blogs like this one so don't forget to follow my account @NoahdeAlwis