Polish Defense

With ...b5, Black tries to take control of c4, but 1.d4 b5 is generally considered dubious after 2.e4, threatening 3.Bxb5. Modern Chess Openings (MCO-14, 1999) allots two columns to the Polish, commenting that the variants where Black waits and plays 2...b5 instead of 1...b5 are much safer.{{cite book | author=De Firmian, Nick | title=Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14 | publisher=Random House Puzzles & Games | year=1999 | isbn=0-8129-3084-3 | page=497 | authorlink=Nick de Firmian}} Earlier editions of MCO give only a single column of analysis and consider only the 2...b5 lines. MCO-9 (1957) states that the Polish "fails because it neglects the centre".{{cite book | author=Korn, Walter | title=Modern Chess Openings: Ninth Edition | publisher=Pitman Publishing | year=1957 | page=225 | authorlink=Walter Korn}} That negative verdict was softened in the next edition, MCO-10 (1965), to say that the Polish "neglects the centre, but is not refuted".{{cite book | author1=Korn, Walter|author2=Larry Evans|authorlink2=Larry Evans (chess grandmaster) | title=Modern Chess Openings: Tenth Edition | publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons | year=1965 | page=332}} MCO-12 (1982) retains the "not refuted" assessment and notes that the Polish can result by transposition from the Réti system.{{cite book | author=Korn, Walter | title=Modern Chess Openings: Twelfth Edition | publisher=David McKay | year=1982 | isbn=0-679-13500-6 | page=310}} Other judgments have been harsher. The 1...b5 Polish was deemed "entirely valueless" by I. A. Horowitz in 1964.{{cite book | author=Horowitz, I. A. | title=Chess Openings: Theory and Practice | url=https://archive.org/details/chessopeningsthe0000horo | url-access=registration | publisher=Simon & Schuster | year=1964 | isbn=0-671-20553-6 | page=[https://archive.org/details/chessopeningsthe0000horo/page/780 780] | authorlink=Al Horowitz}}

The Polish is closely related to the St. George Defence (1.e4 a6, usually followed by 2.d4 b5) into which it often transposes. Boris Spassky played 1.d4 b5 against Tigran Petrosian in the decisive 22nd game of their world championship match in 1966. Spassky {{chessgloss|equalize|equalized}},MCO-14, p. 503 note (j) but rejected an opportunity to draw, as he was behind by a point in the match and with at most three games remaining, he was practically forced to play for a win. Petrosian won the game, thus ensuring retention of his title.{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128727 |title=Tigran Petrosian vs. Boris Spassky, World Championship Match (1966), rd 22 |website=Chessgames.com }}

1...b5?! against the English Opening is known as the Halibut Gambit (or Jaenisch Gambit).[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/explorer?node=2349174&move=2&moves=c4.b5&nodes=2.2349174 Chess Opening Explorer][https://www.chess.com/openings/English-Opening-Jaenisch-Gambit English Opening: Halibut Gambit (A10) – Openings – Chess.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224144559/http://www.chess.com/opening/eco/A10_English_Opening_Halibut_Gambit |date=2012-02-24 }}[http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/opening/466 English Opening Halibut Gambit – Chess Opening]

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| After 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5

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The Polish can be used to combat certain variations of the Réti Opening or King's Indian Attack.{{cite web | url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/explorer?node=2492623&move=3&moves=Nf3.Nf6.g3.b5&nodes=74.98.124903.2492623 | title=Chess Opening Explorer: 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 | website=Chessgames.com | accessdate=2007-05-02}} In particular, 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5, sometimes called the Spassky Variation after its use by Boris Spassky in the 1966 World Championship match against Tigran Petrosian, is a fully respectable opening that has been successfully played by several grandmasters including former world champions Mikhail Tal, Anatoly Karpov and Magnus Carlsen.{{cite book | author=Mednis, Edmar | authorlink=Edmar Mednis | title=How Karpov Wins | edition=2nd | publisher=Dover | year=1994 | isbn=0-486-27881-6 | page=128}}{{cite web | url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067691 | title=Anthony Saidy vs. Anatoly Karpov, San Antonio 1972 | website=Chessgames.com | accessdate=2007-05-02}}{{cite web | url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067748 | title=Viktor Korchnoi vs. Anatoly Karpov, Moscow 1973 | website=Chessgames.com | accessdate=2007-05-02}} It prepares to fianchetto Black's {{chessgloss|queen bishop}} and prevents White from playing the otherwise desirable c4. White's second move commits to fianchettoing the {{chessgloss|king bishop}} rather than developing it along the f1–a6 diagonal, due to the weakness that would result on the {{chessgloss|long diagonal}}.

A related line, into which this can transpose, is 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5. In both of these lines Black reacts to White's Ng1-f3 and g2-g3 by contesting the fianchetto on the h1-a8 diagonal and gaining some space on the queen's side, taking the view that b7-b5 is superior to b7-b6.Paul van der Sterren, Fundamental Chess Openings, p 168 & 260, Gambit Publications, 2009, {{ISBN|978-1-906454-13-5}}

After 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 play typically continues 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.0-0 e6 and White now has a choice of setups. 5.d4 transposes into the 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5 line mentioned above, 5.d3 usually leads to a King's Indian Attack setup after the follow up e2-e4 (though c2-c4 and other setups are also possible), while 5.b3 is a more offbeat try. An alternative plan for White is to contest Black's queen's side expansion with an early a2-a4 or Nb1-a3.

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• List of chess openings
• List of chess openings named after places
• [https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/1b4b5.html "The Chess Moves 1 b4 and 1...b5" by Edward Winter]

• Kapitaniak, Thomas and Paul Janicki (1988). The Polish Defense. Chess Enterprises. ISBN 0-931462-80-0.
• {{cite book

| author=Konikowski, Jerzy; Soszynski, Marek

| title=The Polish Defense: Systems for Black Based on ...b5

| publisher=Russell Enterprises

| year=2022

| isbn=978-1949859546}}

{{wikibooks|Chess Opening Theory|1. d4/1...b5|Polish Defense}}

{{reflist|30em}}

Category:Chess openings

Category:1914 in chess

Category:Chess in Poland