1.b4

At a chess club where I played regularly for a few years, one of the strongest players always played 1. b4 as White. This was my first introduction to the Orangutan, also known as the Sokolsky Opening or the Polish Opening.

My first reaction was dismissive, but it soon became clear that there was more to the Sokolsky than meets the eye. It’s probably not White’s best way to start the game, but there’s also no real refutation and the theory can be complex. In 1. b4: Theory & Practice of the Sokolsky Opening, Jerzy Konikowski and Marek Soszynski explore the ins and outs of this offbeat opening.