London System (4. e3 d6)
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6
The London System is a chess opening classified as ECO A48, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,385 times by this move order. White won 49%, 4% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 5. h3 (21% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 5. c3 Nh5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 O-O)
- ECO
- A48
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/ppp1ppbp/3p1np1/8/3P1B2/4PN2/PPP2PPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 193 | |
| 1500-1999 | 725 | |
| 2000+ | 467 | |
| All | 1,385 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. h3 | 293 (21%) | |
| 5. Bd3 London System, with Bd3 | 261 (19%) | |
| 5. Be2 London System, with Be2 (4… d6 5. Be2) | 207 (15%) | |
| 5. Nbd2 | 166 (12%) | |
| 5. c3 | 159 (11%) | |
| 5. c4 | 133 (10%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 97 (7%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 32 (2%) |
Master games
1,186 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 23%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- Ethereal 12.43 (3470) – Stockfish 202008260719_nn-82215d0fd0df (3551) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-25
- Stockfish 202008260719_nn-82215d0fd0df (3551) – Ethereal 12.43 (3470) 1-0 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-21
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2822) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2779) 0-1 · Saint Louis Blitz 2018 · 2018-08-14
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2850) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2738) 1-0 · World Rapid 2015 · 2015-10-11
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2806) – GM Sam Shankland (2709) 1-0 · 8th Sinquefield Cup 2021 · 2021-08-17
Search all games of the London System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Jakebr8 (2850) – IM Romsta (2657) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- GM GrandByniolus (2615) – CH-Subject029 (2656) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 300 + 0s
- L0cust (2505) – FM petrik05 (2711) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
London System (3… Bg7 4. e3) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3
Continuations
- London System, with Bd3 A48 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Bd3
- London System, with Be2 (4… d6 5. Be2) A48 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Be2
- London System, with Be2 (5… c5 6. Be2) A48 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. h3 c5 6. Be2
More London System lines (all)
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.