Exercise 10.1Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 11...♕xb2. How does White punish it?
10
The London System · Kapilash Chess Academy
Middlegame Plans: the Centre and the Queenside
The e4 break and play on the queenside
In this lesson you will learn
- When to play the e4 break
- What to do when Black closes the queenside with ...c4
- How to use the b4 lever and the minority idea
- Simplifying into a better endgame
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
10.1 The e4 Break
Diagram 10.1Black to move
Example 10.1 · e4 against ...b6
White opens the centre while Black's bishop is still on c8.
After the exchanges White's bishops on e4 and g3 are very active and White has more space. The e4 break works best when Black's pieces are not yet developed and when your knight on d2 and bishop on d3 both support e4.
10.2 When Black Plays ...c4
If Black closes the queenside with ...c4, the d3 bishop has to retreat to c2 and the queenside becomes blocked. Then White's play is in the centre and on the kingside: e4 becomes even stronger, because Black's c-pawn no longer controls d4.
TipAfter ...c4, Black often plays ...b5–b4 to open lines on the queenside. Meet it with b3 or a3 at the right moment, and push e4 in the centre.
Remember
- e4 is strongest when Black's pieces are undeveloped.
- After ...c4, play in the centre with e4.
- Do not be afraid of exchanges: the London endgame is often slightly better for White.
Exercises · Lesson 10
Each exercise comes from a real London position. Find the best move, then play it on the board.
Exercise 10.2Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 9...♘h5. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.3Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 9...♗c2. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.4Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 11...♗g4. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.5Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 11...♗a3. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.6Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♘f4. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.7Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♗h4. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.8Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 13...f6. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.9Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 14...♘f4. How does White punish it?
Exercise 10.10Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 14...♗g5. How does White punish it?