Alexander Zaitsev (15 June 1935 – 1971) was a leading Soviet chess grandmaster.

The Zaitsev variation of the Ruy Lopez opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Bb7 in algebraic notation) is named after him.