What Queen's Pawn Game: London System puts on the board
Material is level, with black to move.
White has central pawns on d4; Black has central pawns on d5.
White can still castle either side; Black can still castle either side.
What White is trying to build
Support d4, complete the familiar minor-piece setup and choose e4 or c4 as the freeing break.
Do not let the system move order replace calculation of Black’s threats.
How Black challenges it
Challenge the centre early with …c5 or …e5.
Develop the queen bishop actively and avoid giving White an uncontested setup.
The tactical pattern to recognise
The h2–b8 bishop diagonal can support a kingside attack.
A queen on b6 may attack both b2 and d4.
What to check before committing
Playing the setup automatically after Black has changed the pawn structure.
Allowing e4 without creating counterplay against d4.
Choose the next book move
Preview a move to see the resulting position and the idea behind it. Select it to continue on the same board.
Reference links and alternate move orders
Move orders
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf41.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e31.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd21.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 e6 6.c3
Related variations
- Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System
- Queen's Pawn Game: Anglo-Slav Opening
- Queen's Pawn Game: Anti-Torre
- Queen's Pawn Game: Barry Attack
- Queen's Pawn Game: Chandler Gambit
- Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation
- Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System
- Queen's Pawn Game: Hübsch Gambit
- Queen's Pawn Game: Krause Variation
- Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack
- Queen's Pawn Game: Liedmann Gambit
- Queen's Pawn Game: Mason Attack