[Event "London System: IDEAS"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/vncDNzr9/QpDPpqIY"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/blizorUk"]
[ECO "D00"]
[Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System"]
[UTCDate "2021.01.19"]
[UTCTime "14:47:21"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ The London Opening can bring you great results and teach you very important, good ideas in chess. In this chapter I will show you the must-know ideas when playing the London Opening(System) } 1. d4 { In this chapter I'll explain the main ideas you will do in most London Opening games.
Our London Opening move.
IDEA #1: Start with d4 and Bf4. } 1... d5 2. Bf4 { Our london opening move. } 2... Nf6 3. e3 { IDEA #2: Build a Pyramid!! Play the moves e3 and c3 as soon as you can! } 3... c5 { When c5 hits you never want to take on c5. The main reason is because when you take something you RELEASE TENSION and releasing tension is bad. You don't want to capture with your d4 pawn cause then you're just gonna destroy your own pyramid. Instead you let them take us. } 4. c3 { Your goal is to have e3 already played and to MEET C5 WITH C3. } 4... e6 { IDEA #3: Develop your remaining minor pieces.
The question is, where? The answer? Where they are closest to the CENTER!! The center is where your pieces are the most powerful, so we should get our pieces towards there. Thus, the best squares for our pieces are Nd2, Nf3 and Bd3. } 5. Nd2 { I recommend developing the queen's knight before the king's knight, because there are some nasty things that can happen if you play Nf3 too early. You can avoid these annoyances by developing the queen knight first. } 5... Nc6 6. Ngf3 { Both knights are out to their best squares
Here black can play either Bd6 or Be7. Be7 is more passive. I created a sideline so you can see my recommendation for what to do if they play that.
The mainline runs Bd6. } 6... Bd6 { IDEA #4: The "Mexican Standoff" as GM Simon Williams likes to call it. There are two pistols aiming at each other. When black plays Bd6 aiming at your bishop, you've got to remember to NOT TAKE, but to drop this bishop back to g3.
If you take, you help black to develop the queen and they can play e5 next. That is unacceptable. } ( 6... Be7 ) 7. Bg3 { Generally when you are given a choice whether to make an exchange or not, you should NOT do the exchange, but KEEP THE TENSION and let your opponent make the exchange. If black takes the bishop on g3, which weaker plays often do, you get a free open file and g-pawn battering rams. These are both excellent resources when you do your kingside attack. } 7... O-O ( 7... Bxg3 8. hxg3 h6 9. Ne5 { Super important move. The idea is to stop black playing e5 and we want to increase our control of this square by playing f4. } 9... Qd6 10. f4 { We upgraded our "Pyramid" into a "Stonewall" and we can do a very good kingside attack } 10... cxd4 11. cxd4 ) 8. Bd3 { We completed development of all our minor pieces. } 8... Re8 { Okay here is a typical example where black is going to play e6-e5, break up the center and free up his position and his light squared bishop.
**GOLDEN RULE** #5: You should *NEVER* allow black to play e5. You have to block this square. [%cal Ge8e5,Ge6e5] } ( 8... c4 9. Bc2 Qd7 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. f4 { And its completed.The stonewall. } ) 9. Ne5 { **GOLDEN RULE** IDEA #6 Play Ne5. This is a key move in the London System. You have to play this at some point in the London System in order to get into the middlegame. With the move Ne5, we are:
1. Preventing black from playing e5. *Super important, please take note of this*
2. Occupying the center, the very best thing you can do
And attacking black's kingside with stonewall f4 } 9... Qc7 { Too many attackers,not enough defenders. } 10. f4 { We have stonewallish position
GOLDEN IDEA #7: Convert the "Pyramid" into what's known as a "Stonewall". (Pawns on c3, d4, e3 and f4)
This is your main goal in the London System out of the opening. You want to have:
1. Got all your pieces out and working, controlling both light and dark squares
2. Stopped black playing e5 (played Ne5)
3. Built your stonewall successfully } 10... Bxe5 11. fxe5 *