Jobava London System

1. d4White plays d4, staking out the centre and opening the diagonal for the dark-squared bishop — the same first move as every London setup.
2. Nf6Black develops the knight to f6, the most natural reply. It controls e4 and stops White from building the ideal pawn centre with e4.
3. Nc3The move that defines the system. In the classical London White plays c3 here; Jobava's idea is to develop the knight instead, gaining a tempo and eyeing both d5 and e4.
4. d5Black stakes a claim in the centre with d5, taking the square the knight was aiming at. This is the main line and the most principled answer.
5. Bf4The London bishop comes out to f4 — crucially outside the pawn chain, before e3 locks it in. From here it pressures c7 and the b8-h2 diagonal.
6. e6Black plays e6, solid and classical. The downside is familiar from the Queen's Gambit Declined: the c8 bishop is now shut in behind its own pawn.
7. e3White plays e3, the modest centre. It supports d4 and frees the f1 bishop — the bishop on f4 is already developed, so nothing gets trapped.
8. Bd6Black offers a trade with Bd6, challenging White's best minor piece. Exchanging the dark-squared bishops would take much of the sting out of White's setup.
9. Bg3White sidesteps to g3 rather than allowing the trade. The bishop keeps the c7 diagonal and stays useful behind the pawn on e3.
10. O-OBlack castles, getting the king to safety before the position opens up. The setup is sound but slightly passive.
11. Bd3The second bishop develops to d3, pointing at h7. Together with the g3 bishop and a possible Qd2, White has the beginnings of a kingside attack.
12. c5Black hits back with c5, the thematic freeing break. This challenges d4 and opens lines for the queen and the c8 bishop — the critical moment of the main line.

The same system reached through 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3, sometimes called the Prié Attack. Black's ...a6 is a useful waiting move that takes b5 away from the knight. White continues with the standard setup and posts a knight on e5, the most aggressive square on the board.

1. d4White opens with d4.
2. d5Black replies d5, the direct central response.
3. Nc3White plays Nc3, heading for the Jobava setup by a different move order.
4. Nf6Black develops Nf6, transposing towards the main line.
5. Bf4The bishop reaches f4 before e3 — always the correct order in London structures.
6. a6Black plays a6, a useful prophylactic move that denies the c3 knight the b5 square.
7. e3White plays e3, supporting d4 and opening the f1 bishop's diagonal.
8. e6Black plays e6, building the solid but slightly passive wall.
9. Nf3White develops Nf3, preparing to occupy e5.
10. c5Black strikes with c5, the standard counter against d4.
11. Ne5The knight jumps to e5 — the ideal outpost, eyeing c6 and f7 and supporting a kingside build-up.
12. Nc6Black develops Nc6 to challenge the knight. The position is balanced but full of play for both sides.

The critical test. Black meets the system head-on with 3...c5, and White answers with the aggressive 4.e4, offering a pawn to blow the position open. After 5.Nb5 the threat against c7 is real. Sharp, double-edged territory — and it pays off: Stockfish rates the position at the end of this line around +1.0 for White.

1. d4White plays d4.
2. Nf6Black develops Nf6, controlling e4.
3. Nc3White plays Nc3, the Jobava move.
4. d5Black plays d5, taking the centre.
5. Bf4The bishop comes to f4, eyeing c7.
6. c5Black hits the centre immediately with c5 — the most testing reply to the system.
7. e4White plays e4! A genuine pawn sacrifice. Instead of defending d4, White rips the position open while ahead in development.
8. cxd4Black captures on d4, accepting the challenge and winning a pawn.
9. Nb5Nb5! The key move. The knight and the f4 bishop both hit c7, and Black must deal with the threat at once.
10. e5Black plays e5, blocking the bishop's diagonal and giving the pawn back to defuse the attack.
11. Bxe5White captures on e5, restoring material. The bishop now sits actively in the centre eyeing c7 and the long diagonal.
12. Na6Black develops Na6, covering c7 and preparing to castle. Stockfish puts this at roughly +1.0 for White — the pawn comes back, the white pieces are far more active, and Black still has to untangle the kingside.

Against the King's Indian setup with ...g6, White has a clear and very human plan: Qd2 followed by Bh6, trading off the fianchettoed bishop that guards Black's king. This trade is the main practical reason many players adopt the Jobava London — the resulting dark-square weaknesses last the whole game.

1. d4White plays d4.
2. Nf6Black develops Nf6.
3. Nc3White plays Nc3, keeping the Jobava setup available against anything.
4. g6Black plays g6, heading for a King's Indian style fianchetto.
5. Bf4The bishop goes to f4 — and note it already looks towards h6.
6. Bg7Black fianchettoes with Bg7. This bishop is the main defender of the dark squares around the king.
7. Qd2Qd2 loads the battery. The queen and bishop now both bear down on h6.
8. d5Black plays d5, closing the centre before White can play e4.
9. Bh6Bh6! Offering the trade of Black's most important defensive piece.
10. O-OBlack castles. Declining the trade with ...Bxh6 would hand White the open h-file after Qxh6.
11. Bxg7White captures on g7 and Black recaptures with the king, which is now slightly exposed.
12. Kxg7The dark squares around the black king are permanently weakened. White will follow with h4-h5 or castle long and attack — a comfortable, easy-to-play position.