Has the Jobava London System been REFUTED?

Has black finally found a way to bust the Jobava London System? In this video I examine GM Sam Shankland's proposed method of refuting the Jobava London System? The answer is provided by a game of Baadur Jobava himself. He shows that the Jobava London System is still a perfectly viable opening. The key is to understand how to handle the structure of the Jobava London System.
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Lichess handle: Johnnyballgame
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[@Ebobster]

Interesting game! Thanks for posting with good analysis. People seem to forget that the Jobava London is really just the Tchigoran defense (d5/Nc6/Bf5) in reverse with an extra tempo & in the Tchigoran (sometimes spelled Chigoran) defense Nb4 is a common tactical theme. With colors reversed White can untangle and keep the initiative more easily than Black can vs the Jobava London because White is a tempo up.

[@Hailmich10]

Excellent content and presentation! I had reviewed Simon's videos on the Jobava London and Bb4 and Ne4 by black puts white on defense when you play 4. e3 Very helpful!

[@JulesMoyaert_photo]

What a game! Thanks!

[@travischampagne3252]

Solid video earned a subscriber

[@chessdawg]

Thank you! Welcome to ChessDawg.

[@konstantinchernov1477]

Amazing line, very playable and sharp

[@stolenhandle]

Nice work on this. The Jobava has an advantage over the typical London at lower levels because it's not nearly as familiar to black. Your video goes a long way towards ensuring that people realize how to play with and against this opening.

[@bigredracingdog466]

This crap is all I see anymore.

[@harrymills2770]

The Knight in front of the c-pawn does seem retro and passive, except for the early Nb5 move, in conjunction with the Bishop on f4. Gunjan, of GJ Chess, has a similar appreciation for threats to c7 and f7 off of innocent-looking Nc3 and Nf3.

[@exoplanet11]

Cool to see the 'refuted' system was 'rescued' by its creator!

[@borisandalfie]

I paid for GM Simon Willams chessable course and did observe Bb4 posed a threat to Jobava London. He recommended Ne2 but i did sense he sounded unsure and not confident . Its like giving the initiative back to Black . GM Denes Boros instead recommends a3 whenever black plays e6, and the focus is to have a pawn break on e4 later, rather than Ne5 which Simon always recommend. A few points I would like to highlight: 1. In your this video your recommend Nb5 when black hasn't played c5 or Nc6, would you rather played a3 instead as I find this move will always come eventually even in this video when you played the early Nb5 2. What's your view on the pawn break on e4? Should it be this or Ne5 instead especially even when black plays Bd6 to offer the exchange on Bf4？Which is a better focus - the pawn break or placing the Knight on e5 as an outpost? 3. When black plays Bd6, would you tackle with 1. Ne5, 2. Ignore it and don't mind the double pawns on f file or 3. Retreat Bishop to g3 instead? Thank you !!

[@chessdawg]

These are very thoughtful questions. I am afraid I dont' have the time to answer all in detail, but I will share some thoughts. When we block the c pawn with the knight, e4 does become the primary pawn break. I think playing for e4 is a safer approach. Ne5 seems like a more ambitious plan to me. Alireza Firouzja actually played Nh4 and f4-f5 as his main pawn break in one Jobava London game. So, there are quite a few options available. My personal taste is to play Ne5 if that is a reasonable option given the specific position. A rule of thumb is that the most recent analysis will usually be the most accurate. So, whichever program is most recent will tend to be most accurate. I think the difference between Ne5 and e4 is a matter of taste. I would look to play Ne5 first, but if it doesn't look like it works, you always have e4 to fall back on.

[@MrGyges]

Exhausting , but thank you ;)

[@TimJapan]

thanx. I got a better understanding Simon advises a3 before h3 I thought there was a way to punish an early attack on bishop on f4 if you open up the queen playing e6.

[@MM-tt3np]

3...c5!!

[@pokey5428]

I'm relatively new to chess, so I don't profess to know much, but it seems to me the rational for any opening is to allow you to get your pieces on to advantageous squares, exert some control over the center, and castle. After that--it's just chess. How can an opening be "refuted" if you are literally looking at moves well into the middle game? I play the London and now, occasionally, will play the Lobava moving my knight to c3 if my opponent plays Nh3 early--hoping to get the king-rook fork. If not, I can continue to development with the London, and play chess from a fairly solid position. What more can you ask for of an opening?

[@happyhornet1000]

4.a3 stops Bb4. I don't think that there's a refutation. There very really is a refutation to any opening.

[@2UnderstandDivinely]

Great analysis! Thanks! I was curious about one thing though... at about 2:25 in black plays Be7, but as a Jobava player myself I was more worried about c6, kicking the knight back to c3 then playing Bb4 and kind of going down the previous line with the knight pinned to the king again. Any suggestions? Did I miss something?

[@chessdawg]

The line you are mentioning is certainly equal, but there are a couple of differences. Black's knight has been placed on a6 which is not ideal, and the B at f1 hasn't moved yet, both of these ideas favor white. In the line with 4.e3 the bishop is at d3 which makes it vulnerable to a c5 push from black. After Bb4 in the line you are mentioning, white also has the option of taking black's knight on a6, which is the main move there, and it scores over 71% for white, although the computer evaluation is equal. So after 5...c6 6.Nc3, Bb4 7.Bxa6 and white has a good score here.

[@2UnderstandDivinely]

@@chessdawg Ahh yes, thanks. I wasn’t considering Bxa6.