Most world champions have tried most openings....its usually needed as they are the most analysed players. Even Fischer played d4 once I think.
How many different openings did Kasparov play?
Sort:
I don't know his preferred openings off the top of my head, but all grandmasters dabble in all sorts of openings, many of these they only play once or twice often for surprise value.
And as long as we're not talking about specific variations, it's almost guaranteed that every GM has played a french, caro, ruy, sicilian, english etc at some point in their career.
When Nakamura says Kasparov was strong in the opening, he's talking about prepared variations whose exhaustive details you'd never find in a book. They don't make opening books for GMs, just us low guys :)
In short, playing an opening and specializing it are two different things. And saying "all these GMs played this opening" is more of a marketing scheme than anything.
Dec 24, 2011
0
#4
waffllemaster wrote:
And saying "all these GMs played this opening" is more of a marketing scheme than anything.
My thoughts exactly! But thanks for the other insights as well wafflemaster. 
Here_Is_Plenty wrote:
Most world champions have tried most openings....its usually needed as they are the most analysed players. Even Fischer played d4 once I think.
I think that only interesting exception is that Karpov never played Slav... Oh, I have just found that he did but only twice in his whole carier.
Note that exhibition games are included in the following stats
As White (ECO/No. of Games/Success rate):
E12 38 75%
C54 29 84%
C42 29 68%
D35 27 92%
C45 23 82%
E32 21 88%
C92 21 64%
B01 17 97%
D20 17 82%
D36 17 79%
A29 17 67%
E20 16 64%
B31 16 84%
C88 16 75%
D55 16 75%
A45 15 96%
B07 15 90%
E15 15 70%
D58 15 66%
B50 14 92%
B12 14 89%
B22 14 82%
E11 14 75%
B17 14 71%
B30 14 64%
D85 12 87%
D37 12 75%
D06 11 100%
A48 11 90%
B51 11 90%
C11 11 63%
C01 11 54%
B06 10 95%
A80 10 85%
D46 10 85%
A25 10 80%
B33 10 75%
A33 10 70%
E13 10 70%
D15 9 94%
D17 9 83%
D31 9 83%
A57 9 83%
D45 9 77%
D18 9 77%
C67 9 61%
B90 8 93%
B52 8 93%
A41 8 93%
A34 8 87%
D10 8 87%
C00 8 87%
D30 8 81%
D44 8 81%
B66 8 81%
E04 8 75%
D03 7 100%
C55 7 92%
D38 7 92%
A55 7 92%
D34 7 92%
B80 7 85%
C10 7 85%
D61 7 85%
B40 7 85%
E92 7 85%
D27 7 78%
C18 7 78%
C97 7 78%
A14 7 78%
B85 7 71%
C43 7 71%
A30 7 64%
A43 6 100%
C05 6 100%
D24 6 91%
E81 6 91%
E35 6 83%
D52 6 83%
B04 6 83%
A31 6 83%
E68 6 75%
B14 6 75%
D43 6 75%
B45 6 66%
B43 6 66%
B48 6 58%
E34 6 58%
C78 6 58%
E69 5 100%
D13 5 100%
D19 5 90%
C68 5 90%
D94 5 90%
B15 5 90%
E62 5 90%
A67 5 90%
A04 5 80%
E91 5 80%
C85 5 80%
E37 5 80%
C80 5 80%
E14 5 80%
E42 5 80%
C61 5 80%
C90 5 70%
E16 5 70%
B05 5 70%
D02 5 60%
E84 5 60%
E05 5 60%
A16 5 50%
C09 4 100%
E09 4 100%
A90 4 100%
E01 4 87%
D07 4 87%
B18 4 87%
C13 4 87%
E06 4 87%
C41 4 87%
C69 4 87%
A36 4 87%
E48 4 87%
D39 4 75%
E17 4 75%
A01 4 75%
A49 4 75%
C83 4 75%
E18 4 75%
B92 4 75%
B57 4 75%
A32 4 75%
B49 4 75%
A13 4 75%
A54 4 62%
E94 4 62%
A17 4 62%
E97 4 62%
D32 4 62%
E46 4 37%
B19 3 100%
A50 3 100%
D42 3 100%
A19 3 100%
C91 3 100%
D11 3 100%
C65 3 100%
A56 3 100%
B27 3 100%
A46 3 100%
A00 3 100%
C02 3 100%
C08 3 100%
B36 3 83%
B87 3 83%
E43 3 83%
A21 3 83%
A65 3 83%
C51 3 83%
D40 3 83%
A38 3 83%
D16 3 83%
A07 3 83%
A86 3 83%
A60 3 83%
A10 3 83%
E41 3 83%
B41 3 66%
B84 3 66%
D00 3 66%
A18 3 66%
E08 3 66%
B67 3 66%
B38 3 50%
A20 3 50%
D97 3 50%
B39 3 33%
A26 2 100%
A70 2 100%
E49 2 100%
C24 2 100%
B81 2 100%
B46 2 100%
C62 2 100%
D78 2 100%
C70 2 100%
E60 2 100%
D79 2 100%
E85 2 100%
C06 2 100%
B00 2 100%
A24 2 100%
E21 2 100%
D72 2 100%
A39 2 100%
E90 2 100%
B08 2 100%
D76 2 100%
B93 2 100%
A81 2 100%
A40 2 75%
E39 2 75%
D47 2 75%
A52 2 75%
B76 2 75%
A08 2 75%
D91 2 75%
B47 2 75%
C96 2 75%
A28 2 75%
B97 2 75%
A44 2 50%
E44 2 50%
A88 2 50%
C60 2 50%
B13 2 50%
B91 2 25%
D48 2 25%
E74 2 25%
C07 2 25%
D88 1 100%
A75 1 100%
E61 1 100%
A93 1 100%
C14 1 100%
E63 1 100%
B69 1 100%
C04 1 100%
C30 1 100%
B28 1 100%
C84 1 100%
E38 1 100%
A51 1 100%
E40 1 100%
C82 1 100%
D75 1 100%
C63 1 100%
A92 1 100%
C77 1 100%
C28 1 100%
C44 1 100%
A05 1 100%
D86 1 100%
B23 1 100%
D12 1 100%
E25 1 100%
C72 1 100%
C59 1 100%
E47 1 100%
B32 1 100%
B96 1 100%
C19 1 100%
A82 1 100%
D51 1 100%
D89 1 100%
E59 1 100%
D77 1 100%
B53 1 100%
E10 1 100%
C79 1 100%
E65 1 100%
C98 1 100%
E57 1 100%
E76 1 100%
D21 1 100%
B74 1 100%
C89 1 100%
A53 1 100%
C66 1 100%
C40 1 100%
D41 1 100%
A42 1 100%
E93 1 100%
D14 1 100%
A15 1 100%
E70 1 100%
B78 1 100%
B70 1 100%
C03 1 100%
E66 1 100%
A35 1 50%
C56 1 50%
E87 1 50%
C74 1 50%
B03 1 50%
B34 1 50%
A09 1 50%
B71 1 50%
E33 1 50%
D95 1 50%
C73 1 50%
C99 1 50%
C12 1 50%
E71 1 50%
E26 1 50%
D90 1 50%
D56 1 50%
E86 1 50%
C36 1 50%
D53 1 50%
E02 1 50%
B44 1 50%
A37 1 50%
D59 1 50%
B54 1 50%
E27 1 0%
D22 1 0%
A97 1 0%
A84 1 0%
C16 1 0%
B60 1 0%
D23 1 0%
As Black:
B85 36 61%
B90 33 62%
B80 23 71%
D85 21 52%
D97 19 68%
E92 19 65%
A30 19 63%
B22 18 63%
E97 18 58%
B84 16 75%
D34 16 68%
B33 15 76%
D58 14 60%
D27 13 53%
B82 12 62%
B50 12 62%
B87 11 68%
B52 11 50%
D76 11 50%
D15 10 60%
B44 10 55%
A48 9 88%
A21 9 83%
D77 9 72%
E99 9 66%
B97 9 66%
E69 9 61%
D36 9 61%
A65 9 55%
D45 9 50%
B43 8 68%
B92 8 62%
E81 8 62%
B19 8 50%
D87 8 50%
D00 7 92%
B23 7 85%
E12 7 85%
E32 7 71%
B96 7 64%
D37 7 64%
B07 7 57%
B81 7 57%
B86 7 50%
A34 7 50%
E90 6 83%
E89 6 75%
B83 6 75%
D93 6 66%
B51 6 66%
D35 6 66%
E60 6 58%
D79 6 50%
B93 6 50%
A75 6 33%
D11 5 80%
E76 5 80%
E74 5 70%
D03 5 70%
B88 5 60%
E88 5 50%
A04 5 50%
B30 5 30%
A49 5 30%
D71 4 87%
E86 4 75%
B12 4 75%
B31 4 75%
E01 4 75%
B08 4 62%
A46 4 62%
B53 4 62%
A45 4 62%
B18 4 62%
D72 4 62%
D52 4 62%
E65 4 50%
D92 4 50%
D82 4 50%
A38 4 50%
E94 4 37%
A39 4 37%
D55 4 25%
E66 4 25%
A31 3 100%
A58 3 100%
A07 3 100%
B42 3 83%
B10 3 83%
B89 3 83%
B26 3 83%
B13 3 83%
E71 3 83%
B67 3 83%
B06 3 83%
E15 3 66%
C55 3 66%
E73 3 66%
D49 3 66%
E68 3 66%
A26 3 66%
E61 3 66%
B63 3 66%
A16 3 66%
E84 3 66%
B45 3 66%
A47 3 66%
D48 3 50%
D02 3 50%
A33 3 50%
D91 3 50%
E87 3 50%
D47 3 50%
B54 3 50%
B91 3 50%
E54 3 33%
E93 3 33%
C93 3 33%
D90 2 100%
D40 2 100%
A00 2 100%
A57 2 100%
D30 2 100%
B34 2 100%
D12 2 75%
E83 2 75%
B66 2 75%
A36 2 75%
B95 2 75%
B70 2 75%
E98 2 75%
D46 2 75%
D59 2 75%
C20 2 75%
A25 2 75%
E91 2 75%
E67 2 75%
D88 2 75%
E42 2 75%
A28 2 75%
A43 2 75%
B78 2 75%
D31 2 50%
D56 2 50%
D89 2 50%
B25 2 50%
D53 2 50%
C42 2 50%
B56 2 50%
D78 2 50%
A32 2 50%
D41 2 50%
E18 2 50%
D80 2 50%
C95 2 50%
A68 2 50%
A12 2 50%
B21 2 50%
D43 2 25%
D98 2 25%
E55 2 25%
E16 1 100%
A29 1 100%
D39 1 100%
A60 1 100%
E14 1 100%
D05 1 100%
B41 1 100%
E37 1 100%
A15 1 100%
B24 1 100%
E43 1 100%
A01 1 100%
E36 1 100%
A20 1 100%
D13 1 100%
E11 1 100%
A42 1 100%
E70 1 100%
B59 1 100%
E77 1 100%
E80 1 100%
C02 1 100%
A37 1 100%
C47 1 100%
B77 1 100%
E35 1 100%
E19 1 100%
A64 1 100%
C65 1 100%
D32 1 100%
A24 1 100%
E21 1 100%
A14 1 100%
D04 1 100%
D21 1 100%
B20 1 100%
A03 1 100%
A70 1 100%
C34 1 100%
B65 1 100%
A41 1 100%
D94 1 100%
D18 1 100%
A61 1 100%
A08 1 100%
B32 1 100%
E48 1 100%
B76 1 50%
C35 1 50%
E02 1 50%
C45 1 50%
A35 1 50%
D22 1 50%
B39 1 50%
D23 1 50%
D25 1 50%
D99 1 50%
B72 1 50%
E50 1 50%
C07 1 50%
D29 1 50%
D73 1 50%
A87 1 50%
E05 1 50%
E62 1 50%
B15 1 50%
D26 1 50%
C04 1 50%
E95 1 50%
B74 1 50%
B40 1 50%
E07 1 50%
B64 1 50%
E04 1 50%
C54 1 50%
D75 1 50%
C00 1 50%
D10 1 50%
D17 1 50%
E46 1 50%
C69 1 50%
D44 1 0%
C33 1 0%
A77 1 0%
A84 1 0%
C67 1 0%
E63 1 0%
E59 1 0%
B17 1 0%
You could also try looking at his profile here for what openings he played and all of the games themselves http://chessgames.com/player/garry_kasparov.html
Aug 18, 2013
0
#8
Most of the time when the books list people who have played the opening they mean in serious games. Until Fischer played Spassky in their world championship match he had played 1 c4 something like 3 times in his career. So someone writing a book about it would have been hard pressed to list him as a player. Fischer invariably played 1 e4 as White through out his chess career.
Kasparov has varied quite a bit on the black side of the queen's pawn. It was suggested that he never found an openning there he was really happy with - Tarrasch, King's Indian and Gruenfeld are a few that come to mind as primary weapons. He also went through phases with them. He adopted an opening like the Gruenfeld and then stuck with it until he would switch. In his video on the Queen's Gambit he claims that he still thinks the Tarrasch is sound but that it resulted in positions that didn't suit his combinatorial style when he played Karpov.When he stopped playing the Gruenfeld he stated he thought it was perfectly sound.
The Najdorf Sicilian first shows up in Kasparov's repertoire in 1975 and as far as I know he never stopped playing and winning with it. After 1980 he lost maybe 6 or 7 games with it out of the over 100 games he played. It's astounding to see the 0-1 listed so frequently with names like Anand,Topalov, Ivanchuk and Short on the white side.
On the white side Kasparov was a switch hitter moving from 1 e4 to 1 d4 with aplomb. It boggles my mind to think of someone knowing the openings deeply enough and with that breadth as well. Think of 1 e4 alone you have to deal with open, semi-open and closed games and wild gambits to constipated French positions and Kasparov was playing against the best in the word.
On the other hand, it could also help him avoid lines. He always played 1 d4 against Ulf Andersson perhaps because he didn't want to play against the French Winawer.
So it isn't surprising that openning books would frequently list the world champions who employed the openning ending with "...and Kasparov."
Every time I browse around in book stores and pick up a book about an opening, whether it's the Benoni or the Grunfeld, at the back of the book the "marketing section" claims something like: "This opening has been played by many strong grandmasters, including ..., ... and Kasparov". Kasparov's name almost always appears in the list of people that played the opening. Even Nakamura recently noted Kasparov's opening preparation.
Does anyone know how many openings he did play? And is this a common trend for grandmasters to radically switch from one opening to the next in tournaments?