At your own risk

If there were regulatory oversight of chess openings, some would come with a litany of disclaimers. ‘You may lose more than your initial gambit.’ ‘Possible side effects may include dizziness and nausea.’ ‘Use at your own risk.’ Nonetheless, such openings as the King’s Gambit, the Dragon Sicilian, or the Botvinnik Semi-Slav often enjoy a cult following. Their devotees tend to be audacious types, who won’t let a few slings and arrows obscure the prospect of a glorious victory. These openings are exciting to play, and not necessarily bad, but they demand a special energy to handle well.

In general, grandmasters prefer more conservative, rugged openings, particularly when they are Black. One notorious example is the Berlin defence, a crucial weapon for Vladimir Kramnik when he wrested the world title from Garry Kasparov in 2000. Rarely played at the time, it quickly came to be seen as a dependable workhorse, on which even a well-prepared opponent would struggle to land a blow.