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The Essential List of Chess Openings for Every Player

3 January 2023

Here is a chart with some common chess openings, their approximate popularity on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least popular and 10 being the most popular), famous chess players who have used the openings, and the person credited with the creation of the opening:

OpeningPopularity (1-10)Famous PlayersInventor
Ruy Lopez7Bobby FischerRuy López de Segura
Sicilian Defense8Bobby FischerUnknown
French Defense6Garry KasparovPhilidor Family
Dutch Defense5Magnus CarlsenLudwig Bledow
Nimzo-Indian7Viswanathan AnandAron Nimzowitsch
Grunfeld Defense7Vladimir KramnikErnst Grunfeld
King’s Indian Defense8Bobby FischerGeza Maroczy
Queen’s Gambit7Garry KasparovUnknown
Alekhine’s Defense5Alexander AlekhineAlexander Alekhine
Petroff Defense6Fabiano CaruanaHeinrich Petroff
OpeningPopularity (1-10)Famous PlayersInventor
Reti Opening4Akiba RubinsteinRichard Réti
King’s Gambit3Paul MorphyUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Kan Variation6Bobby FischerIsaac Boleslavski
Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation8Bobby FischerMiguel Najdorf
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation7Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Paulsen Variation6Bobby FischerLouis Paulsen
Sicilian Defense, Scheveningen Variation7Bobby FischerSzymon Winawer
Sicilian Defense, Taimanov Variation6Bobby FischerMark Taimanov
Sicilian Defense, Velimirovic Attack7Bobby FischerPredrag Velimirovic
Sicilian Defense, Closed Variation7Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Open Variation6Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Sveshnikov Variation6Bobby FischerEvgeny Sveshnikov
Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn7Bobby FischerMiguel Najdorf
Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation, Classical6Bobby FischerMiguel Najdorf
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack6Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Levenfish Variation5Bobby FischerGrigory Levenfish
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Classical5Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Modern6Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Hyper-Accelerated Dragon6Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Maroczy Bind5Bobby FischerGeza Maroczy
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Soltis Variation5Bobby FischerAndrew Soltis
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, O’Kelly Variation5Bobby FischerAlbrecht O’Kelly
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Kavalek Variation5Bobby FischerLubomir Kavalek
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Robatsch Defense5Bobby FischerKarl Robatsch
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Accelerated Dragon6Bobby FischerUnknown
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Tal Variation5Bobby FischerMikhail Tal
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack5Bobby FischerUnknown