user109: With so many combinations of moves possible, how do openings get recognized? For example, what is to prevent me from playing a series of moves and declaring it the xaisoft gambit or xaisoft heart-attack?  What organization officially recognizes openings?

user105: You don't need to publish it professionally to have an opening named under you.
Take the example of the recently played Grunfeld defense in the game 1 of WCC 2012 Anand vs Gelfand.
It's a little-known fact that the first person to play Grunfeld defence was a Moheschunder Bannerjee in 1855, but because Ernst Grunfeld used it to stun Alexander Alekhine at Vienna in 1922; hence, the opening was named after Grunfeld.
If you end up using it in a popular/famous duel then also it can be named after you.

user17: An opening is named after successful professional USE by a world class player, in world class events. 
Many "openings" are played by amateurs, either accidentally or on purpose, that don't get names. But if a line is played in high level tournaments by X, and X wins a large percentage of his games, people come to recognize it as X's opening, and name it after him or her.

user70: There's no organization that officially names openings.  Generally, the first person to publish professional-level research for a sequence of moves gets to name it.
Many openings with modern names were first played 200 years ago.

109: <p>With so many combinations of moves possible, how do openings get recognized? For example, what is to prevent me from playing a series of moves and declaring it the <code>xaisoft gambit</code> or <code>xaisoft heart-attack</code>?  What organization officially recognizes openings?</p>
 105: <p>You don't need to publish it professionally to have an opening named under you.</p>

<p>Take the example of the recently played Grunfeld defense in the game 1 of WCC 2012 Anand vs Gelfand.</p>

<p>It's a little-known fact that the first person to play Grunfeld defence was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%BCnfeld_Defence" rel="nofollow">Moheschunder Bannerjee in 1855</a>, but because Ernst Grunfeld used it to stun Alexander Alekhine at Vienna in 1922; hence, the opening was named after Grunfeld.</p>

<p>If you end up using it in a popular/famous duel then also it can be named after you.</p>
 17: <p>An opening is named after successful professional USE by a world class player, in world class events. </p>

<p>Many "openings" are played by amateurs, either accidentally or on purpose, that don't get names. But if a line is played in high level tournaments by X, and X wins a large percentage of his games, people come to recognize it as X's opening, and name it after him or her.</p>
 70: <p>There's no organization that officially names openings.  Generally, the first person to publish professional-level research for a sequence of moves gets to name it.</p>

<p>Many openings with modern names were first played 200 years ago.</p>
