Jobava London
D00you play whiteThe London's polite bishop with a street-fighter behind it: Nc3 before c-pawn moves means Nb5 tricks, f3+e4 avalanches, and h-pawn attacks from move six.
The road to the tabiya
Step through the move order. Amber moves carry an idea — read them, don't memorise them.
Why this matters
The London's polite bishop with a street-fighter behind it: Nc3 before c-pawn moves means Nb5 tricks, f3+e4 avalanches, and h-pawn attacks from move six.
The structure: Jobava centre (c5/d5 vs d4 with the e2 knight)
White pawns d4/e3 vs Black's c5/d5/e6 — a QGD-like centre where White's pieces stand un-QGD-like: Nc3 presses d5/b5, Bd3 stares at h7, Nge2 keeps f3 free. White's breaks are e4 (after f3) and the h4 lunge; Black's are ...cxd4 and the ...b5–b4 storm.
Trades: yes and no
If Black plays ...Bxg3, recapture with the knight — it arrives nearer the king and keeps the h-file closed. Trading dark-squared bishops generally helps you: your attack runs on light squares (Bd3) and knight jumps. Don't swap the d3 bishop for a knight — it's the attack. Careful with dxc5: releasing the centre without gain hands Black the d5/e5 squares and free piece play.
Motifs to watch
- Nb5 hitting c7/d6 — the trick that wins club games by move six
- f3 then e4: the avalanche; after trades, e5 kicks the f6 knight away from the king
- h4–h5–h6 with Qd1–d3 battery: the caveman plan, surprisingly hard to meet
- Black's ...Nb4 hunting your d3 bishop — retreat it to e2/b1 in time or lose the attack's engine
Go deeper
- Lichess opening page: Rapport–Jobava System — Modern master games — Jobava and Rapport making the Nb5 and h4 ideas look routine.
- Wikipedia: London System — The quiet cousin — see exactly what adding an early Nc3 changes about every plan.