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.
Queen's Pawn: London
Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5
FEN: rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/5n2/2pp4/3P1B2/5N2/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 4
The London System is characterized by White's early development of the dark-squared bishop to f4, aiming for a solid and flexible setup. In this line, Black challenges White's center immediately with ...c5, trying to put pressure on d4 and gain counterplay.
Characteristic: The move 3...c5 is a typical thematic break by Black, challenging White’s central pawn on d4 and trying to undermine White's grip on the center.
Attacking or Defensive: White’s setup in the London System is generally solid and somewhat more positional than aggressively attacking. Black’s ...c5 is an active and somewhat attacking move, aiming to contest the center and create imbalance.
Center Control: White aims to maintain a strong presence in the center with the d4 pawn supported by Nf3 and Bf4, while Black's ...c5 challenges this control. Thus, the opening involves a contest for the center rather than a direct central attack from White.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the Queen's Pawn: London, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 25 - Move #7 black
You can also discover how top players used Queen's Pawn: London to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.