Polish Opening: what to play after e6?

In the Polish Opening after the response 1...e6, the primary continuation for White is the natural fianchetto Bb2. This move develops the bishop along the long diagonal while defending the advanced b4 pawn, which faces potential pressure from the dark-squared bishop on f8. With an engine evaluation of -0.18, Bb2 dominates practical play, appearing in 86.5% of the 2,950,629 recorded games in this position.

Strategic Role of the Bishop on b2

By placing the bishop on b2, White establishes control over the d4 and e5 central squares while addressing the immediate tension created by Black's first move. In the engine's main line, play proceeds with Bb2 d5 e3 Nf6 b5 Bd6, where White reinforces the center and nudges the b4 pawn forward to gain queenside space. Delaying this development can allow Black to contest the queenside or challenge the center under favorable circumstances.

Alternatives to the Main Line

Other options exist for White, though they are chosen far less frequently. The pawn push b5 is the second most common attempt, played in 6.4% of games (190K recorded, evaluation -0.36), leading into b5 a6 e3 Nf6 a4 axb5. White can also choose to fortify the pawn structure directly with a3 (5.5% of games, evaluation -0.21) or c3 (1.1% of games, evaluation -0.44). A more aggressive development like Ba3 appears in just 0.4% of games and evaluates at -0.80, as Ba3 a5 b5 Qf6 d4 Bxa3 allows Black to trade off the bishop immediately. Across the board, Bb2 remains the foundational choice for the Polish Opening setup against 1...e6.