Queen's Pawn: Polish Defence
Queen's Pawn: Polish Defence
Definition & Move-Order
The Polish Defence against the Queen’s Pawn Opening arises after the surprising flank thrust 1. d4 b5. Black stakes a claim to the a6–e2 diagonal with …Bb7 while delaying the traditional fight for the centre. It is the mirror image of White’s Orangutan (1. b4), but here it is employed one tempo down.
How It Is Used
- Hypermodern spirit. Black encourages White to occupy the centre with pawns, intending to undermine it later with …c5, …e6, and pressure along the long dark-squared diagonal.
- Surprise value. Because 1…b5 is rare, even strong opponents may be forced to think for themselves early in the game.
- Flexible transpositions. Depending on White’s reply, the game can slip into a St George Defence set-up (…a6, …Bb7, …e6, …c5) or, after an early …g6, a Polish–Benoni hybrid.
Typical Continuations
Below are three common branches that illustrate the opening’s character (algebraic notation, “…” denotes Black’s move):
- 1. d4 b5 2. e4 (principled, hits b5 and claims the centre) 2…Bb7 3. Bd3 a6 4. Nf3 e6 — White enjoys a space advantage; Black hopes the long diagonal compensates.
- 1. d4 b5 2. Nf3 Bb7 3. e3 a6 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 (English-style) — a calmer approach; play often resembles a reversed Queen’s Indian.
- 1. d4 b5 2. c4 (direct pressure) 2…bxc4 3. e4 Bb7 4. Nc3 (White leads development, pawn structure is Benoni-like).
Strategic & Tactical Themes
- Dark-squared dominance. Black’s …Bb7, …g6, and …Bg7 (sometimes) aim to exploit the g2–a8 diagonal.
- Pawn wedges. White often answers …b5 with e4 and c4; Black counters with …c5 or …f5.
- Loose pawn on b5. Because the b-pawn advances before Black’s minor pieces are developed, it can become an immediate tactical target (e.g. 2. e4 or 2. Nc3).
- Endgame subtleties. If Black survives the opening, the extra queenside space can give useful minority-attack chances in long endings.
Historical Background
The term Polish Defence is linked to early 20th-century analysis by Polish theoreticians, notably Alexander Wagner (1913). Although Savielly Tartakower made 1. b4 famous as White (the Orangutan), the mirrored concept for Black remained a curiosity. Grandmasters such as Duncan Suttles and Tony Miles occasionally revived it in the 1970s–80s to avoid theory.
At elite level it is exceedingly rare, but it has scored surprise wins in correspondence and rapid events where preparation time is limited.
Illustrative Mini-Game
Short but thematic encounter demonstrating both sides’ ideas:
Black’s queenside thrusts and dark-squared pressure eventually crash through after White overextends.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because of its offbeat nature, the line has been nicknamed the “Parachute-Jump”—you hope it lands safely!
- The first recorded master-level game with 1…b5 against 1. d4 was Marshall–Wagner, Bad-Pistyan 1912, where Black drew comfortably.
- In online blitz, engines rate 1…b5 as borderline unsound (≈ +0.9 for White), yet practical results hover near 45 % for Black thanks to surprise value.
- If White answers 1. d4 b5 with 2. e4, the opening briefly transposes to a St George Defence after 2…Bb7 3. Bd3 a6, a favourite of Tony Miles who famously beat World Champion Anatoly Karpov with the analogous 1. e4 a6.
Summary
The Queen’s Pawn: Polish Defence is an adventurous, rarely-seen choice that hands White an objective edge yet offers Black rich, uncharted play and psychological advantage. Best suited for rapid, blitz, or as a one-game surprise weapon, it teaches important lessons about centre vs. flank dynamics and the power— and peril—of early pawn advances.