New opening theory and names

[Tim Spanton]

What potential is there for developing new opening theory and naming an opening? Have all the possibilities been taken, and what areas are most likely to have the potential to be developed and popularised into a new opening?

Am asking because I would like to find some obscure line and popularise it to the extent of being able to rename it even if it has a name at the moment.

Ambitious, I know, but interested to see if this is even possible now. Needs to not be 20 moves down a sideline of some complex opening...

One method might be to come up with a relatively rare sequence, eg 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d5!?, and play it so often that your name is the commonest for that sequence in databases.

Yes, but then some GM will play it once in a blitz or a rapid game and the variation will be renamed after them because it’s easier to sell books that way.

Possibly, but fame for 15 minutes may be regarded by some (many?) as better than no fame at all

[MJMcCready]

And what you are, perhaps, overlooking is that there are still opening moves that are relatively unexplored, as Anand pointed out recently. The move sequence he had in mind was 1.e4 c5 2. g3. There's no name to that as far as I know, and I'm quite sure its not alone there (assuming it is unnamed).

[Matt Mackenzie]

It has been played often enough, even if never prolifically, down the years.

I would be surprised if it has never been given a name at all, even if it lacks a generally accepted one.

[NickFaulks]

Chess Tempo is very good at finding names for openings.

https://old.chesstempo.com/gamedb/game/5574764/ply/3

So it seems this is the Lasker-Dunne Attack.

[MJMcCready]

Better go tell Anand, he thinks its relatively unexplored.

[John Hickman]

Hi Chris,

I was thinking of a play on words using your name. You could start playing Double Fianchetto openings with either colour so your Bishop criss-cross (Chris - Kreuz) the board. Do this for about 4 years and during that time bring downs a couple of big guns. Then write the book 'Chris Kreuz Chess.'

https://youtu.be/lqqspC4Sf50?si=8sQcUq18WLq3Vb3S&t=62

[Matt Mackenzie]

Better go tell Anand, he thinks its relatively unexplored.

This is the Sicilian Defence we are talking of, the word "relatively" could be doing a fair amount of work there.

[Roger de Coverly]

This is the Sicilian Defence we are talking of, the word "relatively" could be doing a fair amount of work there.

It is for example a line in MCO 10. Page 226 column 196 runs 1. e4 c5 2. g3 d5 3. exd5 qxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Bg2 Qe6+ 6. Kf1 , You might think that is dodgy for white but assessed as equal after 6. .. Bh3 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qd7 9. Nc3 Nc6

A similar British example was the game between Max Fuller and George Botteill at the 1970 British Championship where Black played 5. .. Nc6 and there followed 6. h3 Qe6+ 7. Kf1 Bh5. I imagine that was when I first became aware of the line.

[MJMcCready]

Better go tell Anand, he thinks its relatively unexplored.

This is the Sicilian Defence we are talking of, the word "relatively" could be doing a fair amount of work there.

Yep and it was said during commentary and kept as a remark and nothing more.