Polish Opening: Myers Variation – How to Play It as White

The core idea of 1.b4 is to gain space on the queenside and activate the bishop on b2 early. After 1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 c6 3.a4, White has staked out a pawn on a4 and one on b4, preparing to pressure Black's centre from the flank. The a4 pawn also stops Black from playing ...b5 later, keeping the diagonal open for your bishop. You are slightly worse according to Stockfish, but the practical results are remarkably balanced — almost a 50/50 split between White and Black wins. That means if you understand the typical plans better than your opponent, you'll often outscore the engine's assessment. Your main job is to complete development sensibly while keeping an eye on your b4 pawn, which can become a target.

Stockfish's best move for Black is Qb6, immediately attacking the b4 pawn. The engine's full continuation runs: Qb6 a5 Qxb4 Qc1. Black grabs the pawn, and White recaptures with the queen. If that line feels uncomfortable, remember two things. First, after the queen exchange White's position is solid — you've lost the b4 pawn but kept the structure intact and can develop normally. Second, this precise line is extremely rare in real play: only a tiny fraction of games reach it. Most opponents will not play Qb6, and even if they do, White scores respectably after trading queens and catching up in development.

Let's look at what Black actually plays in practice, along with White's winning percentage in each case (wins + half-draws):- Bf5 (6,952 games) – White scores 50.8%. This natural developing move is the most common reply. Black puts the bishop outside the pawn chain. You can continue with Nf3, e3, and maybe d3, aiming for a flexible setup.- Nf6 (5,236 games) – White scores 45.8%. A solid developing move that pressures nothing immediate but makes it hard for Black to lose. You'll want to be precise here.- e6 (1,953 games) – White scores 55.8%. This is a dream scenario. When Black plays e6, they often follow with ...Bd6 or ...Be7, and you get a comfortable game. This is one of your best outcomes.- Nd7 (1,520 games) – White scores 45.8%. A slightly awkward square for the knight; it blocks the c8-bishop. Your plan is the same: develop, castle, and look for queenside breaks.- a6 (1,215 games) – White scores 50.9%. A useful waiting move. Black may want to play ...b5 later. Consider preventing that with a5.- e5 (604 games) – White scores 61.4% — the highest in the list. But there's a catch: e5 is actually a mistake.

Among the known mistakes in this position, e5 stands out. It loses roughly 1.1 pawns according to the engine (the better move was Qb6). Despite that, Black plays e5 in over 600 games, and White scores an excellent 61.4%. Why is e5 bad? It weakens the d5 pawn and opens lines for your bishop on b2. After 4...e5, you can immediately target the d5 pawn with moves like Nf3, or simply develop while Black's centre becomes fragile. If you ever see e5 on the board, know that you've already gained an edge — trust the position and keep the pressure on.

• Don't over-extend. The b4 pawn is exposed, but it's also a decoy. If Black wastes time chasing it, you'll out-develop them.- Develop naturally. Nf3, e3, Be2, O-O — there's no need for heroics. Your queen's bishop is already well-placed on b2.- Watch for ...e5. It's Black's worst move statistically. Punish it with central pressure.- The statistics are on your side. White wins over half the games in most lines despite the engine's slight preference for Black. This opening is playable, practical, and fun — exactly what the Polish is known for.