Orangutan Opening: 1. b4
Orangutan
Definition
The Orangutan, also known as the Sokolsky Opening or the Polish Opening, is an unorthodox chess opening that begins with the flank pawn move 1. b4 by White. By advancing the b-pawn two squares, White immediately challenges the center from the side and prepares to fianchetto the queen’s bishop on b2, leading to unique positional struggles.
Alternative Names
- Sokolsky Opening – named after the Ukrainian master Alexey Pavlovich Sokolsky, who analyzed it extensively.
- Polish Opening – a nod to the early 20th-century Polish school of chess, which favored hyper-modern ideas.
- Orang-Utan Opening – the colorful nickname popularized by Savielly Tartakower after the 1924 New York tournament.
Typical Move Order
Most games start with 1. b4 and can branch into several main continuations:
- 1... e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 — sharp lines where material is traded early.
- 1... d5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. e3 — a quieter, positional setup.
- 1... Nf6 2. Bb2 e6 3. a3 — preparing c4 or c3, limiting ...Bxb4.
Strategic Ideas
- Flank Pressure on the Center: The pawn on b4 can support a later c4, creating a queenside pawn mass aimed at undermining Black’s central pawns.
- Fianchettoed Bishop: After Bb2, the long diagonal a1–h8 becomes White’s main highway for activity, often targeting e5, d4, or g7.
- Flexible Pawn Structures: White may follow up with e3, c4, or even a3 and c3, adapting to Black’s setup rather than forcing a set pattern.
- Psycho-logical Weapon: Because it appears “strange,” 1. b4 can push opponents out of their preparation as early as move one.
Historical Background
The name Orangutan originates from the 1924 New York International Tournament. Grandmaster Savielly Tartakower, an aficionado of creative openings, spent a rest day visiting the Bronx Zoo. Legend has it he asked the resident orangutan “Susan” for opening advice; returning to the tournament hall, he unveiled 1. b4 against Géza Maróczy—and won. Tartakower thereafter jokingly attributed the move to Susan, cementing the nickname.
Although the opening never became mainstream, it fascinated several hyper-modern thinkers, including Sokolsky, Bogoljubov, and later modern experimenters such as Bent Larsen and Boris Spassky.
Illustrative Game
Tartakower – Maróczy, New York 1924
Tartakower sacrificed pawns and pieces with abandon, relying on the strong bishop on b2 and rapid piece play to reach a winning attack, a classic demonstration of the opening’s dynamism.
Modern Usage
The Orangutan remains a rare guest in elite classical events but appears regularly in faster time controls and online play. Notable modern practitioners include:
- Hikaru Nakamura – employs it in bullet and blitz to avoid theory.
- Magnus Carlsen – tested 1. b4 in simultaneous exhibitions and casual rapid games.
- Richard Rapport – used it at top-level rapid events, consistent with his creative style.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Pluses: Surprise value, flexible structures, control of the long diagonal, early queenside space.
- Minuses: Potentially loose queenside pawns, slower direct influence on the center than 1. e4 or 1. d4, and fewer well-trodden theoretical paths for guidance.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Tartakower allegedly remarked after the 1924 game: “It was not I who played 1. b4—it was the orangutan!”
- Sokolsky wrote an entire monograph on the opening in 1963, making it one of the earliest single-opening books devoted to a flank pawn push.
- The first recorded game featuring 1. b4 is attributed to Emanuel Lasker (simul, 1890s), decades before its “official” debut.
- Computer engines initially disliked 1. b4, but modern neural-network engines evaluate it more favorably, showing its hidden resources.