Paul123 wrote on 12/28/09 at 22:05:31:
What you have described is playing symmetrical and can be done in any 1e4 or 1.d4 or 1.c4 opening...... Examples.... The Petroff , Queens Gambits "The Symmetrical English. etc etc....
IMO...Hardly avoiding theory....
Not really symmetrical at all, the London is one of the triangle systems, but you stick the bishop out first. In reverse against the bird, I play (order isn't too important with this type of approach):
1. f4 ,d5, 2. ... , bf5 3. ..., Nf6, 4 ..., e6, 5 ..., c6, 6 ... , h6 (gives bishop somewhere to hide - may play it earlier), 7..., bd6, etc.
I have a memory of the basic plans of the London from when I used to play it as white (e.g. when to move the knight to e4 if I can), so for me its a good option. I take my time before deciding on castling, if I see a kingside attack coming, I may not go that way. For somebody who used to play the Colle or similar, they could use a reverse of that. I think Markovich's c5, g6 approach is good as well.
Which is sort of the point to me. Black doesn't need to prepare that much to play against f4, provided they know a simple, easy, and probably not that ambitious, way to develop. If you want to refute f4, fine - probably need to learn some theory then. But, you can get a very good game, without needing to do that. I wish it was so easy against other white openings (i.e. c4, d4, e4 or Nf3).