The Jobava London mixes the solid London System with real venom: White plays Nc3 before c3, so the quiet Bf4 setup suddenly comes with concrete threats like the Nb5 jump, a fast e4 break and kingside pawn storms. Developed by Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava and taken up by Richard Rapport, it is modern, low on theory and full of tricks, which makes it a perfect club weapon.
Develop with d4, Nc3 and Bf4, keep the setup flexible, and use the concrete threats (Nb5 hitting c7, a timely e4 or h4) to drag opponents out of their comfort zone by move five.
White: Play d4, Nc3 and Bf4, then react to Black: meet ...c5 with e3 and the Nb5 jump, meet quiet setups with Bd3 and short castling, or go for f3, g4 and opposite-side castling when the position invites a direct attack.
Black: Challenge the centre with ...c5 or develop solidly with ...e6, but respect the Nb5 trick: keep c7 covered or be ready with the central counter ...e5. Sensible development and a timely strike at d4 neutralize most of White's ideas.
It is sharper, not strictly better. The classical London is more solid; the Jobava version trades a little solidity for speed and concrete threats. Many players keep both: the classical London as the workhorse, the Jobava as the surprise weapon.
Because the f4-bishop covers c7. If the knight lands on c7 it forks king and rook, and capturing it with the queen runs into Bxc7, winning the queen for a knight and bishop. Black has good answers, but must know them.
Yes. Baadur Jobava built it into a complete system and Richard Rapport has used it against world-class opposition. It is not a refuted trick line: it is a legitimate, aggressive system with a light theory load.
BetterChess is a practice tool — we make no guarantee you'll reach 1800 or any rating. The lines here are standard, well-established opening theory, and every move is checked legal with the same engine the board runs.