The opening is named after the French player Marcel Despréz [fr]. Like a number of other rare openings, 1.h4 has some alternate names such as Anti-Borg Opening, Samurai Opening and Harry's Opening.
Like 1.a4, the Ware Opening, 1.h4 does nothing in the fight over central space and does very little in the way of development. The only piece released is the rook, which is usually not developed to h3. In addition, 1.h4 weakens White's kingside. For these reasons, 1.h4 is among the rarest of the twenty possible first moves for White.
Black usually responds by grabbing the center with 1...d5 or 1...e5. A simple and sound development by 1...Nf6 is also possible. The response 1...g6, intending to fianchetto the Black's bishop on g7, is rare, because White can undermine Black's pawn structure with 2.h5, making 1.h4 seem logical.
GrandmasterDavid Bronstein once remarked that he knew of a Russian player who always opened with 1.h4 and always won. His point was that after 1...e5 2.g3 d5 3.d4! exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd1 Nf6 6.Nh3! Be7 7.Nf4 0-0 8.Bg2, the f4-knight is well placed, leaving White with a good position.[1] However, Black does not have to be so cooperative.
