How to counter black c4-push when playing the London system as white

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Avatar of spatziba

Hi!

I am trying to learn how to play the London system as white, but have hade a lot of trouble when black plays d5 and c5 and then pushes the c5 pawn to c4. The instructional videos on the London system that I have found says to ignore the c5 pawn and develop naturally (which works well without the c4-push), but when the c4-push from black comes I cannot develop the white bishop to d3 and my whole game feels cramped. If I challenge the c4-pawn with b3 the black player just backs up the c4 pawn with b5. 

Is there any way for me to punish black in this position? If there are any instructional videos on this that I have missed I would also appreciate it!

Thanks!

Avatar of stoepetdingreturns
spatziba wrote:

Hi!

I am trying to learn how to play the London system as white, but have hade a lot of trouble when black plays d5 and c5 and then pushes the c5 pawn to c4. The instructional videos on the London system that I have found says to ignore the c5 pawn and develop naturally (which works well without the c4-push), but when the c4-push from black comes I cannot develop the white bishop to d3 and my whole game feels cramped. If I challenge the c4-pawn with b3 the black player just backs up the c4 pawn with b5. 

 

Is there any way for me to punish black in this position? If there are any instructional videos on this that I have missed I would also appreciate it!

Thanks!

 

 

open the file and place your rook on it,if you keep controll of the file and you will have a good game

 

Avatar of ELVITOTO

After 6)..., b5 7)bxc4, bxc4 8) a4!

If he doesn't have a knight on c6 you could play a4 immediately without taking on c4, and if he defends with a6 you just win a pawn because the a6 pawn is pinned.

Avatar of pfren
supertramps έγραψε:

Not Nd2 there is a trick

 

 

 

Trapping your own Queen voluntarily cannot be labelled as "trick".

After 7...Bc6 threatening Ra8 white can resign.

Avatar of ELVITOTO

 

Avatar of ELVITOTO

Also this can happen

 

Avatar of purplesparks796

hi! bit of a chess beginner here. what do i do if i try to do the london system but the queen’s pawn gets challenged immediately?

Avatar of Ze_Shoopuf

This structure comes more from the ...Qb6 lines, usually, for Black, playing c4 so early without developing or gaining time (like in your example) is overextension. In the London, usually the c4 advance happens like this (gaining a tempo on the Queen):

It may be personal preference, but I like Black in these types of positions. That's why my preferred move order, when I want to play the London without knowing what the opponent plays, is 2.Nf3, as these kinds of lines occur much less often there
Avatar of pfren

This is roughly a way to take advantage of an early ...c4. The main problem for black is that the c4 pawn itself is exposed to attack by either the direct b3 or the indirect e4.

Avatar of KitMarlow
purplesparks796 wrote:

hi! bit of a chess beginner here. what do i do if i try to do the london system but the queen’s pawn gets challenged immediately?

After 1. d4 e5, you're dealing with the Englund Gabmit and you'll no longer be playing the London System. Look up resources with titles such as "(How to) Beat the Englund Gambit", "Counter the Englund Gambit" or "Refute the Englund Gambit". See for example Beat the Englund Gambit.