Counter for London System?

I played London quite a few times. I know it develops a lot of your pieces in the beginning, but any counter for it?

Most critical are lines with ...c5 and ...Qb6, attacking pawn b2.

And the London is dubious at best against the Modern Defense.

No 1 opening can be used as a catch-all approach. They all fail one way or another and you need to be able to play more than 1 in that case to succeed, hence why 2.c4 is stronger and more often played.

London is go good against the Modern

Torre is no good against 1...d5 or 1...Nf6 with 2...d5

Trompowsky only works against 1...Nf6

Colle is no good if the light-squared Bishop is brought outside the pawn chain - you then have to play c4 and likely end up in a Slow Slav.

Veresov and Jobava are no good against 1...g6, 1...c5, or 1...f5.

Etc.

Now if you play a combination of these, like the London against 1...d5, Trompowsky against 1...Nf6, Schmidt Benoni against 1...c5, and the 150 attack against the Modern, now you have a sound approach.

I agree with tygxc : 2...c5 and the ideas with Qb6 and there s not more London system . This is true against 2.Bf4 but in case of 2. Nf3 only the incondicional Benkoers and Benoniers Will play you 2...c5 because 2...d5 or 2...g6 seems clearly better and more flexible It means in both cases u can continúe with your London plan with 2.Nf3. But 2...c5 At the beginner and specially club level black can refuse White s e5 control with moves like Nf6, c6, d6 , Qb6 , this is the other challenge for Londoners.

ThrillerFan , i also agree with you , at club level this is a good idea for an ambitious reppertoire with Qpawn opening reppertoire but this is too much for a begginer.The Tromp for ex. Is really complex and involves a lot of pawn structuctures knowledge, absolutly differents in esch variation! Building a reppertoire with London and Jovaba London seems a more reallistic aproach to me. Anyway is quite possible build It only with the London system because if s playable against every op. If you Accept an equal game. Out of Masters, IMs, GMs world the Games are winned with opening traps, general principles , better middle Game and knowledge of basic endings...more than in small advantsdges for white

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3 Qb6 4.Nc3 e6 5.a3 Bd7 6.Rb1 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nf5 (7...Ng6 8.Bg3 Nc6 9.h4 cxd4 10.exd4 a6 11.b4 Nge7 12.b5 Qa5 13.Qd2 Nd8 14.Bd6 +=) 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Bd3 Ne7 10.Ne5+-

I'd play this ... the resulting positions are sharp and getting sharper by the move.

( my club level opinion) If White has done their prep... Black's having a hard go (at least at my level)

I will use this along with the other things that other users said. Thanks guys!

B2 is the best to atk

Hi!

Your best bet is to play the same scheme you would against 1. d4 and 2. c4. For instance, if you are a KID player, then develop in the same way against the London.

Good luck!

Check out the section - Anti-London Stuff - here...

Introduction To The London System & Jobava London System...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/the-london-system

Dunno who’s winning from here, but here’s a fun line against this specific variation. There’s a reason Black usually play Nf6 and Nc6 before any Qb6.