Are the openings that GM prefer the bests ??

I mean, if a GM prefers, for example to play the dragon variation in the sicilian, this hasn't to offer him nice counterplay in the queenside ? Otherwise, why would he preferd it, when he knows lines and theory for most/all the openings ?

Write your thoughts please !

Sorry about the title, I've put an "s" inadvertently

1) It depends on what you want to achieve. If you're a 1200 rated player it makes little sense to invest the time needed to learn all the sicilian lines for a relatively small advantage. Anything that gives you a playable position is fine, almost until master level.

2) Even then, the choices made by top players do not resemble the objectively best openings for several reasons. They could have chosen a line because they wanted to surprise their opponent, or because they saw the opponent playing weak moves in that line before, despite knowing that it is not completely sound. Furthermore future knowledge might contradict existing opening theory and replace the flavour of the week by new variations.

Ok, haven't noticed this one before !! I'm not telling that they play the best openings, but openings what gives you great oportunities for win. Maybe the example that I used is a bad one, becasue I spoke about a line and not an opening. Let me correct it in that post ! 

Is it coincidence that there arent a lot of GM who play 1.b4 in tournament games? And even if there are some, they are not playing it every time !(The 1st move 1.b4 is just an example, becasue it is not really popular)

A GM playing the dragon!  How funny!  Wait, Shirov has some dragon games, point is though that Fischer refuted it.  Sure it's more of a general idea than concrete variations, but why play the Dragon when white gets excellent play in the Yugoslav attack down the h-file, while keeping a lock on the d5 square without a problem? 

There are many openings that eventually lead to equality with correct play, all the major systems that are regularly played at high level are good. Not all GMs play all openings, many have a very narrow repertoire. I think it's mostly down to individual style and taste which GMs prefer which openings.

GMs like stuff like the Ruy Lopez, King's Indian, Queen's Indian, English, Reti, Queen's Gambit, Najdorf (best play why wouldn't they?), and sometimes even the Sicilian where black plays Nc6 and accepts doubled f-pawns. 

Speaking of doubled f-pawns I learned not to fear them too much since white has a hard time getting resources over to exploit it.  Trust me on this, I learned not to fear them from the wrong side of the board, many times.  The open g-file can be bad if the opponent's pieces are propely placed, but they usually aren't. 

reminds me of a funny joke, i cant remember where i heard it.

a famous russian GM, who is russian defense expert comes to holland, a chessfan asks him: do you know new lines in the russian defense??

the GM answers: why? do you already know the old lines??

It was just an example !

Anyway,that you tell about the doubled pawns are right. Some times, the doubled pawn are an advantage, becasue with pawns on f6,f7,e6 and d7, you haven't to castle, becase you can place the King on e7 and attacking from the g file. Generally, doubled pawns are more uselles if they control key central squares.

Ask Carlsen, he's played it quite a lot. Along with many other top players. One boast in a 40 year old book by Fischer is not a refutation of a major opening.

first of all he didnt boast.

second just because people play it doesnt mean they consider it good.