Jobava London System
Initial Moves: 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4
Strategic Summary & Main Idea
The Jobava London System is the London with a knight on c3 instead of a pawn: 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 keeps the bishop outside the pawn chain and adds two ideas the London lacks, the Nb5 jump against c7 and the e4 push. The measurement puts it exactly at equality: +0.01 after 3.Bf4. The most aggressive plan against ...Bf5, with f3, g4 and h4, measures −0.20, and Black's most natural set-up, ...e6 and ...Bb4 pinning the knight, reaches −0.21. The Jobava trades advantage for positions the opponent has not prepared.
The pawn structure this opening produces
The Jobava structure comes from a change of roles. In the London, the c3 pawn supports d4 and blocks Black's dark-squared bishop; in the Jobava, the knight occupies c3, the c-pawn stays on c2 and White's centre depends on e3 and the pieces. That has three consequences. The first is the b5 square: with the c-pawn at home, the knight can jump to b5 and attack c7, forcing Black to cover the square with ...Na6, ...c6 or ...Bd6. The second is the e4 break: with the knight on c3 in support, White can push the e-pawn two squares and open the centre, something the London almost never does. The third is the pin: the c3 knight can be pinned by ...Bb4, and that is the reply that bothers White most, because it trades the piece that gives the system its meaning. When Black develops the bishop to f5, White can set up f3, g4 and h4 against it, a kingside attacking structure that gives up short castling and measures in Black's favour.
Typical Plans for White
- Develop with Bf4, e3 and Nf3 and choose between Nb5 and e4 depending on how Black covers c7
- Against ...e6 and ...Bd6, jump to b5 and trade the dark-squared bishop with Nxd6
- Against ...Bf5, push f3 and g4 only when the kingside is not your own king's destination: the line measures −0.20
- Do not jump 4.Nb5 against 3...c5: 4...Qa5+ hits the king and the knight and the position goes to −3.13
- Castle long when the kingside pawns have advanced, so the king does not sit behind them
Typical Plans for Black
- Pin the c3 knight with ...e6 and ...Bb4: it is the reply that most reduces White's position
- Against Nb5, cover c7 with ...Na6 and drive the knight away with ...c6
- Break with ...c5 and take on d4 to open the c-file against the c3 knight
- Do not offer the pawn with 3...e5: 4.Bxe5 wins a pawn without compensation and measures +0.90
- Against f3 and g4, close the kingside with ...h5 and hit the centre with ...c5
Main Variations of the Jobava London System
| Variation | Move Sequence | Evaluation | Style / Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...e6 4.e3 Bb4 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Bd3 |
−0.21 | The pin on the c3 knight; the lowest evaluation in the entry |
| 3...Bf5 with f3, g4 and h4 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.f3 e6 5.g4 Bg6 6.h4 |
−0.20 | The pawn attack on the bishop; ambitious and measured in Black's favour |
| 3...c5 4.e3 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 cxd4 5.exd4 a6 |
+0.04 | Black takes on d4 and White recaptures with the e-pawn, with the centre held by pieces |
| 3...c5 4.e4 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e4 dxe4 5.d5 |
−0.14 | The immediate central break, with space and without an edge |
| 3...e6 4.Nb5 Na6 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nb5 Na6 5.e3 c6 6.Nc3 |
+0.04 | The jump to b5 is covered by ...Na6, and the knight returns to c3 |
| 3...e6 4.Nb5 Bd6 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nb5 Bd6 |
+0.25 | Covering c7 with the bishop allows 5.Nxd6+ and gives up the bishop pair |
| 3...a6 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 a6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 c5 |
0.00 | Black takes b5 from the knight before developing; equality |
| 3...g6 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.h4 |
0.00 | Fianchetto against the h-pawn advance |
| 3...Nc6 | 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Nc6 4.e3 a6 5.f3 e6 |
−0.10 | Both queen's knights developed; the f3 pawn prepares e4 |
Evaluations measured by us with Stockfish 19, depth 22, on 15/09/2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Jobava London and the London System?
The second move. In the London White plays Nf3 and c3 and supports d4 with pawns; in the Jobava White plays 2.Nc3 and leaves the c-pawn at home. That frees the Nb5 jump and the e4 break, but allows the ...Bb4 pin. The Jobava measures +0.01 after 3.Bf4, and is more aggressive than the London without being better.
What is Black's best answer to the Jobava?
By the measurement, 3...e6 with 4.e3 Bb4, which measures −0.21 after 5.Bd3. The pin on the c3 knight trades the piece that gives the system its Nb5 and e4 ideas. Against ...Bf5, White's f3, g4 and h4 plan measures −0.20, and Black does better closing the wing with ...h5.
Does the Nb5 jump always work?
No. Against 3...e6, 4.Nb5 Na6 covers c7 and the position measures +0.04, and if Black covers with the bishop, 4...Bd6 5.Nxd6+ gives up the bishop pair (+0.25). But against 3...c5, 4.Nb5 loses: 4...Qa5+ hits the king and the knight, and the position measures −3.13.
Guides on this opening
Common Mistakes & Where Most Amateurs Go Wrong
- 01 Jumping 4.Nb5?? against 3...c5 to attack c7. Black's queen gives 4...Qa5+, which hits the king and the b5 knight at the same time, and Black wins material: −3.13. The line:
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.Nb5 Qa5+−3.13 - 02 Offering the pawn with 3...e5? to open the centre. The f4 bishop takes with 4.Bxe5, Black has no compensation for the pawn and the position goes from +0.01 to +0.90. The line:
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e5 4.Bxe5+0.90
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