Sokolsky Opening (1.b4): the Polish or Orangutan
Fancy taking your opponent out of all their theory on the very first move? Then 1.b4 is for you. The Sokolsky Opening — also called the Polish Opening or Orangutan — is one of those rare openings that almost nobody knows how to face well.
The main idea
With 1.b4 White gains queenside space and prepares Bb2 to place the bishop on the long a1-h8 diagonal. From there it presses the center and Black’s kingside.
- It’s one of the few openings that start from the queenside on move 1.
- It has very little theory: understand the plan and go play.
- Its surprise value makes it very useful in fast games.
The “Orangutan” nickname has a funny story I’ll tell you in the FAQ. 🐒
The first moves
You play White. After 1.b4 you place the bishop on b2 on the long diagonal; if Black captures on b4, you recover the pawn by taking on e5.
Who is it for?
For creative and combative players who aren’t scared of stepping off the beaten path. If you enjoy understanding plans instead of memorizing variations, you’re going to love the Sokolsky.
Related openings: Flank openings · Réti Opening · Larsen’s Opening · Grob Attack · All openings
Analiza partidas de esta apertura
Pega cualquier PGN para reproducir y estudiar partidas paso a paso. Encuentralas en Lichess o Chess.com.
Preguntas frecuentes
Why is the Sokolsky Opening called the Orangutan?
The nickname comes from a 1924 anecdote: Savielly Tartakower visited an orangutan at the New York Zoo and decided to play 1.b4 the next day. The name stuck. It's also known as the Polish Opening because of Sokolsky's origin.
Is the Sokolsky Opening good?
It's a surprise opening, not an elite one. At grandmaster level it's considered harmless if Black plays accurately, but its scarce theory and clear plans make it very practical in fast games or against unprepared opponents.
How do you respond to 1.b4?
The simplest is 1...e5, occupying the center. After 2.Bb2, Black can capture with 2...Bxb4 or defend e5 with f6. The idea is to develop naturally and take advantage of the fact that the b4 pawn can become a weakness.