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Yes, I like that against the London as well.

The Neo-London

I'm actually quite fond of the London system, but fail to see how Bf4 actually controls e4. Sometimes White will play with the plan to gambit with an e4 play, but is that really controlling it? I see the set up as getting the Bishop (that will likely become weak later in the game) out in front of the pawn structure. Doing this has advantages, especially against weaker players that don't understand the significance. The hope is that Black will trap his own white bishop behind his own pawn structure. This potentially is like playing with one hand tied behind your back. A successful gambit play often becomes possible later in the game.

Sorry - that was a typo - I meant e5. I agree that the London system is certainly viable and shifts things towards the middlegame. I've heard a number of players refer to it as weak, but have yet to see them provide any refutation.

I like the immediate 2...c5. There's a nice variation there: 3.Nf3?! cxd4 4.Nxd4?? e5! wins a piece because 5.Bxe5 Qa5+.

It makes sense to try to play on ground unfamiliar to your opponent.

White is playing a porcupine defense when he should be using his initiative. I personally don't like White's move. It's weak.

I'd leave the pawn tension as long as possible. It will usually give you more opportunities.

White is perhaps worried about Black's f6-Knight coming to e4, but I think Nf3 has been delayed long enough and should be played first.

I see nothing wrong with either play. Nf3 instead is certainly a viable alternative. Since White has decided on a defense strategy, he has nothing to fear by delaying Nf3. There is a reason it is commonly called a porcupine defense (yet you normally see it played by Black, not White).

Although this is tactically OK, I would not have taken the pawn just yet. I'd leave the tension in place as long as possible...to see what other advantages White voluntarily gives me without a fight! Black has a decent position that is potentially favorable as a closed pawn structure, because of the knight development. Why open it up unnecessarily? Some might suggest that the Black's f8 bishop needs to be developed so that he can castle. I'm with Capablanca on this one. Castling early is just a principle that is meant to be broken by the courageous and adept! Besides...it's too obvious. Do something unexpected.

6. cxd4 capturing toward the center was preferable. There are plenty of ways for White to create an imbalance without giving Black a central pawn majority.

I see the exchange as giving White a little bit of mobility. Black's LS bishop is going to be locked in for a while. The potential Black pawn majority would have been much more significant if d5 had been played instead of the immediate exchange.

I would probably have played 6...d5, it looks most natural to me. I'm not sure which one is preferable, I just think this move is less obvious.

Why either of those plays (a6 or d5)? Frankly, Black committed himself with the pawn exchange. Now is the time to play for the early castle. 6. ...Be7 was better.

This makes some sense if you plan to develop the LS bishop to b7 without a d5 play. That means taking the minor center with d6 instead. This is also playing active defense and admitting that the initiative has already been given back to White, which it potentially has. But that doesn't mean White will actually take advantage of it.

This shouldn't have been a debate at all. Now that you already made this a semi-open game, you needed to open lines for attack -- not close them down. And why on earth would you entertain the possibility of exchanging your strong bishop for White's weak one? Strategically it is weak. ...now White to play should be b4 & Black hasn't gained anything. The subsequent weak point of c3 is not easily exploited, especially without an initiative. Now White's h3 doesn't look so bad. Black's position is somewhat restricted. But then again...this doesn't mean White will play properly.

11.Qe2 would have been better. It holds black Knight at f6 with the threat of Bxh7, but more importantly; it adds strong support to whites Queen side pawn majority. I feel that's whites best chance in the game after giving up the center with 6.exd4.

Actually, the white Queen is better placed on d1. In other words, it should not have moved at all, at least not yet. White has a potential lever of a2-4. He should have solidified the position with b4. Yet, Qe2 is not all that bad either. It does have some potential.