As White
London System
The London System is a chess opening for White that starts with 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4.
Positional but deadly against lower-rated players who don't know how to react. Very fashionable.
Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero
Basic · Elo 400 – 600
Opponent's mistake · 5...Nb4
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 dxc4 5.Bxc4 Nb4 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.d5 Bd7 8.dxc6 Bxc6 9.Bb5
5.Bb5 a6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Bb5 a6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.c4 dxc4 8.Qa4
5.Bb5 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Bb5 e6 6.Ne5 Bd6 7.Nxc6
3.e3 Bf5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3
3.e3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Bxg3 6.hxg3
3.e3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Bxg3 6.hxg3
4.Nf3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.Nf3 e6 5.c3 Bd6 6.Bg3 Bxg3 7.hxg3
4.Nf3 Bf5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Bb5 e6 6.Ne5
4.Nf3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.c3 Bd6 6.Bg3
Intermediate · Elo 800 – 1000
4.Nf3 Bf5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Bb5 e6 6.Ne5 Bd6 7.Nxc6
3.e3 Bf5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Bd6 7.Qb5+
4.Nf3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Nf6 7.Nbd2
2.Bf4 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Bxg3 5.hxg3 Nf6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.c4
3.e3 Nc6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.Nf3 e6 5.c3 Bd6 6.Bg3 Bxg3 7.hxg3
4.Nf3 Bg4
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3 Bxg3 8.hxg3
4.Nf3 Bd6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bg3 O-O 6.Bd3 c5 7.dxc5
4.Nf3 Nb4
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 Nb4 5.Na3 e6 6.c3 Nc6 7.Qb3
4.Nf3 c5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3
Advanced · Elo 1200 – 1400
5.Bd3 Bxd3
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Bd6 7.Qb5+ Nbd7 8.Qxb7
4.Nf3 Nf6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Bf5 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Bd6 7.Qb5+
4.Bg3 Bxg3
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Bxg3 5.hxg3 Nf6 6.Nf3 h6 7.c3
5.Bd3 Bg6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bd3 Bg6 6.O-O Bd6 7.Bxg6 hxg6 8.Nbd2
4.Bg3 Nf6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Nbd2 Nc6 9.O-O
5.Nd2 Bf5
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 Bf5 6.Ngf3 e6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Nh4 Bg6 9.Nxg6
3.e3 Nf6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3
4.Nf3 Bd6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Bf5 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Nf6 6.Bd3 Bg6 7.c4
3.e3 e6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bd3 O-O 6.Nbd2 c5 7.c3
5.Nd2 Qb6
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 7.Qc2 g6 8.e4
Frequently asked questions
Is the London System good for beginners?
Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo 400 – 600), Intermediate (Elo 800 – 1000), Advanced (Elo 1200 – 1400). It suits players who prefer long-term plans and pawn structure.
What traps are there in the London System?
OpeningCraft teaches 1 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Opponent's mistake (5...Nb4).
How many lines of the London System do you need to learn?
OpeningCraft teaches 26, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.