The London System begins with 1.d4, with an early Bf4, pawns on d4/e3, often with c3/c4, Bd3, Nbd2 and Ngf3. In this video we see two mid-level amateurs, with me – chesscreator – playing White.
Chess opening London System part 3 = bishop sacrifice, delayed castling, kingside attack, etc.
Please take something for that cough/good video
Good commentary!
9:20 Isn't Qh7++ a threat also? Or am I missing something?
Hi . Nice game. I checked 10:42 . There is the unpleasant 1…cxb2 2.Rb1 ( 2.BxQd8 ? b2xRa1 Q+ ) 2…Qa5+ . So i think at 10:12 1.h4xBg5+ is better.
@Orthosonic Thanks for the comment. @ 9:20 Ng5 also threatens Qh7# (mate).
@Aschenkopf Thanks for the comment. I engine checked 10:12 with h4xBg5+ and Houdini spots a Mate-in-13!!
@ploucroux Thanks for the comment. Yes, good point, (9:20) Nf7 fails due to Rxf7!, Qxf7, Be8 – although, Ng5 also threatens Qh7#, so Black is forced to capture. I’ll annotate this on the video 🙂
@TizomChess Yes, that's a good alternative line. My personal preference is to delay Nf3, retaining the option to transpose into a favourable Stonewall Attack formation (after trading dark-square bishops). If Black plays a very early Bd6 (or Nh5 before h3) then I use the Bg3, Bxg3, hxg3 line to open the h-file.
@thespacialone Yes, as per earlier comments, after h4xBg5+ there's a mate-in-13 according to the engines.
@thespacialone I agreed with your earlier comment. I had already annotated the video to sugesst hxg5+ as a stronger line. I also accept your point about 'critical positions' and Engines – good advice. I should stress when games are 5-minute Blitz – like this one – (and therefore annotated at high-level only), and whether engines were used (or not), etc. Good advice, thanks.
@WEITESTAL Hi, good question! Yes, 3. …Bd6 was an option, and is a common theme – but – it's nothing to cause concern. If Bd6 after c5, one plan is Bxd6, Qxd6, f4! and aim for a Stonewall Attack set-up. If Bd6 before c5, then Bxd6 can be met with cxd6 – good for black. Instead, I prefer Bg3 and if Bxg3, then hxg3 (opens h-file for rook), intending 0-0-0 or Ke2. If white has played d4+Nf3+Bf4, before Bd6, then Ne5 is another option. I hope this helps, if not – PM me!
Yes, Ng5 threatens Qh7#, see annotation @ 9.33 for details.
Lots of free chess articles + videos on the ChessCreator website 🙂 Also check out the featured chess channels, all of them produce excellent videos. Each time you make a mistake, note the reason (e.g. left a piece unprotected, got forked by a knight, didn't spot checkmate threat, etc) + when it occured (opening, middlegame, endgame). You can then identify weaknesses in your games, and work on those things first. Good luck!
Maybe you could also have mentioned that in the final position Rxf6 doesn't work either (you're down a piece so it is worth considering) due to exf6 Ne8 f7 and game over 🙂
Agreed.
i've played london system for a while now…. surprisingly most of my opponent were caught offguard with the checkmate from the queen and light square bishop combination right after they castled kingside…
i apologize if i cough or CROKE during this video lol
croak = speak with a hoarse voice
I'm quite happy I found this. I had been playing this opening for a while not knowing what it was called. My games using it have been hit or miss, so with some focus I think I'll have a more solid game. Thanks for uploading.
I enjoyed this video, thx for posting. Btw on move 20. Bxg5 is given -1.35 and hxg5 instantly shot through the roof with +40 and if you let it think a little it is mate in 21.
Analysis by Fritz 13:
20.hxg5+ Kg8 21.Rh7 Rf7 22.Qh6 Kf8 23.g6 Bb5 24.gxf7 Ke7 25.Bg5+ Kd7 26.Bxd8 cxb2 27.Rb1 Kc6 28.f8Q Rxd8 29.Qxd8 a5 30.Qd6+ Kb7 31.Rxg7+
+- (#21)
These videos are awesome. thank you SO much for them 🙂 keep up the great work Stephen.
I just stumbled onto these videos after learning the Colle system. Thanks for the great work. These are all very helpful and informative.
At my site this video is distorted: I see only a green / gray patch. This is regardless of the browser I use. Any explanation?
bishop xg5 at 10 minutes in has to be a mistake, pawn takes wins at least the knight on g7
I was looking at purchasing either Gambit's "Win with the London System" or Everyman's "Play the London System" does anyone own both these books? curious what was better..
I find it a bit offensive to state there is only one way to go,…down after Kasparov. I loved and love Garry as much as anybody but c'mon there is a whole slew of 2700 players including Vishy, Kramnik, Leko, Carlsen, Nakamura, etc. who you might have shown in the London but whatever. There is only one direction but down. Indeed.
I play the this system a lot and its works quite good with strong players but i have to say, not taking anything from your win good game you played but your opponent was terrible i mean he played very poorly.
My dark square bishop always gets attacked by Black's dark square bishop. should I trade ? This happens in around 90 % of my games using this system.
At 9:41…you said you delayed taking back the pawn on c3 because the knight threatens knight f7 check..but more to the point it threatens mate on h7 😉
At 4.54 if black not capture so what can i do
9:35 okay my eyesight isn't the best in the world. But i reckon losing his rook is the least of Black's worries
11:58 are you sure? What about say (i haven't looked too mhch into this so it may be no threat): Bpawnc3, Wrookd1 Bpawnc2 i'd say black looks better – not good but if you don't mate him in time (which i'm sure you would anyway) he'd be up a bit of matieral, or he'd at least win the exchange
lots of blunders… i regret watching this
this game shown on this video is amateur playing. taking with the bishop is too passive. Discover check wins the game by chess rules and principles. If you take with pawn then discover check+. king g8 forced. Queen h7 or h6 wins. Black loses too much material and still with pressure on. Black loses the night and possibly the queen. The white rook will come to help with an open file. Black lost this game the moment he took the knight on e5.
I am enjoying these videos, thank you for sharing.
He missed a mating pattern right there
This not aggressive
@stephen jones.. Ur lecture is good but rather yhan explaining useless stuff, explain moves, not useless explaination. You are very slow in explaining, wastage of time just to learn few moves.
taking with bishop seems unatural…
I am practicing with the London system. I have found exciting variations. A famous grandmaster and mathematician played this system. I have a minor in mathematics. I am hopefully playing the London. I shall be in a tournament on April 14th, 2019.
Great vid! Maybe show games of the London system in which black doesn’t blunder the h7 like a rookie, it would bring more confidence.
it sounds like youre eating somthing!! thumbs down
Thank you..