The London System starts 1. 2.. You develop the dark-squared bishop before the e-pawn moves, so it doesn't get stuck behind your pawns, then build a c3, d4, e3 chain with the knights on d2 and f3. You set it up the same way against and . On Lichess (September 2026, N = 1,218,249 public games), you score 53.2% with White.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
14 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 2., 29 in 100 opponents at your level reply , followed by (23), (17) and (16). Online players rated over 2200 almost never go , just 3 in 100. They prefer (41) and (23), a move only 4 in 100 at your level choose. The gap holds after 3.: nearly half of strong players strike with , against 8 in 100 in the public pool.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.4% | 54.8% | 3.0% | no data | |
| 23.1% | 53.4% | 40.5% | 59.4% | |
| 17.1% | 53.4% | 14.5% | no data | |
| 15.7% | 52.8% | 4.7% | no data | |
| 4.3% | 51.0% | 23.3% | 29.7% | |
| 3.3% | 53.6% | 11.4% | 10.9% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60.1% | 53.2% | 87.8% | 100.0% | |
| 24.8% | 53.6% | 7.4% | no data | |
| 9.2% | 54.0% | 2.8% | no data | |
| 2.0% | 53.4% | no data | no data | |
| 1.0% | 50.1% | 0.6% | no data | |
| 0.9% | 50.6% | 0.9% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.2% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26.2% | 53.3% | 26.4% | 40.6% | |
| 25.3% | 54.7% | no data | no data | |
| 19.6% | 52.4% | 10.1% | no data | |
| 7.5% | 48.9% | 48.8% | 59.4% | |
| 5.0% | 51.2% | 4.8% | no data | |
| 4.8% | 53.1% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 5.9% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.7% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52.2% | 49.9% | 49.3% | 46.7% | |
| 25.1% | 49.2% | 22.6% | 36.7% | |
| 6.9% | 46.0% | 13.1% | 16.7% | |
| 4.5% | 46.3% | 0.6% | no data | |
| 3.0% | 63.0% | 9.7% | no data | |
| 2.8% | 50.1% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 4.1% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54.8% | 48.4% | 76.5% | 100.0% | |
| 13.8% | 53.7% | 5.0% | no data | |
| 10.6% | 42.4% | 13.5% | no data | |
| 8.3% | 57.3% | 5.0% | no data | |
| 6.5% | 54.5% | no data | no data | |
| 2.7% | 54.9% | no data | no data |
Strong players follow 3. 4. 5. 6.. The goal is to hold your d4 pawn with two pawns behind it, on c3 and e3, and to develop everything behind that chain without shutting any piece in.
The order starts with the bishop. You play 2. before touching the e-pawn, because once 3. is on the board that pawn would block the bishop's diagonal from c1. Then 3. does two jobs: it guards d4 and opens a path for the f1 bishop to d3. Here 88 in 100 strong players choose it, and 60 in 100 in the public pool.
With your opponent hits d4 with a pawn. You answer 4., so d4 now has two pawns and the queen behind it. If your opponent trades on d4, you take back with a pawn and still have one in the centre. The c3 pawn also covers b4, so an enemy bishop that lands there is attacked at once. After the knight joins the pressure on d4, which still holds: two attackers against three defenders.
The cost of 4. is that your b1 knight can no longer use c3. So it comes out via d2: 69 in 100 strong players pick 5. here, against 14 in 100 in the public pool. From d2 it watches e4 and c4. Next comes 6., written with the g because both knights could reach f3. Your opponent plays before moving the e-pawn, so their bishop isn't shut in either, and from f5 it eyes d3, where your own bishop wants to go.
One thing to watch. Once the bishop leaves c1, nothing defends your b2 pawn. That is why , played by 11 in 100 opponents at your level after 4., goes straight for b2, and from there you score 42 in 100. Defend b2 before you carry on with the plan.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 13,429 | 40.6% | |
| 9,271 | 88.0% | |
| 8,123 | 48.9% | |
| 4,341 | 49.3% | |
| 2,232 | 76.6% | |
| 2,025 | 68.8% | |
| 1,374 | 32.7% | |
| 393 | 54.2% |
An inaccuracy. After 3. , 4. misses 4.: knight and bishop both hit c7, which only the queen defends, and you threaten to land on c7 with check and fork the a8 rook. 18 in 100 play it; you score 55, against 66 with 4., so at your level it still works out.
18 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.3%; scores 66.0%.
A blunder, and a trap. After , the bishop is aimed at your queen through the e2 pawn. Play 3. and that pawn steps out of the way, so wins your queen, and after 4. you've lost the right to castle too. 8 in 100 fall for it, and then you score 11 in 100; with 3., 52.
8 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 9.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 11.3%; scores 52.3%.
A blunder. After , the pawn attacks your f4 bishop and your d4 pawn, but nothing defends it, so 3. just wins it. If you protect the bishop with 3. instead, your opponent trades it for a pawn: 4. . 9 in 100 choose it; you score 34, against 63 with 3..
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 8.4 pawns of advantage. It scores 34.0%; scores 63.2%.
An inaccuracy. 4. also ignores that your bishop already hits c7, and the 4. jump is gone. Your opponent develops with , and after 5. 6. their bishop drops back to g6 and stays on the diagonal, facing yours. 7 in 100 pick it; you score 53, against 66 with the knight jump.
7 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 52.5%; scores 66.0%.
An inaccuracy. After 3. , your opponent is preparing , and 4. does nothing about it: after the pawn hits your bishop, which drops back with 5., and keeps chasing it. 13 in 100 play it and you score 48, against 50.5 with 4., so at your level it almost never gets punished.
13 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.0%; scores 50.5%.
An inaccuracy. After , 3. parks the knight in front of your c-pawn, and your opponent grabs space on the kingside: 4. kicks your bishop, and after 5. you need 6. to free h2 for it. 10 in 100 play it and you score 54, slightly more than with 3., so it rarely gets punished.
10 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 53.9%; scores 53.4%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 440,032 | ||
| Not castled | 170,109 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 151,413 |
| 134,542 | ||
| Not castled | 105,842 | |
| 68,408 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 321 | ||
| Not castled | 37 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 33 |
| 31 | ||
| Not castled | 25 | |
| Not castled | 21 |
1. 2. · 160,195 amateur games · 163 over the board
Against 1. you still play 2. and build the same pawn chain; you score 52 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 110,885 amateur games · 208 over the board
The knight comes out before the bishop: 2. 3.. You score 53 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 101,727 amateur games · 29 over the board
After 2. 3., the e6 pawn blocks your opponent's c8 bishop; you score 53 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 66,174 amateur games · 22 over the board
With and your opponent prepares the bishop on g7; you score less here, 49 in 100.
1. 2. · 32,365 amateur games · 16 over the board
With your opponent hits d4 before developing a single knight; you score 51 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 4,012 amateur games · 2 over the board
Take with 3. and your d4 pawn leaves the centre; you score 46 in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D02
100 amateur games · White's score: 53.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D02
18 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
Start with the line strong players use: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.. Learn why the moves come in that order: bishop out before the e-pawn moves, c3 to back up d4, knight to d2 because c3 is taken. Then work through the mistakes on this page, starting with the trap.
The Budapest Gambit only arises once you've pushed your c-pawn to c4 on move two. In the London you don't: against you play 2., and the bishop already covers e5, the square your opponent's gambit pawn heads for. Against 2. you score 52 in 100 on Lichess.