[Event "üê∏Tips for London Systemüê∏: Early Nf3 Mistake - Example 2"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/NboFy7hm/QpyUTErt"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FunnyAnimatorJimTV"]
[ECO "D00"]
[Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System, Steinitz Countergambit"]
[UTCDate "2018.04.15"]
[UTCTime "01:28:28"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ In this chapter I'll explain the 2nd reason why the early Nf3 is inaccurate: It's interrupted the d1-h5 diagonal.

To illustrate this issue, we will see a game played by Magnus Carlsen, a big advocate of the London System.
After this game was played, the London System got more popularity, respect and ideas. [%csl Rf3][%cal Yd1h5,Rg1f3] } 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 { Watch how Magnus Carlsen delays playing Nf3 during the game. I think that's the main reason why he won this game! [%csl Gf4][%cal Rg1f3] } 2... c5 3. e3 Nc6 4. c3 { Building the pyramid before Nf3. This is very good by white. [%csl Gb2,Gc3,Gd4,Ge3,Gf2][%cal Gf2d4,Gb2d4,Rg1f3] } 4... Qb6 5. Qb3 Nf6 { If Nf3 here, then black has c4 (transposing back into the bad line in chapter 2) and after Qc2, Bf5. [%cal Rg1f3,Rc5c4,Rc8f5] } 6. Nd2 { So white delays playing Nf3! It looks unnatural at first sight, but it's very interesting!
Also take note that the d1-h5 diagonal has been kept clear as a result of the lack of Nf3. [%cal Gd1h5] } 6... c4 7. Qc2 Nh5 { In normal London System games, this bishop is a goner. However, by delaying Nf3, white is able to maintain him! [%cal Rh5f4] } 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 { White doesn't have to play Bg3 here!! White hasn't played Nf3!
Can you guess what Magnus Carlsen played in this position? [%csl Rg3][%cal Rh4g3,Yd1h5] } 10. Be2 { Yes! We haven't played Nf3- we can play Be2 hitting the knight on this diagonal! [%csl Rh5,Gh4][%cal Re2h5] } 10... Ng7 ( 10... e5 $5 { Stockfish 9 likes this move } 11. Bxh5 gxh4 12. Ndf3 exd4 13. exd4 Qd8 14. Qe2+ Be7 15. Qe3 Bf5 16. Nxh4 Be4 17. Nhf3 Qb6 18. b3 Rg8 19. Ne2 Rxg2 20. bxc4 Rg7 21. Rd1 O-O-O 22. Rg1 Rxg1+ 23. Nfxg1 f5 $13 ) 11. Bg3 Bf5 ( 11... Nf5 ) 12. Qc1 e6 { This painful London System bishop has been maintained on the board, and white will be able to attack black's pawn chain with b3 and e4 pawn breaks! [%csl Gg3,Rc4,Rd5,Re6][%cal Gg3b8,Re3e4,Rb2b3,Re4d5,Rb3c4] } 13. Ngf3 { NOW after the work has been done, white plays Nf3 [%csl Gf3] } 13... Qa5 14. e4 { I made a long variation on what can happen if black plays dxe4 [%cal Rd5e4] } 14... Bh7 ( 14... dxe4 15. Nxc4 Qd5 16. Nfe5 Be7 17. Nxc6 bxc6 18. h4 Bh7 19. hxg5 Qxg5 20. Qf4 Nf5 21. Rh5 Qxf4 22. Bxf4 Bg6 23. Rh3 Nh4 24. Kf1 Bg5 25. Bd6 Nf5 26. Bc5 f6 27. Re1 Kd7 ) 15. O-O Be7 16. Re1 O-O 17. Ne5 { Vacating f3 for the bishop! [%csl Gf3,Rd5][%cal Ge2f3,Yf3a8,Yg3b8,Re4d5] } 17... Nxe5 18. Bxe5 f6 19. Bg3 Rfe8 20. h4 { [%cal Rh4g5] } 20... b5 { [%cal Rb5b4] } 21. b4 Qd8 22. a4 { Black cannot afford to go passive [%cal Ra7a6,Re2f3] } 22... a5 ( 22... a6 23. Bf3 ) 23. axb5 axb4 24. Rxa8 Qxa8 25. exd5 exd5 26. Bf3 { With a threat of Nxc4 [%csl Rc4][%cal Rd2c4,Yf3a8,Yd5c4] } 26... Qd8 27. hxg5 hxg5 { These bishops are monsters that were maintained through the move order delaying Nf3 [%csl Bf3,Bg3][%cal Bg3b8,Bf3a8] } 28. b6 { Trying to distract the queen so the pawn structure can be blown to smitherines
In fact, there is a threat of b6-b7-b8 xD [%csl Bc4,Bd5][%cal Rd8b6,Bf3d5,Bb6b7,Bb7b8] } 28... bxc3 29. Qxc3 Qxb6 30. Bxd5+ Kf8 31. Nxc4 { Black's center is completely gone } 31... Qb5 32. Ne3 Rd8 33. Qc7 Qd7 34. Qa5 Nh5 35. Bc7 Rc8 36. Bh2 Nf4 37. Bxf4 gxf4 38. Nc4 { [%csl Rd7,Rc8][%cal Gd5e6,Ye6c8] } 38... Qf5 { [%cal Rf5a5] } 39. Qa7 { [%cal Ra7e7] } 39... Qxd5 40. Qxe7+ Kg8 41. Nb6 { Black resigns. [%cal Rb6d5,Rb6c8] } *