Chess theory ebbs and flows. Lines that have been discarded for decades suddenly become all the rage and everyone starts playing them. A case in point are queenside openings where White plays Bf4. For years these had been the chess equivalent of flared trousers but in recent times they have been reinvented and even the best players in the world are now sporting them.

The London System (1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 followed by 3 Bf4) is at the forefront of this renaissance. Formerly regarded as a quiet backwater, useful only to avoid theory, it is now a hot topic. A big advantage of playing the London is that (unlike other lines these days) it is highly unlikely you will get caught out in the opening. White’s position is very solid and the early play revolves far more around plans and concepts than having to defuse engine-inspired bombs that have been lobbed into your position.

In this book Cyrus Lakdawala carves out a complete repertoire for White in the London and familiarises the reader with all the latest concepts.

• A complete repertoire for White, playable against any Black system
• If Black does not react well, White can often whip up a vicious attack
• The question-and-answer method continually tests the reader's understanding