The Modernized London System
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Thinkers Publishing
Published:23rd Jul '24
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Although known for a long time, the London started to catch up in popularity just in the last decade or so. I guess the reason for this is probably the desire of many players to focus more on the practical side of chess, with less use of engines and less memorization of long theoretical lines, and more about positional understanding of game. I must say, it received a huge boost not only in the number of games but also in a deeper understanding of the positions arising from the opening. In the past it was used from time to time, but only a few players employed it on a regular basis, such as grandmasters from former the Yugoslavia, Milorad Knezevic and Vlado Kovacevic, and the English GM Tony Miles, who used it often. Today, Kamsky is one of the players who uses it very often, and of course Magnus Carlsen, but we have many other grandmasters and non-grandmasters who now have it in their repertoire on a regular basis. I must say that it’s also important to emphasize the move orders of the line, and due to that we have an immense number of transpositions, which you don’t find so much in other openings.
'A chess player today, who had been away from the game the past decade, would be shocked by many of the changes that have occurred. One of the biggest developments has been the use of the London System by the world elite. Formerly only seen in amateur chess and the games of World Championship Challenger Gata Kamsky, the London is now a frequent visitor to top level tournaments and the subject of numerous books, the latest of which is The Modernized London System by Grandmaster Milos Pavlovic. This hefty book of around 250 pages focuses almost exclusively on positions reached after 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 (about 25 pages are devoted to 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4) so those who wish to use the London as a complete system will need to consult another work which covers 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 lines where Black does not commit to an early …d5. The Modernized London System provides comprehensive coverage for both sides and includes plenty of prose to explain key ideas and point the student in the right direction. Pavlovic is good about pointing out the numerous transpositions that arise in the London System.' —IM John Donaldson, August 2024
ISBN: 9789464787566
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
264 pages
New edition