is it possible to become a great master by practicing only one opening?

is it possible to become a great master by practicing only one opening?

I think it would have to be the best opening. Not the worst. I believe AI will help determine that, however, after the opening is complete, you will have to face the middle game and endgame positions obviously. The reasons that make your opening the best may not be easy to play if it was made by an engine. The skill required to finish the game may never be acquired. Anand is a good example of someone who tried hard to win this way. Kasparov was also well known for his opening prep. But Not strong enough to matter against superior strength players like Magnus.

@pekfjkcddd Well, I don't believe so because if say, you play the Queen's Gambit every time, you may be able to get a long way before people notice you play Queen's Gambit every time and start developing tactics against it. In short: No, although you will be able to get a long way.

Yes, Fischer played the same almost all of his carreer: Najdorf and King's Indian Defence with black, Ruy Lopez with white. Opponents were free to prepare, they could not out-prepare his vast experience.

Your opponent will decide the issue for u.

@pekfjkcddd
If by "great master" you mean a titled FIDE player, then yes : In The Netherlands there was a player who become FM by playing always 1.d3 as white.

@achja Then I wonder how bad his opponents' memory was.

@Pi_Addict111
1.d3 is actually an interesting idea, to follow up with King's Indian Attack systems.
1.e3 is also interesting, played also by Magnus Carlsen after he was impressed by a game that GM Hammer played with it.

Maybe his opponents never prepared for any game against him. Or maybe it was a dare hat the guy had to do. Either way, strong move or not, No one probably prepared against this guy.

@Pi_Addict111
Unlikely, he was very well-known in the area.
Your assumptions seem to indicate that with well prepared opponents he should have lost all games because of the opening move ?
I've played at a chess club where the 1st team player highest league. One of the players (2200+ otb) in that team always played 1...Nh6 with black with good successes, against ... prepared opponents.