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LCB, Issue #125 --, Feel the Versatility of the London System November 01, 2025 |
Feel the Versatility of the London SystemChessorb Classic, Issue #125 -- GOTM #95 Chessorb Classic The London System is a versatile system for White to use. It can be deployed against any setup that Black may try. It is a simple system to remember and execute with straight-forward motifs in the middlegame no matter the reply from Black. In this month's game White plays the London System and leaves Black with a troubling dilemma. He has expanded on the Queenside but White wins the battle for space on the Kingside. This makes Kingside castling a risky option and yet the Queenside does not offer much protection. The game was played in Douglas on the Isle of Mann in 2005. Jonathon Rowson had White and Thomas Nixon had Black. What followed was a very interesting London game. Get the Paulsen Knight to the KingsideRowson, Jonathon (2599) - Nixon, Thomas (2195) [D00]GotM #95 Douglas, 2005 [Connaughton, Ken] 1.d4 Queen's Pawn Game 1...d5 Closed Game 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nd2 b6 5.c3 Be7 6.Ngf3
White has gone for a London System. 6...Nbd7 7.Ne5 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Nd7 9.h4 White is winning the battle for space. Black's Queenside is quite open and White will try to make the Kingside a dangerous place for Black to put his King. (9.Bb5 Bb7 10.0-0 c6=) 9...c5?! Maybe the move where Black begins to lose his way. (9...f6 was perhaps better, and might have seen something like 10.Bd3 0-0 11.exf6 Bxf6 12.Qc2 h6 13.0-0-0 e5 14.Bg3 Bb7 with a more solid position for Black.) 10.Qg4 Bf8
Black forced to undevelop his Bishop. (10...g6 would have weakened the dark squares around where Black would like to castle.) 11.e4 Bb7 12.exd5 exd5 13.Bd3 Qe7 14.0-0 0-0-0
Black's King flees to the open Queenside as the Kingside is too hot. 15.Rfe1 h6 16.e6 Opening the center. 16...fxe6 17.Rxe6 Qf7 18.Rae1 (18.Bg6? h5 19.Qf5 Qxf5 20.Bxf5 d4 21.cxd4 Bd5 22.Re5 Bf7+- still leaves White winning but it is not so overwhelming.) 18...h5 19.Qg3 g5 20.Bxg5 Rg8 21.Qh3
and Black resigns as material losses are looming with a bleak outlook ahead. (After 21.Qh3 , something like 21...Rxg5 22.hxg5 Qf4 23.Nf3 d4 24.cxd4 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Qxf3 26.gxf3 cxd4 27.Re8 Rxe8 28.Rxe8+ Kc7 29.Kg2 Kd6 30.f4 Kd5 31.Kf3+- might follow with White ultimately prevailing.) 1-0 Rowson, Jonathon (2599) - Nixon, Thomas (2195) [D00] P.S. If you do not have html based email software and you're using a text only system, you may find that the links are only partially highlighted and may not work. If this is the case, simply copy and paste the entire link into the browser and hit Enter. That should get you where you want to go. Comments, ideas, feedback? I'd be stoked to hear from you. Get in touch See you next month. Ken 
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