Skip to content
ECO D00WhiteA line in the Jobava London System

Learn the Jobava London: 3...a6 Prophylaxis line in the Jobava London System

Black plays ...a6 to forestall Nb5; White simply completes a harmonious London setup with Nf3, Bd3 and castling, retaining a pleasant space edge.

The moves you’ll play

  1. 1.d4d5
  2. 2.Nc3Nf6
  3. 3.Bf4a6
  4. 4.e3e6
  5. 5.Nf3c5
  6. 6.Bd3Nc6
  7. 7.O-OBd6
  8. 8.Bg3O-O

The line continues — master it move by move in the app.

Your coach, move by move

  1. 1. d4We open with the queen's pawn to control central squares.
  2. 2. Nc3We develop the knight in true Jobava fashion.
  3. 3. Bf4We develop the bishop to its strong outpost diagonal.
  4. +5 more coached moves waiting in the app

Key ideas behind this line

  • 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.

Learn this exact line — free

GambitLab walks you through every move and why it works, then locks it into memory with spaced repetition. Your first line is on the house.

Train this line free

No card required · 7-day full access · Cancel anytime

More lines in this opening

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

← Jobava London System