← Jobava London

Practice: Jobava vs King’s Indian Setup

Positional handling of g6

When Black plays a King’s Indian setup, the Jobava London responds with Bf4 and e3, keeping the centre solid and flexible. A positional approach that avoids the sharp KID theory.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nc3 g6
3. Bf4 Bg7
4. e3 d6
♟

Interactive practice board - requires JavaScript.

Use a chess board to memorise this line move by move. Your moves are checked against the correct sequence, with hints, a streak goal, and progress tracking.

Enable JavaScript or return to the opening page to see all available lines.

Key strategic ideas

  • White plays Nc3 instead of Nf3, keeping the f-pawn free for an aggressive f3-e4 push or a later f4 break.
  • The bishop on f4 supports the d4 pawn, while the knight on c3 can jump to b5 or put pressure on d5.
  • After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4, White invites Black to play ...c5 and enter sharp, unbalanced positions early.

Common mistakes & traps

  • After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 g6 4.e3 Bg7, White can surprise Black with 5.h4! pushing the h-pawn aggressively to disrupt the kingside.
  • If Black plays ...c5 (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.d5), the game turns into a sharp Benoni-style position where both sides attack on opposite wings.

Pawn structure notes

White has d4 and e3, same as the traditional London, but with the knight on c3 instead of f3. The f2 pawn is free to advance, and White often plays f4 or f3-e4 to claim space.

Tips

  • White develops the bishop to f4 before committing the e-pawn
  • Black’s g7 bishop eyes the centre while White builds a flexible structure
  • White can expand with h3, Qd2, and Bh6 to trade dark-squared bishops

About this line

This line is rated intermediate. Practice it repeatedly until you can play the entire sequence without thinking. The in-app trainer tracks your perfect streaks and celebrates milestones.