London System
White develops the dark-squared bishop before closing its diagonal with the e-pawn. The setup is repeatable, but Black's pressure on the center and b-pawn still requires specific responses.
Your plan as White
Develop the bishop outside the pawn chain, then build a center and respond to Black's pawn breaks.
The opponent’s plan
Challenge White's setup with active central play and pressure on b2 when justified.
Watch out: A familiar setup is not a license to ignore ...c5, ...Qb6 or direct threats.
Opening game…
Practice this line as White.
Play three moves from the line you watched. Hints draw an arrow on the board. Complete a fresh attempt without hints or retries to pass.
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Name, background and sources
The bishop-outside-the-chain idea is older than the name. Its use at the 1922 London tournament helped bring it prominence.
Read the opening background on Chess.com ↗Lichess opening names and reference lines (CC0)
ChessSum provides original explanatory notes. Related lines are labeled separately. Reference lines illustrate ideas; they are not a claim that every other legal move is wrong.
Watch how the center and piece development change. Each arrow previews the next move.