The Jobava London System is a bold, modern interpretation of the London where White develops the dark-squared bishop to f4 and the knight to c3 as early as possible, often before committing the king's knight. Named after Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava, it trades the quiet reputation of the classical London for genuine attacking venom. The signature idea is the leap Nb5, eyeing the soft c7-square and provoking weaknesses, while a quick e3, Bd3 and even h4-h5 set the stage for a kingside pawn storm. White's setup is easy to learn, sidesteps heavy mainline theory, and adapts against almost any Black defence. Black, in turn, fights back with ...a6 to deny b5, central breaks like ...c5 and ...e6, or active piece play. The result is rich, fighting, club-friendly chess.
Key ideas & plans
- The thematic Nb5 jump hits the soft c7/d6 squares and provokes concessions like ...a6 or an awkward ...Na6; if Black ever allows Nc7+ it forks the king and rook.
- White's standard development is e3, Bd3 (or Be2) and Nf3, keeping the powerful Bf4-Nc3 duo intact and retaining the option to castle on either wing.
- Against a ...g6 fianchetto, White launches a kingside pawn storm with h4-h5 to pry open lines toward the black king.
- When Black trades on g3 with ...Bxg3, recapturing hxg3 hands White a half-open h-file and added attacking resources, so White is happy to allow the swap.
- Black's main counterplay: ...a6 to rule out Nb5, the ...c5 strike against d4, and ...Bd6 to challenge the strong f4-bishop; ...Bf5 develops the light bishop before ...e6.
- Strategically White presses the c7-weakness and prepares an e4 break or queenside pressure, while Black seeks to trade dark-squared bishops and free the centre.
Main lines
Jobava London: 3...e6 Classical
→When Black challenges the bishop with ...Bd6, White sidesteps with Bg3, keeps the bishop pair tension, and develops harmoniously for a slight pull.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4e6
- 4.e3Bd6
- 5.Bg3O-O
- 6.Bd3c5
- 7.Nf3Nc6
- 8.dxc5Bxc5
Jobava London: 3...c6 Slav Setup
→Versus a Slav-style ...c6 and ...Bf5, White trades light bishops to ease development and aims for the classic e3-Nf3 setup with a comfortable space edge.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4c6
- 4.e3Bf5
- 5.Bd3Bxd3
- 6.Qxd3e6
- 7.Nf3Bd6
- 8.Bg3O-O
Jobava London: 3...g6 Fianchetto
→Against the Grunfeld-like fianchetto, White trades off Black's key defensive bishop with Qd2-Bh6 and strikes in the center with e4 for an easy initiative.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4g6
- 4.Qd2Bg7
- 5.Bh6O-O
- 6.Bxg7Kxg7
- 7.e4dxe4
- 8.Nxe4
Jobava London: 3...a6 Prophylaxis
→Black plays ...a6 to forestall Nb5; White simply completes a harmonious London setup with Nf3, Bd3 and castling, retaining a pleasant space edge.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4a6
- 4.e3e6
- 5.Nf3c5
- 6.Bd3Nc6
- 7.O-OBd6
- 8.Bg3O-O
Jobava London: 3...e6 4.Nb5 Trap
→If Black blocks the bishop with ...Bd6, White uses the Nb5 jump to trade for the bishop and inflict doubled d-pawns, securing a long-term structural target.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4e6
- 4.Nb5Na6
- 5.e3Bd6
- 6.Nxd6+cxd6
- 7.Bd3O-O
- 8.Nf3b6
Jobava London: 3...Nc6 Chigorin Style
→Against an early ...Nc6, White prevents ...Nb4 ideas with a3-free development, trades the light bishops and reaches a harmonious structure with the better minor piece.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4Nc6
- 4.e3a6
- 5.Nf3Bf5
- 6.Bd3Bxd3
- 7.Qxd3e6
- 8.O-OBd6
Jobava London: 3...c5 4.e3 cxd4
→When Black releases the central tension early, White recaptures with the e-pawn to gain the half-open e-file and a mobile center, developing actively behind it.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4c5
- 4.e3cxd4
- 5.exd4a6
- 6.Nf3Nc6
- 7.Bd3Bg4
- 8.h3Bxf3
Jobava London: 3...e6 4.e3 c5 5.Nb5
→After a French-like ...e6 and ...c5, White grabs the b5-square and supports the knight with c3, maintaining a bind and harmonious development.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4e6
- 4.e3c5
- 5.Nb5Na6
- 6.c3Be7
- 7.Nf3O-O
- 8.Bd3b6
Jobava London: 3...Nbd7 Solid
→Against the solid ...Nbd7, White develops naturally, dodges the bishop trade with Bg3, and castles into a flexible, slightly more spacious middlegame.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4Nbd7
- 4.e3e6
- 5.Bd3c5
- 6.Nf3Bd6
- 7.Bg3O-O
- 8.O-Ob6
Jobava London: 3...g6 4.e3 Setup
→A sharp anti-fianchetto try: White advances h4-h5 to crack open Black's kingside, sacrificing the exchange for a dangerous attack against the castled king.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4g6
- 4.e3Bg7
- 5.h4h6
- 6.Nf3O-O
- 7.h5Nxh5
- 8.Rxh5gxh5
Jobava London: 3...c5 4.dxc5 Gambit
→A positional treatment of 3...c5: White pins with Bb5, recaptures to keep an isolated-queen's-pawn setup with active pieces, then trades dark bishops to fix targets.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4c5
- 4.e3Nc6
- 5.Bb5cxd4
- 6.exd4e6
- 7.Nf3Bd6
- 8.Bxd6Qxd6
Jobava London: 3...Bf5 4.Nf3 Quiet
→A calm alternative to the pawn storm: White develops with Nf3 and trades the dark bishops on g3, opening the h-file and gaining a small but durable edge.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4Bf5
- 4.Nf3e6
- 5.e3Bd6
- 6.Bg3Bxg3
- 7.hxg3Nbd7
- 8.Bd3Bxd3
Jobava London: 3...e6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Nb5
→When Black meets the bishop trade idea with ...Bd6, the Nb5 jab forces the bishop back to e7 with loss of time, after which White develops with a comfortable spatial plus.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4e6
- 4.e3Bd6
- 5.Nb5Be7
- 6.Nf3O-O
- 7.Bd3c5
- 8.c3Nc6
Jobava London: 3...d5 vs ...b6 Queenside Fianchetto
→Against a queenside fianchetto plan, White inserts Bb5+ to provoke ...c6, then trades the light bishops on advantageous terms and keeps the more active position.
- 1.d4d5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Bf4e6
- 4.e3b6
- 5.Bb5+c6
- 6.Bd3Ba6
- 7.Nf3Bxd3
- 8.Qxd3Bd6