How Your Favorite Openings Were Invented.

Openings provide us with a firm start to our chess games. But where did they all come from? Who invented them and why are they named the way they are?

1. Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game)

The Ruy Lopez is named after a Spanish priest named Ruy Lopez de Segura. In 1561, he published a chess book which feature many different openings including the Ruy Lopez. However, the Ruy Lopez wasn't popularized until centuries after his death, but the opening still bears his namesake today. These days the opening is perhaps the most popular opening in the world and it is featured in numerous high level games.

2. Queen's Gambit

This is perhaps one of the most well known openings in the world and it comes from the legendary chess book, the Gottingen Manuscript. This manuscript dates back to the early 1500s. However, the opening wasn't popularized until the late 1800s. By the 1920s and 30s however, it had ascended to become one of the premier openings in high level chess.

3. Sicilian Defense

The opening was first discussed in a 1500s Italian chess manuscript. Later in 1813, the opening was dubbed "the Sicilian game" by an English master because of it's Italian origins. The opening was relatively unpopular until the mid 1900s when chess legends like Miguel Najdorf started to popularize it.

4. Caro-Kahn

The opening comes from analysis in 1886 by Horatio Caro and Marcus Kahn. The two had analyzed the opening deeply and started to play it a lot. Both had success with the opening and it became very widespread in chess circles. 

5. Kings Indian

The King's Indian Defense is a very common defense against d4. The exact origins of why it is called the King's Indian are unknown but it does opt for a quick set up on the kingside. The opening was considered quite dubious until it was popularized by many in the Russian school of chess in the mid 1900s.

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