The Pseudo-Trompowsky: A London System with Real Bite
The Pseudo-Trompowsky — 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 — doesn’t announce itself with fireworks.
At first glance, it resembles a typical positional setup, the kind of position Black faces regularly after 1.d4. But this similarity is deceiving.
As GM Baadur Jobava notes in his introduction:
“At first sight, this looks calm, but that’s exactly why it works.”
The moment Black commits with ...Ne4, expecting comfortable equality, the position transforms. Suddenly, they’re playing concrete, forcing chess — exactly the terrain where the new course by Jobava and GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy excels.
A London with Teeth, A Trompowsky with Flexibility
Jobava himself describes the critical position after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bf4 as:
“A London with the inclusion of Ne4, which forces Black to play more concretely.”
This seemingly minor difference transforms everything. Black can no longer drift into comfortable symmetry — the inclusion of ...Ne4 commits him to specific plans, while White maintains all the strategic flexibility of London structures plus the tactical venom of the Trompowsky.
It’s a system that rewards understanding over memorization, perfect for players who want practical results without drowning in theory.
The course also reveals its versatility immediately: the same lines work equally well after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nf3, making it a genuine “Trompowsky Part 2” that complements Jobava and Bernadskiy’s earlier collaboration, Trompowsky Attack for White – Part 1.
Together, Part 1 and Part 2 provide a complete 1.d4 repertoire built around the Bg5 idea, applicable across multiple move orders and pawn structures.
What’s Inside
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19 comprehensive chapters covering all Black responses;
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30 test positions to sharpen tactical vision and pattern recognition;
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Memory Booster feature for efficient retention;
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To-Go Versions of each chapter for quick preparation;
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Over 5 hours of video instruction with detailed explanations;
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Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish).
The structure is methodical. Early chapters cover solid but slower setups like 3...c6 and fianchetto systems with 3...g6.
The middle chapters dissect the critical 3...Ne4 positions — including the sharp 4...c5 5.e3 Qb6 6.Nc3, which Jobava calls “where all the fun starts.”
Later chapters explore rarer but tricky lines like 4...Nc6 (favored by Naroditsky) and the ambitious yet weakening 4...f6.
The Trompowsky–Torre Connection
This course completes the Trompowsky–Torre–London trinity introduced in Part 1.
While Part 1 focused on 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 setups, Part 2 covers the 1.d4 d5 move order, creating a Trompowsky–Torre hybrid that can also be reached through 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nf3 or 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5.
This flexibility gives White multiple transpositional weapons — the backbone of Jobava’s entire system.
For players who want to deepen their understanding of the Torre Attack structures that underpin this system, we recommend exploring GM Ioannis Papaioannou’s Torre Attack courses available here.
Papaioannou’s work on the Torre provides the strategic foundation that perfectly complements the dynamic ideas of the Pseudo-Trompowsky.
Together, these repertoires form a unified strategic approach to 1.d4, blending classical understanding with modern attacking potential.
Why This Course Matters
Jobava and Bernadskiy bring complementary strengths.
Jobava, the system’s architect, is renowned for creative opening ideas that confound preparation, while Bernadskiy provides rigorous theoretical structure and pedagogical clarity.
Their combined approach yields a repertoire that is both sound and surprising — a rare achievement in modern opening preparation.
The Pseudo-Trompowsky doesn’t just work; it works because opponents underestimate it.
As Jobava puts it:
“At first sight, this looks calm, but that’s exactly why it works. Opponents relax, and then—boom—we strike.”
For players seeking a reliable, low-maintenance 1.d4 system that avoids the heavy Grünfeld and Nimzo-Indian theory while maintaining genuine winning chances, the Pseudo-Trompowsky offers an elegant, practical solution.
“If you loved the Jobava London, get ready to enjoy this too.”
Add It to Your Repertoire
Ready to add this weapon to your opening arsenal?
Explore the Pseudo-Trompowsky for White course and discover why what appears “pseudo” might be exactly what your game needs.