Openings named after Chess Players
Chess players names are the most common sources of opening names. The name given to an opening is not always that of the first player to adopt it. Often an opening is named for the player who was the first to popularize it or to publish analysis of it. Eponymic openings include the Ruy Lopez, Alekhine Defence, Morphy Defence and the Réti Opening. Some opening names honor two people, such as the Caro–Kann and the Smith–Morra.
Some openings have been given fanciful names, often names of animals. This practice became more common in the 20th century. By then, most of the more common and traditional sequences of opening moves had already been named, so these tend to be unusual or recently developed openings like the Orangutan, Hippopotamus, Elephant and Hedgehog.
Abonyi Variation
István Abonyi
1886 – 1942
Adams Attack
Weaver Adams
1901 – 1962
Adler Variation
Géza Maróczy
1870 – 1951
Alapin’s Opening
Semyon Alapin
1856 – 1923
Alapin Variation
Semyon Alapin
1856 – 1923
Albin C. Gambit
Adolf Albin
1848 – 1920
Alekhine’s Defence
Alekhine
1892 – 1946
Allgaier Gambit
Johann Allgaier
1763 – 1823
Anderssen’s Opening
Adolf Anderssen
1818 – 1879
Balogh Defence
János Balogh
1892 – 1980
Barcza System
Gedeon Barcza
1911 – 1986
Barnes Opening
Thomas Barnes
1825 – 1874
Benko Gambit
Pal Benko
1928 – 2019
Bird’s Opening
Henry Bird
1829 – 1908
B. Shilling Gambit
Joseph Blackburne
1841 – 1924
B. Diemer Gambit
Armand Blackmar
1826 – 1888
Blumenfeld Gambit
B. Blumenfeld
1884 – 1947
Bogoljubov Defence (Bogo – Indian)
Efim Bogoljubov
1889 – 1952
Caro-Kann Defence
Marcus Kann
1820 – 1886
Chekhover Var.
Vitaly Chekhover
1908 – 1965
Clemenz Opening
Hermann Clemenz
1846 – 1908
Colle System
Edgard Colle
1897 – 1932
Damiano Defence
Pedro Damiano
1480 – 1544
Desprez Opening
Marcel Desprez
Enlighten us
Durkin Opening
Robert Durkin
1923 – 2014
Englund Gambit
Fritz Englund
1871 – 1933
Evans Gambit
William Evans
1790 – 1872
Falkbeer Counter-Gambit
Ernst Falkbeer
1819 – 1885
Fischer Defence
Bobby Fischer
1943 – 2008
Grob’s Attack
Henri Grob
1904 – 1974
Gunderam Defence
Gerhart Gunderam
1904 – 1992
Grunfeld Defence
Ernst Grünfeld
1893 – 1962
Jasnogrodsky Defence
Nicolai Jasnogrodsky
1859 – 1914
Keres Defence
Paul Keres
1916 – 1975
Konstantinopolsky Opening
Alexander K.
1910 – 1990
Larsen’s Opening
Bent Larsen
1935 – 2010
Levitsky Attack
Stepan Levitsky
1876 – 1924
Maróczy Bind
Géza Maróczy
1870 – 1951
Marshall Defence
Frank Marshall
1877 – 1944
Max Lange Attack
Max Lange
1832 – 1899
Mieses Opening
Jacques Mieses
1865 – 1954
Monticelli Trap
Mario Monticelli
1902 – 1995
Morphy’s Defence
Paul Morphy
1837 – 1884
Nadanian Attack
Ashot Nadanian
1972 –
Najdorf Defence
Miguel Najdorf
1910 – 1997
Napoleon Opening
Napoleon
1769 – 1821
Nimzo-Indian
Nimzowitsch
1886 – 1935
Nimzowitsch Defence
Nimzowitsch
1886 – 1935
Owen’s Defence
John Owen
1827 – 1901
Parham Attack
Bernard Parham
1946 –
Petrov’s Defence
Alexander Petrov
1794 – 1864
Philidor Defence
Philidor
1726 – 1795
Pirc Defence
Vasja Pirc
1907 – 1980
Ponziani Opening
Ponziani
1719 – 1796
Ragozin Defence
Ragozin
1908 – 1962
Réti Opening
Richard Réti
1889 – 1929
Rice Gambit
Isaac Rice
1850 – 1915
Richter-V. Attack
Kurt Richter
1900 – 1969
Robatsch Defence
Karl Robatsch
1929 – 2000
Rousseau Gambit
Eugène Rousseau
1805 – 1870
Ruy Lopez
Ruy Lopez de Segura
1530- 1580
Sämisch Attack
Sämisch
1896 – 1975
Schlechter Attack
Carl Schlechter
1874 – 1918
Schliemann Gambit
Schliemann
1817 – 1872
Smith-Morra G.
Pierre Morra
1900 – 1969
Sokolsky Opening
Sokolsky
1908 – 1969
Staunton Gambit
Howard Staunton
1810 – 1874
Steinitz Defence
Wilhelm Steinitz
1836 – 1900
Sveshnikov Var.
Sveshnikov
1950- 2021
Tarrasch Defence
Siegbert Tarrasch
1862 – 1934
Torre Attack
Carlos Torre
1904 – 1978
Trompowsky Attack
Octavio Trompowsky
1897- 1984
Van’t Kruijs Opening
Van’t Kruijs
1813 – 1885
Wade Defence
Bob Wade
1921 – 2008
Ware Opening
Preston Ware
1821- 1890
You can find a ‘complete’ list of chess openings named after chess players here