Indian Game – Polish Variation
Indian Game – Polish Variation
Definition
The Indian Game, Polish Variation is an off-beat response for Black against 1.d4 that begins:
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b5
(ECO code A40).
By first playing …Nf6 (characteristic of the many “Indian” defences) and then the flank-advance …b5 (borrowing from the Polish Defence, 1…b5), Black tries to combine kingside flexibility with immediate queenside space.
Typical Usage in Play
The variation usually arises in one of three ways:
- Directly via the move order above: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b5.
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b5 (skipping 2.c4), after which 3.e4!? or 3.g3 are critical tries for White.
- A transposition from a true Polish Defence if Black later develops …Nf6.
White’s most principled reaction is to accept the pawn: 3.cxb5. Black then sacrifices or recovers the pawn with 3…a6, hoping for dynamic piece play after …Bb7, …e6 and …d5. Declining with 3.Nf3 or 3.e3 keeps the centre intact but grants Black an extra tempo on the queenside.
Strategic and Historical Significance
- Conceptual Idea: …b5 stakes out space on the a6–e2 diagonal and readies …Bb7, exerting long-range pressure on the central square e4. It can also provoke cxb5, opening lines for rapid development.
- Risk vs. Reward: The early pawn thrust weakens the c6 square and risks leaving Black’s queenside underdeveloped. Against accurate play it is hard to equalise, which explains why the line is rare in elite events.
- Historical Roots: The first recorded outing is often attributed to Savielly Tartakower (early 1900s), a great experimenter with flank ideas. Later, English IM Michael Basman and more recently GMs Richard Rapport and Baadur Jobava revived it as a surprise weapon.
Illustrative Example
In the game Jobava – Rapport, European Team Ch. 2013, Black demonstrated the variation’s latent counter-punch:
After 12…Nc6 13.Be2 d5, Black had fully regained the pawn with active pieces, illustrating the compensation Black seeks.
Plans and Ideas
- For Black
- Recover (or sacrifice) the b-pawn with …a6 and rapid piece mobilisation.
- Fianchetto the bishop: …Bb7 is almost automatic.
- Strike in the centre with …c5 or …d5, depending on White’s setup.
- Use the open a-file after …axb5 for rook activity.
- For White
- Exploit queenside weakening with a quick a4, Nc3-b5 or Qa4+ motifs.
- If the pawn is taken, consolidate with e3 and Nc3 before Black regains it.
- Maintain a space advantage by declining: 3.Nf3 followed by g3 and Bg2.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The line’s nickname “Polish Indian” makes it sound like a national hybrid dish—appropriate given its spicy, unbalanced nature.
- Michael Basman once joked that his opening repertoire was “the lawn-mower defence: you push the pawns first and hope the pieces catch up,” a quip perfectly describing …b5 here.
- Although seldom seen in classical time controls, the variation scores surprisingly well in blitz and rapid events where its surprise value is magnified.
Further Study
Players interested in adding the Indian Game – Polish Variation to their arsenal should examine:
- Games by Jobava, Rapport, and Basman.
- Critical theoretical lines after 3.cxb5 a6 4.Nc3 axb5 5.Nxb5 – White’s most testing setup.
- Move-order nuances such as 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b5, preventing an immediate c4 pawn break.