Mtal wrote on 05/05/20 at 16:13:11:
I been looking at playing the london more and was wo during what to do with this move order, d4 d5, bf4 c5?
Is pushing a good option? I see some sources say play e3 then qb6 comes. Then some say take right away. Just looking for what is the best line and also sharpest. Thanks.
Both Romero (The Agile London) and Sedlak (Winning with the Modern London) give this move order....both prefer 3 e3 although both mention 3 e4 a kind of reverse Albion or Morris Gambit as Romero calls it, which seems pretty sharp although I haven't really looked at it..
After 3 e3 there are a few black possibilities:
3...Nc6 4 c3 now if Qb6 5 Qb3 etc
3...cxd4 4 exd4 Nc6 5 c3 etc
with regard to 3...Qb6 neither authors like it due to 4 Nc3 as now 4...Qxb2 runs into 5 Nxd5 +- and 4...e6 or ...Nf6 5 Nb5
1...d5, 2...c5 can lead to some interesting positions and move order for both players is important.
Both books give good coverage of this line and are worth a read if you are interested. Chessable also have a London course which they are planning to up-date. There is also a Short and Sweet version of this course which you can get for free a kind of try before you buy option...