Queen Pawn Opening Mastery (vs.

e6 setups)
GM Susan Polgar
The Polgar Method, as applied to the opening, encourages understanding of the major plans for
both sides as opposed to merely memorizing a series of moves. This way, when the game
inevitably takes a different course, we still know what to aim for, what to avoid and what to
watch out for.

In this first volume, GM Susan Polgar teaches the London System, a versatile opening which can
be played against almost any response from Black. We look at how to play when Black doesn’t
fianchetto the dark-squared Bishop with …g6.

In these positions, Black usually focuses on the Queenside with …b6, …d5 and …c5 in some
order. By examining the most instructive games in these lines (from Blackburne in 1889 right up
to Magnus Carlsen in 2016), Susan shows how to build a powerful position, what weaknesses to
target and how to prevent Black’s plans. You’ll also learn a few cunning traps.

The course is divided into 7 parts:

Chapter 1: Typical games, Velazquez – Acosta

Chapter 2: Typical games, Blackburne – Harmonist
Chapter 3: London System against …b6 and …c5
Chapter 4: London System against …d5 set-ups
Chapter 5: London System against …b6, Carlsen – Tomashevksy 2016
Chapter 6. Black delays …e6
Chapter 7. Final Notes
Chapter 1: Typical games, Velazquez – Acosta

1. In the London System, White develops the Bishop to f4 before playing e3. This
allows White to support d4 without restricting the piece.
2. If Black attacked the d4 pawn with …c5, we protect it with c3.
3. Black’s …c5-c4 is a strategic mistake, closing the center allowing White to start
an attack without worrying about his own King being exposed.
4. White places a Knight on e5 and recaptures with the pawn to chase away the
important defensive f6 Knight.
5. When Black castles Kingside White can launch an attack with h4 followed by a
sacrifice on h7 and moving the Knight to g5 via f3.
6. White can open up the position further by playing g4 and castling Queenside.
The main idea behind castling here is to bring the a1 Rook to the g-file.

Chapter 2: Typical games, Blackburne - Harmonist

1. Blackburne plays the maneuver Qf3-h3, putting pressure on h7 and forcing Black
to keep a Knight on f6.
2. If Black plays …Nf6-e4 to block the threat on h7, White can kick it away with f3.
3. White plays Nf3-e5-g4, with tempo, to deflect the Nf6.
4. Once …g6 has been played, White switches to the other side of the board with
Bb5! attacking the Rook on e8 and forcing Black to retreat his pieces.
5. Blackburne sacrifices a Knight on f7 to destroy the King’s defenses.

Chapter 3: London System against …b6 and …c5

1. If Black plays 2…e6 and 3…c5, we guard d4 with 4.e3.

2. Often Black will be tempted to attack the b2 pawn with 4…Qb6. If this happens,
White ignores the threat and plays 5.Nc3 Qxb2 6.Nb5!
3. When Black defends 6.Nb5! with Nc7 7.a3! traps the Queen on b2. Moves like
Bc4 and Ra2 would win the Queen.
4. Black might defend against the trap with 7…Nd5, then comes 8.Rb1 Qa2 9.Bd6!
Bxd6 10.Bc4! Qxc4 11.Nxd6+ forking King and Queen.
5. If Black prevents 6.Nb5 by playing 5…a6 with the idea of taking on b2 later, 6.a3!
works as …Qxb2? 7.Na4 wins the Queen.
6. In some lines Black will allow Nc7+ (winning the Rook on a8) in return for taking
a minor piece, hoping to trap and win the Knight on a8 too. White can rescue the
Knight with Bf3 (protecting a8 and/or pinning one of Black’s pieces) and
advancing a2-a4-a5 and taking on b6.
7. If Black tries to exchange off the f4 Bishop with 4…Nh5 5.Bg5 works well. 5…Be7
6.Bxe7, were happy to exchange Bishops and leave the Knight on the edge of the
board. If 5.Bg5 Qb6 6.Nbd2! sets more traps for the Black Queen.
 8. 4…b6 is a common idea, preparing to fianchetto the Bishop and support a later
…c5. 5.Nbd2 and now …Bb7 is a mistake because of 6.Nc4! d5? 7.Nce5 with a
Knight firmly on e5 and Bb5+ a threat.

Chapter 4: London System against …d5 set-ups

1. In d4 d5 positions, Black should develop his dark-square Bishop to d6. We don’t

want to exchange on d6, however, as he will recapture with the Queen and be
able to play …e5 quickly, getting a space advantage. Instead we play Bg3.
2. Now White can put a Knight on e5 and, if Black captures, recapture with the f-
pawn. Although we have doubled pawns, the e5 pawn will be a thorn in Black’s
side. We can support it with f4 later.
3. Be careful when playing Ne5 and f4 to make sure Black cannot maintain a Knight
on e4 (supported by pawn, Knight and Bishop on b7). This will stop the Bishop
from attacking h7 and restrict movement (see Karjakin-Adams).
4. The Queen goes to e2 to support later e3-e4.
5. Closing the center with …c5-c4 gives Black less counterplay and keeps the light-
squared Bishop out of the game.
6. White gets his Queen’s Knight over to the Kingside by Nd2-f1-e3-g5.

Chapter 5: London System against …b6, Carlsen – Tomashevksy 2016

1. After 3…b6 4.e3 Bb7 we play 5.h3 to give our Bishop the safe square h2.
2. Magnus Carlsen met 10…Bd6 with 11.Rfe1 with the idea that after exchanges on
f4 and d4, he could push f4-f5, getting rid of the doubled pawn and weakening
Black’s structure.
3. Carlsen centralizes his Rooks, ready for the position to open, then accepts
exchanges that allow him to put a Knight firmly on e5.
4. After a weak …g5 move by Tomashevsky, aimed at slowing down f4 or at least
getting rid of his doubled pawn, Magnus plays f4! anyway. 16…gxf4 17.Rf1! with
the idea of …fxe3? 18.Rxf6! with a devastating attack.
5. Tomashevsky’s eagerness to stop White’s attack by trading Queens allows
Carlsen to switch to a winning endgame
6. With both Rooks tied to defense, White wins easily by attacking the loose pawns.

Chapter 6: Black delays …e6

1. Black plays for immediate pressure with 3…c5 and 4…Nc6

2. If 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 when 7.Qc2 Bf5! 8.Qxf5? Qxb2 and 7.Qxb6 axb6 with an
open file for the Rook and plans of b6-b5-b4 are good for Black. Instead White
should play 5.Nbd2.
 3. On 5.Nbd2 Qb6 6.dxc5 is the recommendation with Black having to choose
between …Qxb2 and …Qxc5.
4. If Black captures on b2 then 7.Rb1 Qxa2/Qc3 8.Bb5 gives White good
compensation for the pawn. White will castle and follow-up with moves like Ne5,
Ne5 and/or c4.
5. Another popular plan for Black is 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 Bf5 focusing on c2. White
should play 7.c3
6. In these positions if Black plays …Qb6, White can meet it with Qb3, getting an
advantage if Queens are exchanged – on either b3 or b6 – based on White still
having a c-pawn (his pawns will not be isolated).
7. If Black secures a Knight on e4, supported by pawns on d5 and f5, White should
play for f3, to kick it away.
8. Now we see Carlsen – Wojtaszek where Black castles Queenside, concerned by
the Qc2/Bb3 battery. Magnus makes it difficult for Black to break in the center
while pushing Queenside pawns. These pawns force the Black Knights to
awkward squares, unable to meet White’s later threats.

Chapter 7: Final Notes

1. If White plays 2.Bf4 instead of 2.Nf3, Black might try the tricky move-order 2…c5
3.e3 Qb6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.exd4 Nc6!
2. As before, …Qxb2 ideas are too dangerous for Black, the Queen can be trapped
in the usual ways.
3. White should play 6.Nf3 e6 7.a3 (stopping Qxb2? Na4) and we transpose into the
positions already covered.