The Bongcloud (also known as the Boungcloud, or Bongwolke in German) is the type of rich opening that promises something for everyone. For the positionalist, White’s ambitious plan promises a game full of long-range novelties. For the tactician, some of the sharper gambit lines will leave him calculating to his heart’s content. For the endgame specialist, the complete flexibility in pawn structure leaves everything on the table. For the openings mad scientist, there is a wealth of unexplored passageways to delve. And for the casual club player, there is a pleasant lack of established theory which means he’s more likely to surprise his opponent than to be surprised by Ke2!

In recent years, the Bongcloud has seen a resurgence, as avant-garde Internet players, tired of shop-worn Sicilians, Ruys, and QGDs have taken up the ancient Bongcloud as a novel approach. It is an especially important opening in anti-computer play, as no software yet written contains an adequate book against the Bongcloud. While various specialists have floated pet “anti-Bongcloud” openings, there has been no published refutation of this immensely popular opening and it remains a time-tested attack.