Chess- London System

Named after the 1922 London Tournament, London System is a great series of chess openings for anyone interested in getting into chess. It illustrates opening theory (development of minor pieces and center control) well and is easy to play. The London System is a flexible and tidy opening that allows White to respond well to counter-play from Black.

In a nutshell, chess opening theory focuses on development of minor pieces and center control. It starts off with d4, immediately freeing up the dark square bishop for development with the intent of playing bf4 early. d4 and bf4 are traits that usually denote someone as playing a London System.

what you should end up with

In the London System, development and positional control is the name of the game. The best general is the general that utilizes all of his units in a war. London System allows you build up your forces, take center control, and then attack or respond to an attack. It doesn't matter too much how you develop your pieces. Nf3 and e3 will also be played, getting the knight out and preparing be7. From there, c3 and Nd2 finishes up development of minor pieces.

An interesting point to note is that within the London System, sometimes you won't want to castle. In some games, the center can be the safest place for your king depending on how Black responds. The great thing about the London System is the ease of play in beginning levels of chess and having a multitude of options open. The game can get really cramped for Black if your opponent doesn't respond well and you should be able to take a comfortable advantage.

I encourage anyone starting out in chess to take a look at the various London System lines. It's easy to pick up and a great starting point!