[Event "The Mighty London System!: Some usual London Setup"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/HM0m7zRB/mRfxlr9P"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/george_mcgeorge"]
[ECO "A45"]
[Opening "Indian Defense"]
[UTCDate "2020.12.19"]
[UTCTime "13:44:54"]
[Variant "Standard"]

1. d4 Nf6 { 1...Nf6 is probably the most often faced reply, but we will cover alternatives later } 2. Bf4 d5 { This is normally the set up black wants to achieve, otherwise 2...g6 or 2...c5 are good options } ( 2... g6 ) ( 2... c5 3. e3 ( 3. dxc5 { [%cal Rd8a5] } 3... Qa5+ { [%cal Ra5e1,Ra5c5] } ) ) 3. e3 c5 { Black wants to undermine whites pawn centre, for this move, white and black always need to be in the look out for, because either side, if the necessary circumstances are given, can play either c7-c5 or c2-c4 [%cal Rc5d4] } 4. c3 { White can play other moves, but white can also strengthen his center [%cal Bc3d4,Be3d4,Rc5d4] } ( 4. dxc5 { [%cal Rd8a5] } 4... Qa5+ { [%cal Ra5e1,Ra5c5] } ) ( 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. exd4 ) 4... Nc6 { Black further pressurizes our well built centre, but we do not have to worry about this [%cal Gf1d3] } ( 4... c4 { Although this move looks good, it ain't that good: Sure, it cages in our Bishop, but we can undermine that pawnchain - immediately! [%csl Rf1] } 5. b3 { Now we're talkin'! [%cal Rb3c4] } 5... b5 { Supporting the structure? Well, we can add another attacker... [%cal Bb5c4,Bd5c4,Rb3c4] } ( 5... cxb3 6. axb3 { Usually we would hate having pawns here, in the middle of nowhere and only defended by pieces... but: Who's there to attack the pawns? And moreover: We can play c4 and recapture with a pawn! [%csl Gb3,Gc3] } 6... Bf5 { The engine's choice } 7. Nf3 a6 { Bb5 is still possible, because the Rook hangs on a8 } ( 7... e6 ) ) 6. a4 { [%cal Ra4b5,Rb3c4,Bb5c4,Bd5c4] } 6... cxb3 { Here we have plenty of a choice: We can take on b3 with the Queen, we can take on b5 with the Bishop or the pawn. I'd advice taking on b5 first, because b3 won't escape (if b2 simply Ra2 and we be winnin' a pawn soon) } ( 6... b4 { A very interesting move - but we will be alright: } 7. bxc4 dxc4 ( 7... bxc3 8. Nxc3 { This is okay, but it allows some activity for Black } 8... e5 9. dxe5 Bb4 { Usually, we'd be happy tradin', though this time we have to defend our Knight - after all, the Bishop threatens to fork us [%csl Rc3,Rf6][%cal Rb4c3,Rc3a1,Rc3e1,Re5f6] } 10. Rc1 { [%cal Bc1c3] } 10... Ne4 11. Ne2 { If 12...Qa5 13Qc2 will be good enough [%cal Be2c3,Bc1c3,Rb4c3,Re4c3] } ) 8. Bxc4 { Active piece play - what's better than activity? } 8... bxc3 9. Nxc3 { A nice move, for sure, but in this very position we would have had something better } ( 9. Qf3 { We win a piece, or the exchange [%csl Ra8][%cal Rf3a8] } ) ) 7. Bxb5+ Bd7 8. Qxb3 ) 5. Bd3 { We develope our Bishop to a natural and powerfull square, as you can see we control two nice diagonals: b1-h7 and f1-a6 [%csl Bd3][%cal Gd3h7,Rd3b5,Gd3b1,Rd3f1] } 5... e6 { Black wants to trade our dark-squared Bishop and we will be totally fine with this, because we have placed most of our pawns on dark-squares and, to add to this, Blacks dark-squared Bishop is slightly more valuable then our dark-squared Bishop. [%cal Rf8d6,Rd6f4] } ( 5... c4 6. Bc2 { We just move our Bishop back a little while keeping control of the b1-h7 diagonal, the Bishop could also help out with a pawn-breakthrough like b2 [%cal Gc2b1,Gc2h7,Bb2b3,Rc2b3] } ) ( 5... Qb6 { We will cover these kind of moves in an future chapter } ) 6. Nf3 { [%csl Gf8] } ( 6. Bg3 Bd6 7. Nf3 Bxg3 8. hxg3 { This is an alternative variation to our main variation, but not "really" different } 8... O-O 9. Ne5 ( 9. Nbd2 ) ) 6... Bd6 7. Bg3 { Bg3 is the best and most played option, but there are also other variations where we do not retreat our Bishop: We can also choose to take the black Bishop (which is not recommended, only under specific circumstances!), we can play 7.g3 or ignore the last move of our opponent and develope other pieces (we can also take the c5 pawn and "force the black Bishop to capture the pawn")! } ( 7. g3 { Now we hope, that the enemys King castles short and if back were to take our Bishop, he would be facing a strong attack } 7... Bxf4 8. gxf4 O-O 9. Rg1 { [%cal Rg1g7] } ) ( 7. O-O Bxf4 8. exf4 { Even though our f-pawns are doubled, it is good: The e- and the f-pawn control the e5-square, to add to this, we have built most of our pawns on dark squares. This makes OUR Bishop really happy. As an bonus, we get the half open e-line for our rook! [%csl Bf4][%cal Bd4e5,Bf4g5,Bd4c5,Bf4e5] } ) ( 7. Nbd2 { We simply ignore the trade of Bishops, after all our Bishop is defended! üòé } 7... Bxf4 8. exf4 ) ( 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O O-O 9. Nbd2 { Look at blacks Bishops, both of them are rather sad, because the light-squared one looks at their own pawn and the dark-squared one looks at our pawns. Our Bishops are happy to control nice diagonals and if black were to trade his dark-squared Bishop, again, we would be happy to do so. } ) 7... O-O 8. Nbd2 { If back (in Black) takes our Bishop, he might be in a lot of trouble! } 8... Bxg3 9. hxg3 { [%cal Gd3h7,Gh1h7] } *