The London System - Lemos Deep Dive #2 GM Damian Lemos Since entering the computer age, chess openings theory has exploded, with razor sharp novelties and tricky ideas being routinely “cooked” and sprung upon the unwary club player. How do you deal with this? You can’t memorize everything. In the London System, GM Damian Lemos offers a refreshing break from the routine of memorization, with an opening system based on easy to learn plans and ideas that can be played against nearly any response to 1.d4 and is practiced by elite players such as Carlsen, Kramnik, Grischuk and Giri. This is a complete repertoire for White, based on the solid d4-Bf4-Nf3-e3-c3-h3 scheme that offers good prospects with GM Lemos' reliable strategy for playing for a win. Armed with this system you will have a dependable opening with little theory to memorize. You can learn the main ideas of the London System in a weekend but they still have enough power to defeat grandmasters! The course is divided into 14 chapters: Chapter 1: Ideas behind the London System: Kamsky-Steingrimsson Chapter 2: 6…Bd6 variation: Grischuk-Wang Hao Chapter 3: Symmetrical variation: Carlsen-Giri Chapter 4: Slaying the Slav setup: Grischuk-Bartel Chapter 5: Queenside control: Kramnik-Dubov Chapter 6: Beating the …g6 systems: Grachev-Kyc Chapter 7: Punishing the …c5 break: Torre-Srivachirawat Chapter 8: Taking down targets: Prie-Martin Alvarez Chapter 9: Reducing Black’s counterplay: Sandipan-Arun Prasad Chapter 10: Dealing with …Qb6: Ni-Igonin Chapter 11: Early Queen exchange: Kamsky-Tokarev and Grachev-Ivanov Chapter 12: Tricky ideas: Miles-Minasian Chapter 13: Instructive miniatures: Berkes-Czebe and Sedlak-Hobber Chapter 14: Powerful attacks: Chernyshov-Gayer and Chernyshov-Seres
Chapter 1: Ideas behind the London System: Kamsky-Steingrimsson 1. GM Lemos details the basic ideas and the most accurate move orders of the London System. 2. The preferred order is 1.d4 and 2.Bf4 giving better options than 2.Nf3. 3. Black’s idea of playing Qb6, attacking b2 is not effective as White can play Nc3. If Qxb2, Black is lost after Nb5! 4. Black’s…c5 is usually best met by c3, reinforcing the center. 5. Black plays the setup d5-c5-Nc6 and White reinforces with c3. 6. When the c8 bishop moves, White has the thematic idea Qb3, putting pressure on b7. 7. Black soon exchanges in the center with 5...cxd4 and. after 6.exd4, this leads to typical positions from the Caro-Kann Exchange variation. 8. When black plays …d5, the e5 square becomes an important outpost. To strengthen his grip on this square, White eliminates a defender with Bb5 and Bxc6. 9. Black finds himself with a bad bishop against a good knight. 10. White plays the stronger recapture, dxe5!, allowing his knight to reach d4. 11. White can attack on the kingside with h4, Re3-g3 and g4. 12. Black tries to save the game by exchanging Queens but the endgame is winning for White. Chapter 2: 6…Bd6 variation: Grischuk-Wang Hao 1. Black puts his pawns on d5 and e6 and develops his bishop to d6, which is one of the best defensive systems for Black. 2. Against Bd6 White must play Bg3, since if …Bxg3, hxg3 White gets to open the h-file. White must make sure he gets a new advantage if he has to give up his good bishop. 3. White reinforces the center by playing Ne5 followed by f4. 4. Qb1is an interesting move, causing Black to weaken his kingside with g6. 5. The knight of e5 is ejected with f6 but then White puts pressure on e6 by bringing his rooks to the e-file. Chapter 3: Symmetrical variation: Carlsen-Giri 1. Black plays symmetrically with …d5 and …Bf5. 2. Carlsen decides to offer the exchange of bishops with Bd3. More usual is to play c4 and Qb3 to put pressure on b7 and d5. 3. Black’s c6 gives a very solid setup. 4. Carlsen’s plan revolves around the a4-a5 push. 5. White is able to start an attack on the Kingside after dxe5, kicking away the key defender, the Nf6. 6. Carlsen gives up a pawn to improve his pieces with a strong knight on d4 and f4 bishop, linking up with the Queen on g3 and supporting the h-pawn push.
7. White soon has 2 pieces against a rook plus some very dangerous threats. 8. Giri falls to a tactical blow after a well-coordinated attack. Chapter 4: Slaying the Slav setup: Grischuk-Bartel 1. Black uses the Slav setup d5-c6-Bf5. 2. White plays the strongest plan with c4 and Qb3, attacking the pawn of b7 and pressing d5. 3. Black defends with 6...Qb6 but the exchange of queens (7.c5 Qxb3 8.axb3) is advantageous for White. 4. White’s plan of b4-b5 is very strong and, even if Black stops this, the maneuver Nd2-Nb3-Na5 gives White the advantage. 5. Black plays …e5, trying to block the dark-squared bishop but this allows a later e4, giving White a big edge. 6. Finally White wins material with the b5 break. 7. Exchanging Queens does not alleviate Black’s problems and White’s play in these type of positions is simple and without risk. Chapter 5: Queenside control: Kramnik-Dubov 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Black Semi-Slav setup d5-c6-e6. Whiteplays playsawith c4, similar towith Queen's Gambit positions. White opens the center with e4. After Black´s 13…c5, White got a Queenside pawn majority of 3 against 2. After the exchange of rooks an endgame with Queen and 2 knights each was reached, with White needing to advance his Queenside pawns. 6. White has much better piece activity than Black. 7. Unable to find the only defense, Black is lost when White gets his pawn to b7. Chapter 6: Beating the …g6 systems: Grachev-Kyc 1. Black plays with g6 and d5, in the style of the Grunfeld defense. 2. Black attacks b2 with Qb6 and White defends it with Qb3. 3. Black mistakenly exchanges Queens on b3. This move does not help. 4. After axb3, White has an easy game playing on the Queenside with ideas like Ba6 and b4. 5. White did not hesitate to exchange his good bishop for the b8 knight – it’s more important to double rooks on the a-file. 6. White continues by paralyzing the Queenside with b4-b5, b3 and c4. 7. By the time the knight arrives at c6, Black can no longer deal with the threats and loses quickly. Chapter 7: Punishing the …c5 break: Torre-Srivachirawat 1. Black plays …g6, …d5 and an early …c5.
2. White is able to capture the c5 pawn, having played c3 instead of castling. It will not be easy for Black to get this pawn back. 3. White consolidates his material advantage with 9.Bxa6!, eliminating a defender, and follows up with b4 and Nb3. 4. 10. Be5 threatens to exchange off Black’s fianchettoed Bishop if the Nf6 moves. 5. The b5 and c5 pawns, plus the powerful d4 square give White a winning advantage in the endgame. 6. Ultimately, the c-pawn decides the game, supported by rooks on the 7 th and 8th ranks. Chapter 8: Taking down targets: Prie-Martin Alvarez 1. Black chooses the setup g6, d5 and b6. 2. White plays a4, ready to attack b6. 3. After …a5 White’s bishop goes to b5 trying to provoke …c6 which would weaken the queenside pawns. 4. Black counters in the center with f6 and e5, trying to limit the scope of the f4 bishop. 5. White’s 15.c4 gives him the edge as he opens, then occupies the c-file. 6. rooks decides game in White’s favor. 7. Doubling With the position lockedthe down, White wins the crucial d5 pawn – and the game – after Qb5. Chapter 9: Reducing Black’s counterplay: Sandipan-Arun Prasad 1. The game begins with a Caro-Kann defense but White transposes into the London System by playing the Exchange variation. 2. Black decides to defend his b7 pawn with Qc8. 3. White plays Nh4 to capture the bishop of f5 and win the bishop pair. 4. Realizing his bishop was going to be exchanged, Black makes sure it is done on his terms with …Be4. This isn’t a great decision as it leaves him with a weak pawn on e4 that ultimately costs him the game. 5. Black seeks salvation in a rook and bishops of opposite color endgame but White wins with precise play. Chapter 10: Dealing with …Qb6: Ni-Igonin 1. 2. 3. 4.
Black plays d5 and c5 and, after changing on d4, applies pressure with Qb6. Nb3 is necessary to defend b2 and d4. Once again, White gets the pair of bishops. The Qb6 scheme does not usually give White any problems. With correct play this Queen move ends up being a wasted tempo. 5. White creates weaknesses on the Black Kingside with h4, Bg5 followed by Bc2 and Qd3. 6. After hxg5, the Nh2-Ng4 plan creates problems in Black’s King position.
7. White dominates the board by centralizing the Queen on e5 and his rook on c5 and finishes the game with an exchange sac on d5. Chapter 11: Early Queen exchange: Kamsky-Tokarev and Grachev-Ivanov 1. Black plays with d5, Nf6 and an early Bg4. 2. White takes advantage of the absence of the c8 bishop to play the plan of c4 and Qb3, attacking b7. 3. Black plays b6 and White gets a clear edge with the thematic 10.Nb5 jump threatening Nxc7. After 10...Na6 11.Qa4! White wins at least one pawn. 4. Black did not defend well and after 11...Nb4 12.Nxc7 Kf8 13.Nxa8 was lost. 5. Black also plays with d5, Nf6 and an early Bg4 in Grachev-Ivanov. 6. We see the same plan of c4 and Qb3. 7. Once again the exchange of Queens on b3 by Black is met by the plan of c5 and b4. 8. White maneuvers Nd2-Nb3-Na5, putting pressure on b7. Black chops the knight off with Bxa5, after which White recaptures with bxa5, opening the bfile for the rooks. 9. White ended up winning the b7 pawn with the plan Ra4-Rb4-Ra1-Ra3-Rb3. Chapter 12: Tricky ideas: Miles-Minasian 1. Black goes for a d5-c5-Nc6-Qb6 setup. 2. White plays Qb3 then Qc2 after Black ’s …c4. 3. Black’s Bf5 an established idea, but it’s not great in this position as d5 is undefended. White proves his point with Qxf5! 4. Black captures the b2 pawn then the a1 rook but White gets a winning advantage, capturing the important c and d-pawns and trapping Black’s Queen. 5. Practice has shown White is winning after this exchange sacrifice. Chapter 13: Instructive miniatures: Berkes-Czebe and Sedlak-Hobber 1. Black sets up with d5, c5, Nf6 and Nc6, exchanges on d4 early then plays Bf5. 2. White uses the typical move Qb3 to attack the b7 pawn. 3. Black defends with Qb6 and now it is White who exchanges on b6, doubling his opponent’s pawns. 4. The White bishop cannot be moved from b5 easily. 5. White takes advantage of the open central files and extra space to get a clear advantage. 6. Opening the center with 18.c4 gives White a winning advantage, despite Black’s defensive exchange sacrifice. 7. We see the variation with d5, Nf6, c5, Nc6 and e6 in Sedlak-Hobber. 8. Black plays the Bd6 defense - generally considered the best. 9. White must play Bg3, Black exchanges on g3 and White opens the h-file. 10. Black’s …e5 break is accurately met by 11.dxc5! and 12.e4!
11. Both players castle on the Queenside. 12. Black makes a mistake with …h6, allowing the nice tactic 16.Rd5 and 17.Nxe5! winning a pawn and maintaining the attack.
Chapter 14: Powerful attacks: Chernyshov-Gayer and Chernyshov-Seres 1. Black plays a Chigorin setup with d5, Bf5 and Nc6. 2. White exchanges bishops on d6 and plays c4. 3. Black decides to play aggressively and castles Queenside with 0-0-0 but this is dubious as White’s attack arrives faster with c5 and b4-b5. 4. White’s Queen joins the attack with Qd2-Qa5. 5. Black does not have enough time to create counterplay on the kingside. 6. The final breakthrough occurs with c6 and Nc5 leading to mate. 7. Black plays with d5, c5, Nc6, Nf6 and Bf5 in Chernyshov-Seres. 8. White plays with c3-Qb3 by pressing the b7 pawn. 9. Black defends b7 with Qc8 and White goes for the c4 plan. 10. Black plays aggressively with 8…cxd4 and 9…Bb4 sacrificing a pawn to prevent White from castling. 11. Black gets his pawn back but the White piece s gain great activity. 12. White bishop pairisiselegantly superior checkmated to the knightwith pair 17.Be6+! in this open position. 13. The Black castles long but
