Legit cannot beat the London System

I've had to take a break from chess because I was getting toxic over losing to this system. It's just so freaking frustrating losing to this same pyramid nonsense no matter what I try. Castle Kingside I get obliterated instantly, same with the Queen Side. Try to break open the center, NOPE. c3 and I'm tempted to switch back to checkers. Is there any way to overcome my major skill issue or do I just gotta get good?

I have no idea. But it’s frustrating, right? I got embarrassed by a certain gambit by a friend and am still traumatized by it. Since that time, I have never played chess with them again.

My guess? Look up a tutorial. There’s probably plenty of ways to refute it. If there wasn’t a way to punish it somehow, every high-level player would use it.

As black, do you play 1...d5 or 1...Nf6?

If you play 1...d5, pick one option below and study it:

I totally agree

Play the borg so the London is impossible

Do you play 1. ... d5 or 1. ... Nf6? If d5, I can't help you (I avoid d4 d5 like the plague), but if Nf6, I really like 2. c5, coupled with a quick Qb6. This is a fairly dynamic approach, and one that has the advantage of making London players uncomfortable.

The late, much-lamented Daniel Naroditsky has several excellent videos on this line, including this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzfG5SfKRak

Man I'm gonna miss Naroditsky. His guides are so instructive. Thanks for the tips everyone!

1. d4 c5 to play into a Benoni or a Benko Gambit are some options. Or play the very boring Semi-Slav and White has to decide whether to exchange immediately with Bxd6 or play Bg3 after we play the eventual Bd6 move, usually at move 4

Remember, there are no unbeatable openings, in chess to get an advantage you accept a corresponding disadvantage. Everything is beatable.

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. c3 Qb6 6. Qb3 c4 7. Qxb6 axb6 0-1
h6 Bf5 b5 b4 Nxb4 b5 b4 and then White has to pick his poison, allow a passed pawn on which you control the promotion square or lose a rook. Of course White has counterplay and can avoid this specific line but there’s counterplay to the counterplay and the alternative lines give Black a slightly better position.

You’re 1000, so you should know opening fundamentals: center control, piece development, king safety. The London concedes center control for rapid piece development with 0 counter-play and a king in a bunker. As Black, you can ignore king safety for a death grip on the center and even FASTER development.
Since Londoneers put LSB outside the pawn chain and castle kingside, their queenside is exposed. Target the b6 pawn. 5… Qb6 forces Black to trade queens unfavorably with Qb3, ruin their pawn structure with b3, play the ultra-passive Qc1 allowing you greater tempo and space gain, or Qc2, which gives you a target to play against and some alternative development ideas.

I’m a fan of this setup. There are a lot of traps and easy plans. Won’t spoil the fun - enjoy your research!

my win rate is pretty good against the London in this line (small sample size maybe)

It would be nice if you showed us a game or two. The London is a tame opening that leads to a roughly equal position.

These are my favorite systems, I don't have troubles against London any more than any other white opening:

Just develop pieces, play c5 early and put pressure on the queen side. Don't allow any greek gift nonsense, keep the king well protected. There are no short cuts, it's going to be a long positional battle in most cases.

you play the Charlick, never again London system !!

If you quit, you're not legit enough

One easy way to remember is to develop your light-squared bishop against White's LSB. You can do this with or without doing the same with your dark-squared bishop, too.

With just the LSB:

Then you can develop your queen to b7 or a6, either one works. (Your queen basically "replaces" your missing LSB).

If White tries to stop this by doubling with his queen and bishop, then you just move your a-pawn to allow your rook to help:

Same kind of idea.

This neutralizes White's favorite attacking piece in the London: his light-square bishop.

You can also do this with both bishops - develop your bishops against White's bishops, with the plan to exchange them away whenever you want:

This isn't the only way to play against the London - but it's a simple way to remember, and I've used variations of it on occasions against titled masters. It simplifies the game quite a bit.

Uhh idk how but I always crush it