ECO code: A48
Neo-King's Indian: London System
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3
Description: The Neo-King's Indian: London System features a solid setup where White develops the dark-squared bishop early to f4, supporting central control and preparing for a flexible pawn structure with e3. By combining London System ideas with a King's Indian Defense setup from Black, White aims for a solid but dynamic position.
Characteristic: This setup is characterized by White’s early bishop development outside the pawn chain before playing e3, which helps maintain flexibility and prepares for a quick central or queenside development.
Playing Style: As White, this opening is generally considered more positional and solid than aggressively attacking, though White maintains options to challenge the center or launch a kingside initiative later. Black typically adopts a hypermodern approach, preparing to contest the center with moves like ...d6 and ...c5.
Center Control: White does not immediately occupy the center with pawns but exerts indirect pressure on it, particularly through the bishop on f4 and the knight on f3. The move e3 supports a later d4 advance and solidifies the center, aiming for a balanced control rather than an early direct occupation.
This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the Neo-King's Indian: London System, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 22 - Move #6 black