Chess Openings: London System 

As a full time professional chess teacher ( and comsequently a very tough critic of the instruction of others ) this guy does do a good job. 1) He speaks clearly. 2) He covers basic ideas without insulting the intelligence or knowledge of listener. 3) He does not cover too many variations ( confusing to beginners of a new opening ) 4) He stresses general ideas Kudos well done - superior to a lot of GM instruction!

Crazy to think that a video released 10 years ago just helped me run through my dad can't thank you enough. Might binge your openings playlist tonight

One thing you fail to deal with is that new players (playing other new players) will have their pieces continuously attacked by pawns and other pieces (ie. at 8:00, black plays c4 or Nh4, maybe even h6-g5 in a different variation). They DO NOT care that they are ruining their structure, and you are usually not good enough to punish them for it, and in a lot of cases they are winning because you are stuck. What would be nice to know is what to capture and which blunders to look out for.

I'm not an expert but would have loved to see a few more moves after the point that he resigned

Thanks for these videos, man. I watched them for months before I actually started playing online, and these helped immensely.

The London System and the Colle System are very good anti-kingside-castle openings

I always use the london system, its really nice and confuses people

@kettellive I do think he resigned too quickly but in this position I do think it will be very tough to defend himself.

So basically am watching this 10 years later , and let's play it 😀

thanks kevin. started winning alot of games with the london system

The reason I'm here is somebody beat me using the London system :(

Very informative without making it boring. Thanks!

wow i literally just watched the vid and played someone rated higher than me using the london system and made him resign. thanks!

If you have to choose when you're bridge is broken, should you aim to have the pawn chain on the side you castle or opposite. As in when d4 pawn is taken should you take with c3 or e3 pawn. Or with another piece if you have the option. This probably changes based on the other pieces position, but I usually put my chain coming off the kings pawns. Is this best?

What do people think of playing kc3 followed by kb5 with the idea of the kc7 fork? I know you have to move the knight twice early for it to work, but I feel that the attack often leaves me up on material and causes all of the focus to be on 5-8 so there's very little pressure. As black struggles to stop your attack you just push forward more attackers. Of course it only works out if black moves their queen side knight in the first couple moves, but they almost always do.

A question here. I have watched/seen players use pawn h3 as an "escape" for the dark square bishop to counter blacks, potential, knight H5. is this not advised? is it a wasted move/time? Just to say it, the dark square bishop then has the chance to retreat to H2 and be safe while maintaining the long diagonal. This is a move i use when black uses knight F6. Am I screwing myself up with time/tempo? (i really hope i got all the squares right)

You're the only person that has explained this clearly for a beginner like me so far. Most over-complicate it and show too many variations. Thanks!

Wow as soon as I saw this I went on to try this opening and check mated early into the game with them same kind of moves done on this game. Starting a get a better understanding how this works. Thanks!

Been playing this for a few months now and didn't realize it had a name. A lot of people I've played willingly trade their black dark bishop for mine when I do this and develop their Queen. Great video with good insight on the issue of not castling, I've lost some games I was dominating due to castling. Thanks! Looking forward to trying some kingside pawn attacks post castle.

I like it. Reminds me of the ‘stonewall attack’ outlined in the 1951 Horowitz/Reinfeld classic: “How to Think Ahead in Chess”.

thanks kev this was a good explanation and example. lot of options in the end !

WoW ...Wonderful attack and perfect explantation.Especially sacriface more than two pieces was amazing!..thx for vid:-)

7:30 what do I have to do if he does pawn c4. please someone tell me

Thank you, this system has worked great for me.

very good video which explains very well the london system, it's so easy and good

you can squeeze in h3 making a hole so if you like to move the bishop to later. Otherwise you can often play Bg5 if they attack like that, if your light sqaure bishop is sat on e2 (it sometimes is e.g. against the kings indian defence).

well done, but what happens if black attacks the bishop on f4 with e.g Nh5?

I am new to chess so which 5 openings for both white and black

Best way to counter opponents bishop coming to F5? Can't go to D3 with second bishop as its not protected?

After Bd3 for white please tell how we would play if pawn is pushed by black in the first game you showed?

Can some one help me ? What if Black decided to play Knight to h5 and hit the Bishop what shoud be my response ? Thanks for the video ,ty

The London system is an awesome opening. this video helped me win a bunch of games!!

How should you react if black pawn moved to c4 where should the bishop go at 9:07

@acharyaramesh1 that is awesome, keep it up.

Hello thechesswebsite, for the match by Vlatko Kovačević(1980) at 11:05, could this plan of bishop BF4 to BG5 pinning the black side's bishop work? if black captures ,white could capture back with a checkmate in the next move and if black doesn't capture white could capture the bishop and bring the knight from ND3-NF3 followed by NF3-NG5 black then has no way to stop white's attacks and white could continue with mate QH5-QH7

I always use this opening for years and I never he knew it had a name This system is great for bullet and blitz it makes the opponent waste time And your usually in great position for end game

what should I do if black plays pawn to c4 on 8:00 ?

Hey Kevin, I have been watching many of your video's lately and I just wanted to say you are doing a great job!

What about black pawn to g5 or e5 stopping the bishop??

Thank you! I love everything about your video!

7:58 why no simply c4 by black? kicking out light squared bishop, gain tempo and also creative closed, strong centre and better light squared bishop

Very nice to see this opening. Can you please make me a play list with your videos step by step to start learning chess like a pro. I am new to the world of chess and there are so many videos on your channel. I really don't know we're to start in

What do you do in the end???

Noob question but, what if black attacks my dark square bishop moving his night to somewhere like h5? do i just let the trade happen or what am i supposed to do

i dont know why black resigned i cant find the mate of black on this game. Pls. can u solve for me?

thanks alot kevin. can you recommend a couple other good openings for beginners?

@gastro54 I'm just confused all over the place. Got the colors backwards and I meant Qc7+ not Qe7. But even that doesn't work because after Qxc6, Qf8 nullifies the whole attack. g7 is definitely what forced the resignation.

@shaweeg I really like Chess960 and think it really shows how players understand the true meaning of how pieces should be used at anytime. Many GMs are great because their opening theory is on point, sometimes studying different lines into the 20th move. With Chess 960 opening theory is all gone, so many of their strengths are taken away. I think there a much smaller gap between really good chess players and GMs with Chess960 so many GMs won't play it much.

What would be the best move if black moves to h5 to try to capture White's Bishop?

@Kevin, could you explain why black doesnt capture white's dark square bishop at e5 with his rook at g5 after white moves Rh8... My question is why not this moves: Rh8, Rxe5

If the c3 pawn is on c4 is this still ok

I usually use a Kings pawn or Evans Gambit, and Sicilian defense, this is definitely a great opening for me to incorporate

Hi Kevin, Thanks for all informational chess videos. I've a request for you. could you do a video about chess960 opening principles for amateurs who have good understanding of conventional chess?

Magnus Carlsen (the world champion) has been playing this system rather brilliantly as of late.

I wish youd have played the scenario further I dont understand how white finishes out? The king can move to c6 and be fine

I'm relatively new to the game but would it be better at 9:36 instead of moving the Bishop to move the Queen to h5 so you can take the Pawn on h7 and you have checkmate?

If you have not already made a video about this opening, would you do the sicillian speznicoph ( I think thats how you spell it).

I always have trouble with my dark square bishop being attacked by pawns, what do I do against this

It's great that you have so many good chess videos out. It'd be awesome to hear you mix up the lingo with some fresh lines, though (if you haven't already by the time I write this). "Again", "and at the same time" and "Black's gonna bring his __ to __" is making me a little bit crazy over the course of the last 10ish videos I watched. You could just say "Bishop f4" without the "gonna bring his".

Great tut, as always. I especially enjoyed the GM match. You kinda think that castling kingside actually hurts you more than helps you against the London System.

This is a fantasitc opening for beginners. Most beginners as black lose coordination with this strong D4 attack and many of their 'standard E4 play' style moves are totally ineffective. Very fun and sucessful opening

So much Thank you Sir Thanks to you i won lots of games with London System

If they play bd6 is it wise to trade bishops ?

Not to be weird but I love the way you put things simply, and matter of fact, as well as your smooth tone in your lessons. Not to be odd but I was just saying that your lessons are easy to listen to bc of this. As far as this opening "system" is concerned it feels so natural for beginners who only understand basics of opening theory. Eveythin is easy and basically you just try to ultimately get to a square in blacks back field as the game changer. Only small unnatural thing is moving Queen pawn.

i am a classic E4 player but this sounds very funny. But you can only play the London as far as you have your queen on the board or not ? if u trade your queen you might loose the mid game/end game

What append on rook f8 instead of Bf8

This is nice explaination, Thanks

Great opening suggestion!

Hello budy, how are you? First of all I would like to say which fantastic channel you have watched some of your classes and it is fantastic. I would like to ask you which defense you recommend playing against the london system, is there any solid defense that you recommend me?

Very nicely explained

I love watching your videos Kevin. You're voice reminds me of Walt Junior from Breaking Bad.

What do you do when black knight goes h5

I always wanted to know this but can the opposite color play the same opening in reverse for all openings?

at 12:24 why didnt white bring pawn to g6 to take away the escape for the king, and then queen up to H8. This would be checkmate, right? So why did white do it in opposite order?

what do you think about fischer random chess ? ( or 960 Chess)

Great video. Very interestng as lots of people recommend the London as an opening to teach you to develop your pieces without too much theory. I'm really glad you discussed castling at 12.00 because I was thinking that your king would still be quite central if you castled queenside to quickly connect your rooks

Thank you for this video. Mr kevin.

The chess website there is a rule that you need to play h3 when e6 or d5 so that nh5 isnt a problem and also it is bad to exchange a bishop to a knight in the opening

1:12 Why not 2nd move? In a book it says that this is now considered best

9:00 what should I do if black plays pawn to C4?

8:00, why is B knight to D7 a better option than F Knight to G4? I'm admittedly horrible a chess, but wouldn't threatening Knight to F2 be better? Edit: Never mind. Rook to F1 stops all threat of that. I'm still bad :)

12:55, interesting rook.

@tigris2257 Of either kc6 or kc8 then Rxf8 Qxf8 and the Qc7 with an overwhelming attack. Black would either be mated or driven out inti the middle of the board

Hay YA Kevin, Thanks so much, outstanding line up of content you have on this Ch, so very well organized! Please, could you point me to the best link for ether Yours or another link to the best Defense against the London System. This would be so greatly appreciated by myself, family and some beloved Opponents. Such Major Thanks to You on this important follow up! It's personally very important to us and it's your personal style that's most favored for Friends & Family I've shared Your Ch, with. Blessings from Oregon from this regular and major Fan, ... Mike.

@tigiris2257 I think pushing the pawn on g6 will eventually lead to the loss of the rook. Also the bishop on f8 is pinned to the Queen, therefore will likely fall too. After this, white has a material and position advantage.

@DOCSOCKBFD777 1...Qe7 2. Bf6 Qxh7 3. Rxh7 Kc6 4. Bxg5 white looks to be really good in this position.

What happens if they bring their pawn down to e5 in the opening and so you can’t bring your bishop out

Can anyone tell me how can I check my rating?

@DOCSOCKBFD777 but bishop to f6 would fork the queen and e7 and rook and g5 so it doesent really matter black loss

Anybody knows who's the guy talking in this video?

I am curious, why doesn't black take the pawn at g5 instead of bringing the rook out at 12:22

Thanks. Very good tutorial

What about black pawn to c4 at 7:55

Good intro re: London System #chess opening. It's also possible to transpose into Colle (c3), Stonewall Attack, Trom+Torre, and even Bird openings. c4 and Qb3 lines can also be fun. In total, when you start connecting the dots, these form quite a potent "d4 system", which one can add to (as ratings increase).

Hey big Kev I've always been curious whats your rating or do you even have one.

I love playing the London system. Easy to play unless your opponent deliberately sways away from common lines. I'm thrilled when black castles on the king side. In bullet games I've caught so many off guard with the sacrifice storm on the king side. Not so easy when your opponent plays the right moves but you're not playing against stockfish.

@kettellive Well i thought so too till i realized the G pawn is a monster here. It will win black's queen or at least rook in many variations.

GM Simon Williams (GingerGM) have just investigated the London system, and there is some great tacticle ideas with a quick kingside pawnstorm and a greek gift. It worked several times against an IM Thomas Rendle. Check out his vids

How do you keep black's knight out of h5? I'm always forced to trade my bishop when I move it to f4.

13:08: why Rh8 instead of Rh7+?