Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
Beating the London System
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nescitus wrote:
nescitus wrote: Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
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Mar 21, 2020
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#5
Ishfah98 wrote:
nescitus wrote:
nescitus wrote: Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
Ishfah98 wrote: nescitus wrote: Double fianchetto, basically playing Reti opening tempo down, works best for me. There are some move order issues, though. There is a small minority of London System players who, despite choosing that opening, did not yet forgot that chess can be interesting, and they can launch a quick kingside attack. So my recent games against London tend to start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 b6. On the other hand, if You are comfortable with playing Pirc/Modern, then a very annoying little line is 1.d4 g6 2.Bf4 Bg7 3.e3 d6 4.Nf3 Nbd7, threatening ...e5. Watch out for tactics, though, if white plays Bc4.
I play the London System regularly. I would recommend as black going for a system similar to the queens indian defense and castle queenside. The position seems to be equal after about move 15 and its very difficult to find a good idea with white. Cappablanca used the same principle to crush the Colle system and it seems to work for the London as well. Just my two cents.
Apr 8, 2020
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#7
Dzindo07 wrote:
I play the London System regularly. I would recommend as black going for a system similar to the queens indian defense and castle queenside. The position seems to be equal after about move 15 and its very difficult to find a good idea with white. Cappablanca used the same principle to crush the Colle system and it seems to work for the London as well. Just my two cents.
Interesting, do you have any lines/analysis up to move 15 to share?
Possibly helpful:
Grandmaster Repertoire 11: Beating 1 d4 Sidelines by Boris Avrukh (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627001415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen164.pdf
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Beating-1-d4-Sidelines-76p3724.htm
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GM11-1d4Sidelines-excerpt.pdf
Dealing with d4 Deviations by John Cox (2005)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627032909/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen89.pdf
Apr 8, 2020
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#9
kindaspongey wrote:
Possibly helpful:
Grandmaster Repertoire 11: Beating 1 d4 Sidelines by Boris Avrukh (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627001415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen164.pdf
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Beating-1-d4-Sidelines-76p3724.htm
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GM11-1d4Sidelines-excerpt.pdf
Dealing with d4 Deviations by John Cox (2005)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627032909/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen89.pdf
Thank you. If I wanted to buy a book, I would buy a book, rather than post on chess.com forums.
Setups with Bf8-g7 and ideas with c7-c5 worked as best in my cases
setups like queen gambit or slaw with e6-d5-c6 formation I did not find very good for black.
but if after 1. d4 d5 as black I faced with Bf4 setups, again c7-c5 worked fine.
Take care about Bc8, You MUST find way how to engage it (or trade it).
Apr 16, 2020
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#11
I agree with ChessBooster. After 1. d4 d5 and 2. Bf4 ... c5 seems to work fine. I've just played it here https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/4729364256
Apr 16, 2020
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#12
In response to the OP, first off, post 1 and the header say two completely different things. The title calls for beating the London System, the first post calls for equalizing.
I could care less if "Carlsen played it a few times" or any other GM execution of an opening. Whether or not a GM has physically played an opening does not dictate how good or bad an opening is.
The truth is the truth, and the truth about the London System is that it's a draw! It is an opening that poses basically zero risk at the GM Level, but does absolutely nothing to get any type of advantage on Black. Yes, Black can blunder, White can blunder, even at the GM level, but the truth of the matter is, it is EXTREMELY EASY to equalize against the London System if Black knows what he's doing. The danger is Black desperately trying to push for a win. The moment Black does that, he's opening himself up to being defeated.
There are numerous books with various systems against the London System, all of which are perfectly fine for Black.
Deep Dive Volume 6 - Video by Damian Lemos - This recommends the double-fianchetto
Fighting the London System - Georgiev - While this source gives multiple lines, the author favors the approach of d5/e6/Bd6/Nf6/b6/Bb7/Nbd7 in some order - this is just the gyst and not the specific line - you would have to study the source in detail, but Black is fine here if he plays it correctly.
Anti-King's Indian books - Gallagher(1996), Dembo(2008) - These recommend a King's Indian setup with I believe Qe8 and e5 in Gallagher's book and I can't recall for certain, but I think Dembo goes for more of a ...c5 than ...e5 approach. Either way, Black is fine!
There are absolutely no problems with Black equalizing the London System. It's trying to actually beat it without playing the waiting game, waiting for White to screw up, that usually kills Black. The London System is a great system to use against someone who is ADHD, but otherwise, against the patient player that is willing to play the waiting game and only jumps when White plays an inferior move, and is not adverse to taking a draw if White doesn't screw up, your hopes of winning with the London System are slim!
ThrillerFan wrote:
Fighting the London System - Georgiev - While this source gives multiple lines, the author favors the approach of d5/e6/Bd6/Nf6/b6/Bb7/Nbd7 in some order - this is just the gyst and not the specific line - you would have to study the source in detail, but Black is fine here if he plays it correctly.
I havent read the whole book yet so I cant really comment on the line you mention but from what I have read so far it seems Georgiev really likes the Grunfeld set up. He had this to say about it "I encourage you to tey yourself the Grunfeld set up. You will be surprsed how easy and natural blacks play is"I have read the chapters on this set up and get the impression it is a pretty good system to try to win with black. I get the feeling that it would be wise for white to play c4 at some point and play a true grunfeld position and if thats true then black is better.... at least at my level since quite often the whole reason white is playing the London system in the first place is to avoid highly theoretical lines such as the Grunfeld.
The London System seems to be a relatively good try for an advantage. What are good ways to equalize against it?