Patrik Müller: Level 83 Chess Rival (2298 ELO)

Queen tier · IM Strength · plays the London System

How Patrik plays

Patrik is the definition of a strong, practical player. At 30, playing out of Norway, he has the solid all-round game of an International Master: no glaring weaknesses, good preparation and a clear head in time trouble. His answer to the London System is the most principled one, hitting the centre with ...c5, putting the queen on b6 and asking White to justify a setup that is often played on autopilot.

That is exactly his target. Patrik is happiest against opponents who treat the London as a fixed sequence of moves, because routine development lets him gain time and squares. He is less comfortable when White responds to his ideas with concrete counterplay, especially when the centre opens before his queenside space can matter. His ...c4 push gains space, but it also commits him, and he does not enjoy positions where that commitment becomes a liability.

At 2298 ELO, Patrik plays at master strength. Outright blunders are rare, so you need a sound opening, a clear plan and accurate calculation in sharp moments. A draw against him is a good result; a win means you played a very good game.

London System: the line Patrik plays

Against the London System (1.d4, Nf3 and an early Bf4) Patrik answers with ...d5 and ...Nf6, then hits the centre with ...c5. The plan is the most direct one Black has: pressure d4, bring the queen to b6 to eye b2, and push ...c4 to gain space on the queenside once White's queen has gone to b3.

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4

Learn it move by move: London System walkthrough

How to beat Patrik

  1. Against ...Qb6, consider Qc1 instead of Qb3. It defends b2, keeps the queens on, and takes away the ...c4 push with tempo that he usually relies on to clamp your queenside.
  2. Once he has played ...c4, prepare the e3-e4 break with Nbd2, Be2 and Re1. His queenside pawns are then fixed and far from the centre, so opening the e-file hits his weakest zone.
  3. Before every quiet move, count your b2 and d4 pawns. With ...Qb6, ...Nc6 and ...cxd4 his pieces converge on both, and one routine move can leave a pawn short of a defender.
  4. If you play the London into the book, finish development calmly with Nbd2, Be2 and castling, then aim at the e5 square with Ne5 and f4. The ...c4 advance closes the queenside, so the game is decided in the centre and on the kingside.
  5. The book only answers 1.d4. Open 1.e4 or 1.c4 and he is on their own from move one.

What beating Patrik teaches you

Patrik trains you to play the London with intent: reacting to Black's concrete ideas instead of following a memorised setup.

Neighbours on the ladder