Queen Pawn Opening Mastery (vs.

g6 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 volume, GM Susan Polgar shows how to play the London System against the popular
…g6 set-ups. There are two general directions the opening can go, depending whether Black
plays …d5 (Grunfeld style) or …d6 (in the style of the King’s Indian Defense).

This small difference has a considerable effect on the game. With …d5, Black makes it
tougher for us to play e4 but also restricts his light-squared Bishop. While …d6 reduces the
scope of our ‘London Bishop’ but allows us to claim more space.

While each line has its own tricks and traps to be aware of, the general strategy will be the
same: open lines for our pieces (especially the b/c-files and b8-h2 diagonal) and expand on
the Queenside.

In Queen Pawn Opening Mastery, GM Susan Polgar reveals the best ways to realize your
strategic goals and demonstrates the most instructive games played in this opening too,
making the ideas easier to remember.

The course is divided into 4 parts:

Chapter 1: London System against Grunfeld set-ups (…g6 and …d5)

Chapter 2: London System against Grunfeld set-ups, 7..b6
Chapter 3: London System against KID set-ups (…g6 and …d6)
Chapter 4: London System against KID set-ups, 7…Qe8

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 Chapter 1: London System against
Grunfeld set-ups (…g6 and …d5)
1. Both sides develop in their chosen way (1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3
0-0) and then we should play 5.h3, giving our Bishop a safe square (h2) if
Black tries to exchange it with …Nh5.
2. In the …g6 set-ups we usually develop our light-square Bishop to e2
instead of d3.
3. 7…Qb6 is a typical aggressive try. Black goes after the b2 pawn left
unprotected by 3.Bf4.
4. We meet 7…Qb6, not with Rb1 which is both passive and fails to …Bf5, but
by playing 8.Qb3. We’re not afraid to exchange Queens or double our
pawns as we get an open a-file and can get undouble pawns later.
5. Black often kicks our Queen with 8…c4 but this allows 9.Qa3 Qd8 10.b3
when exchanging pawns favors White. If 10…b5 we can open the b-file at
will and double Rooks there.
6. A key feature of the London system is our Bf4 controlling the b8 square.
This is a real nuisance for Black.
7. If Black plays …Bf5 followed by …Nd7 (aiming for …e5), White can chase
the Bishop and exchange it for a Knight with 13.g4 Be6 14.Ng5.
8. When Black breaks with …e5, we just retreat the Bishop to g3, keeping the
center closed and our pawns intact.
9. Another idea is 7…Nc6 preparing to meet 8.Be2 with Nd7 and 9…e5. In this
situation we exchange pawn and Knight on e5, then play 12.Nf3. Our next
plan will be to target the d5 pawn.

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 Chapter 2: London System against
Grunfeld set-ups, 7..b6
1. After 7…b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.0-0 Nc6 is one of 2 moves for Black. Susan
recommends 10.Qb3, threatening to win a pawn immediately with 11.dxc5
as the b6 pawn is pinned. We want to provoke …c4 when we can turn to
our plan of Qa3 and b3.
2. If 10…cxd4 11.exd4 keeps a Queenside pawn majority.
3. If 10…Qc8, protecting the Bishop, we prepare to open the position by
playing 11.Rfd1.
4. If Black protects c5 with 10…Nd7, we don’t take on d5 as Black can win a
pawn with a combination starting with 11…cxd4 12.cxd4? Nxd4!
5. 9…Nbd7 is a safer option for Black and we have a few good options. 10.b4
c4 11.a4 gives a space advantage on the Queenside and we can follow up
by preparing for e3-e4 with Qc2, Nd2 and Bf3.
6. 10.a4 is also good, planning a5, opening the file. If Black ignores this with
…Ne4 11.a5 bxa5 12.Qa4 wins the pawn back and allows White to double
Rooks on the a-file.
7. On 10.a4 a5 Gata Kamsky chose 11.Qb3 Qc8 12.Nb1! with the idea of
establishing the Knight on the b5 outpost.
8. If 10.a4 a6 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Nd7 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.a5 b5 15.b4 is one
plan, inviting either …c4 burying Black’s Bishop and weakening d5 or
…cxb4 16.cxb4 where White gets c5 for his Knight and opens the c-file.
9. 14.f4 is another idea, preventing Black’s freeing move …e5 and gaining
space.

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 Chapter 3: London System against KID
set-ups (…g6 and …d6)
1. 5…d6 is logical – it restricts the influence of our ‘London Bishop’ on f4.
2. If 6.Be2 c5, we either protect the pawn with 7.c3 or play 7.0-0 Qb6 8.Nbd2
as …Qxb2 runs into 9.Nc4 Qb4 10.c3 Qb5 11.Nxd6 winning the pawn back
and gaining the Bishop pair.
3. 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0-0 is the main line and Black has a few options. If …b6 8.c4
Bb7 9.Nf3 Ne4 White exchanges a few pieces 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 11.Nd2 Bb7
12.Bf3 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 and will later push d5 and move the Knight to d4 then
to c6.
4. On 9…Re8 it’s important to remember 10.Bh2, getting out of the way of
10…e5 before it’s played. 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qc2 followed by doubling Rooks
on the d-file.
5. If Black plays 7…Re8, leaving out …b6, White can play either 8.Bh2 similar
to the line above or set a small trap with 8.c3 e5? 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Nxe5
Nxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.Bxe5 winning a pawn.

Chapter 4: London System against KID

set-ups, 7…Qe8
1. 7…Qe8 avoids pins associated with the …e5 break. Play continues 8.c4 e5
9.Bh2. Now Black chooses whether to play …e4.
2. On 9.Bh2 e4 White puts pressure on the pawn with 10.Nfd2 Qe7 11.Nc3
Re8 and now comes Boris Spassky’s 12.Nc5! threatening to fork on c7.
3. 12.Nc5! Qd8 13.c5! a6 14.cxd6! axb5 15.dxc7 Qe7 16.Bxb5 sacrifices a
Knight for 3 pawns, one being a protected pawn on the 7 th rank.
4. 9…Qe7 is calmer than …e4, refusing to give the Bh2 more power. Play
continues 10.Nc3 c6.
5. Susan recommends 11.b4. Again, if 11…e4 12.Nd2 Re8 13.c5! opens up the
full strength of our London Bishop.
6. On 11…Ne8 (preparing …f5) 12.Qb3 Kh8 (out of the discovered check)

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 13.c5 d5 14.b5 with a big space advantage.
7. A 3rd option for Black is 9…Ne4 10.Nbd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 e4 12.Ne1 Qe7
13.Nc2.
8. If 13…f5 14.Qa5! targets c7 and …b6? 15.Qd5+ wins the Rook. 14…Nf6
15.c5 is good, followed by opening the c-file and bringing the Knight to
b5/c4.
9. On 13…Nf6, we follow a similar plan with 14.Rac1 h5 15.Na3 Bf5 16.c5
opening the position for our Rook, Bishop and making c4 available for the
Knight.