[2] It was later played by the Yugoslav master Mihailo Trajkovic[3][4] and the Soviet grandmaster Anatoly Lutikov.

[5][6][7][8] After decades of obscurity, the opening was revitalized by the International Master Georgi Orlov, who published a booklet and a book about it in 1992 and 1998, respectively.

[9] Since 1992, the opening has been employed by a number of strong grandmasters, including Victor Bologan, Joel Benjamin, Larry Christiansen, and Alex Yermolinsky.

[11] Although fairly uncommon, the "Tango" has a sounder positional basis than most other offbeat openings: Black develops quickly, has a flexible pawn structure, and is prepared to strike back in the center with 3...e5, or with ...e6 and ...d5.

[12] Black usually responds with 3...e6, although 3...d6, intending a kind of Old Indian Defense, is also possible.

[12][13] After 3...e6, White can play 4.Nc3 Bb4 (transposing to the Nimzo-Indian Defense);[14][15] 4.a3, when Black can either play 4...d5 (reaching a kind of Queen's Gambit Declined or Ragozin System),[16] or 4...d6 preparing 5...e5 or even 5...g6 ("championed by Bologan", according to Palliser), reaching a sort of King's Indian Defense;[17][18] or 4.g3, when Black can transpose to the Catalan Opening with 4...d5, recommended by Palliser[19][20] or 4...Bb4+, preferred by Orlov, which transposes to a Nimzo-Indian after 5.Nc3, or to a Bogo-Indian Defense after 5.Bd2 or 5.Nbd2.

[25] Now the game may continue in "Tango" fashion, for example with 5.Nf3 Ng6, or transpose to the King's Indian Defense with, for example, 5.Nf3 d6 6.e4 (6.Bg5!?)

[26] Another interesting but relatively unexplored idea is 3...e6, allowing White to play 4.e4 (other moves such as 4.d5, 4.Bg5, 4.a3, 4.f3, and 4.Nf3 are also possible), whereupon Black follows up with 4...d5.

These possibilities can also be reached via transposition from the Mikenas–Carls Variation of the English Opening (1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4), although if Black wishes to play this way, the optimal move order is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6.

5.Qd4 winning a knight), Black struck back in the center with 4...Ng6 5.f4 e5 in the seminal game Sämisch–Torre, Moscow 1925.