The Ponziani Opening is a

chess opening The opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established Chess_theory#Opening_theory, theory. The other phases are the chess middlegame, middlegame and the chess endgame, endgame. Many opening sequences, known as ''op ...

that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. c3 It is one of the oldest chess openings, having been discussed in literature by 1497. It was advocated by

Howard Staunton Howard Staunton (April 1810 – 22 June 1874) was an English chess master who is generally regarded as the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, largely as a result of his 1843 victory over Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-A ...

, generally considered the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, in his 1847 book ''The Chess-Player's Handbook''. For some decades, it was often called "Staunton's Opening" or the "English Knight's Game" as a result. Today, it is usually known by the name of

Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani (9 November 1719 – 15 July 1796) was an Italian law professor, priest, chess player, chess problem, composer and Chess theory, theoretician. He is best known today for his chess writing. Life Ponziani was born in Mode ...

, whose main contribution to the opening was his introduction, in 1769, of the 3...f5 The opening is now considered inferior to 3.Bb5, the

Ruy Lopez The Ruy Lopez (; ), also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bb5 The Ruy Lopez remains one of the most popular chess openings, featuring many variations. In ...

, and 3.Bc4, the

Italian Game The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3 ...

, and is accordingly rarely seen today at any level of play. Magnus Carlsen used it for a victory in 2013. Black's main responses are 3...Nf6, leading to play, and 3...d5, leading to play. Ponziani's countergambit 3...f5!? was successfully played in the grandmaster game

Hikaru Nakamura Christopher Hikaru NakamuraJulio Becerra Rivero Julio Becerra Rivero (born October 15, 1973) is a Cuban-born American chess Grandmaster who lives in South Miami, Florida. Biography Julio Becerra was born and grew up in Havana, Cuba. He learned to play chess when he was thirteen years old. J ...

, US Championship 2007.

History

The Ponziani is one of the oldest known openings, having been first discussed in chess literature by no later than 1497. It was mentioned in both of the earliest chess treatises: the ''Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez con ci Iuegos de Partido'' by

Lucena Lucena (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially known as the City of Lucena (), is a highly urbanized city situated in the Calabarzon region (Region IV-A) of the Philippines. The city is the largest urban center and capital of ...

and the

Göttingen manuscript The Göttingen manuscript is the earliest known work devoted entirely to modern chess. It is a Latin text of 33 leaves held at the University of Göttingen. A quarto parchment manuscript of 33 leaves, ff. 1–15a are a discussion of twelve chess ...

. Today the opening bears the surname of

. Although Ponziani did analyze the opening in 1769, his principal contribution was the introduction of the 3...f5!?

, ''The Chess-Player's Handbook'', Henry G. Bohn, 1847, p. 182. Later the opening was favored by

, who in ''The Chess-Player's Handbook'' (1847) called it "so full of interest and variety, that its omission in many of the leading works on the game is truly unaccountable. ... it deserves, and, if we mistake not, will yet attain a higher place in the category of legitimate openings than has hitherto been assigned to it."

Nomenclature

Staunton cumbersomely referred to the opening as "The Queen's Bishop's Pawn Game in the King's Knight's Opening", as did George H. D. Gossip in ''The Chess Player's Manual'' (1888, American edition 1902). Napoleon Marache, one of the leading American players, similarly called it the "Queen's Bishop's Pawn Game" in his 1866 manual. In their treatise ''Chess Openings Ancient and Modern'' (1889, 1896), E. Freeborough and the Reverend C.E. Ranken called it "Staunton's Opening". In an appendix to later editions of Staunton's work, R.F. Green, editor of ''

British Chess Magazine ''British Chess Magazine'' is the world's oldest chess journal in continuous publication. First published in January 1881, it has appeared at monthly intervals ever since. It is frequently known in the chess world as ''BCM''. The founder and ...

'', also called it "Staunton's Opening", directing those seeking a definition of "Ponziani's Game" to the former name. Green referred to 3...f5 as "Ponziani's Counter Gambit". Chess historian H. J. R. Murray in his celebrated 1913 work ''A History of Chess'' called the opening simply the "Staunton", explaining that he was using "the ordinary names of the Openings as used by English players of the present day".

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes (winning once) and two ...

in his treatise ''The Art of Chess'' (Fourth Edition c. 1910?) referred to the opening as the "Ponziani–Staunton Attack". The famous German ''

Handbuch des Schachspiels ''Handbuch des Schachspiels'' (''Handbook of Chess'', often simply called the ''Handbuch'') is a chess book, first published in 1843 by Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa. It was a comprehensive reference book on the game, and one of the most i ...

'', which went through eight editions between 1843 and 1916, called it the "Englisches Springerspiel" (English Knight's Game). The Reverend E.E. Cunnington in ''The Modern Chess Primer'' (Thirteenth Edition 1933) referred to it as the "Ponziani Opening (sometimes called Staunton's)".

Wilhelm Steinitz William Steinitz (born Wilhelm Steinitz; May 14, 1836 – August 12, 1900) was a Bohemian-Austrian, and later American, chess player. From 1886 to 1894, he was the first World Chess Champion. He was also a highly influential writer and c ...

, the first

World Champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

, in his 1895 treatise ''The Modern Chess Instructor'' (Part II), called the opening the "Ponziani Opening", as did his successor,

Emanuel Lasker Emanuel Lasker (; December 24, 1868 – January 11, 1941) was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher. He was the second World Chess Champion, holding the title for 27 years, from 1894 to 1921, the longest reign of any officially ...

, in ''Lasker's Manual of Chess''. Similarly, Frank Marshall in ''Chess Openings'', the authors of ''

Modern Chess Openings ''Modern Chess Openings'' (usually called ) is a reference book on chess openings, first published in 1911 by the British players Richard Griffith (chess player), Richard Clewin Griffith (1872–1955) and John Herbert White (1880–1920). The fif ...

'' (Second Edition 1913), and

Siegbert Tarrasch Siegbert Tarrasch (; 5 March 1862 – 17 February 1934) was a German chess player, considered to have been among the strongest players and most influential theoreticians of the late 19th and early 20th century. Life Tarrasch was born in Bresla ...

in ''The Game of Chess'' (1931, English translation 1938) called it "Ponziani's Opening". William Cook in ''The Chess Players' Compendium'' (Fifth Edition 1910) called it "Ponziani's Game", while Francis Joseph Lee and Gossip in ''The Complete Chess – Guide'' (1903) called it "Ponziani's Knight's Game". Contemporary authors likewise call it the "Ponziani Opening", "Ponziani's Opening", or simply the "Ponziani".

Introduction and overview

The Ponziani is rarely played today except as a surprise weapon, because Black has the pleasant choice between easily and attempting to obtain an advantage with sharper play. White's third move prepares to build a powerful with 4.d4, a logical objective also seen in the more popular

and

Giuoco Piano The (; )Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 153. ''Giuoco Piano''. "The name means 'quiet game' and until the 19th century was often applied to any opening that was not a gambit." is a chess opening beginning with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. ...

. However, 3.c3 is somewhat premature because the move: 1) takes away the most natural square for White's , 2) temporarily creates a on d3, and 3) a pawn rather than a piece, leaving White behind in development and not well placed to meet a counterattack in the . Moreover, unlike in the Giuoco Piano, where White's d4 advance attacks Black's on c5, in the Ponziani d4 will not gain a . On the positive side, the move 3.c3 creates a second diagonal for the white queen. As early as 1904, Marshall wrote that, "There is no point in White's third move unless Black plays badly. ... White practically surrenders the privilege of the first move." More recently,

Graham Burgess Graham K. Burgess (born 24 February 1968 in Liverpool, England) is an English FIDE Master of chess and a noted writer and trainer. He became a FIDE Master at the age of twenty. He attended Birkdale High School in Southport, Merseyside. In 1 ...

called the Ponziani "a relic from a bygone age, popular neither at top level nor at club level". Bruce Pandolfini has said,

Curiously, every great teacher of openings who investigated the Ponziani has concluded that it leads to interesting play and deserves to be played more often. Yet it has never captured the fancy of chessplayers in general, and it remains to be seen whether the Ponziani is an opening of the past or of the future.

In ''Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur'',

Max Euwe Machgielis "Max" Euwe (; May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess player, mathematician, author, and chess administrator. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, a title he held from 1935 ...

and Walter Meiden wrote, "What should one do with this opening? It is no opening for beginners, because tactics predominate in the play. There are no simple strategic principles to govern the general lines in this opening."

Variations

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 the main continuations are: * 3...Nf6, the Jaenisch Variation is considered Black's safest course and probably a deterrent to possible Ponziani adopters because positions arise ranging from the highly chaotic to dull passiveness. White continues 4.d4, consistent with 3.c3. ** 4...Nxe4 often continues 5.d5 Ne7 (5...Nb8 is also ; Black even may invest a knight with 5...Bc5 6.dxc6 Bxf2+ 7.Ke2 Bb6 8.Qd5 Nf2 9.Rg1 0-0 10.cxb7 Bxb7 11.Qxb7 Qf6 12.Na3 e4 13.Nc4 Rab8 14.Qd5 exf3+ 15.gxf3 Rfe8+ 16.Kd2 Ne4+ 17.fxe4 Bxg1=) 6.Nxe5 Ng6, (not 6...d6 when 7.Bb5+ wins ) and now either 7.Qd4 Qf6 8.Qxe4 Qxe5, a relatively new try 7.Qf3, or 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qe2 Qe7 9.Bf4 d6 10.Na3 Rh5 11.0-0-0 Rf5 leads to equality according to ''MCO-15''. ** 4...exd4, Black can also play this move leading to a position that can arise in the

Göring Gambit The Scotch Game, or Scotch Opening, is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. d4 Ercole del Rio, in his 1750 treatise ''Sopra il giuoco degli Scacchi, Osservazioni pratiche d’anonimo Autore Modenese'' ("On ...

, meeting 5.e5 with either 5...Nd5 or 5...Ne4, leading to more double-edged play than after 4...Nxe4. * 3...d5 is an aggressive response, striking back in the center. Usually in King's Pawn openings an early ...d5 by Black would lose a tempo after exd5 Qxd5 when White plays Nc3 attacking the black queen. Here however, White is deprived of the move Nc3 as the c3-square is occupied by a pawn. ** 4.Bb5 is considered inferior to 4.Qa4 but the game becomes sharp with chances for both sides, although Black may emerge with advantage after 4...dxe4! 5.Nxe5 Qg5! 6. Qa4 Qxg2 7. Rf1 Bh3. ** 4.Qa4, White indirectly threatens the e5-pawn by pinning the knight. Black must choose either to defend the e5-pawn with 4...f6 or 4...Qd6, or be prepared to sacrifice a pawn with either 4...Bd7 or 4...Nf6. *** 4...Bd7, the Caro Variation, an unconvincing variation according to Euwe after 5.exd5 Nd4 6.Qd1 Nxf3 7.Qxf3 Black has gambited a pawn with an unclear position. *** 4...Qd6, protecting e5 without weakening the pawn structure. ''Batsford Chess Openings 2'' gives the move an

exclamation mark The exclamation mark (also known as exclamation point in American English) is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or to show wikt:emphasis, emphasis. The exclamation mark often marks ...

but does not mention the reply 5.d4, the main move in the later ''

Nunn's Chess Openings John Denis Martin Nunn (born 25 April 1955) is an English chess grandmaster, a three-time world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician. He is one of England's strongest chess players and was former ...

''. *** 4...Nf6, the Leonhardt Variation. White can now gain material with 5.Nxe5, with theory giving 5...Bd6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.d3 0-0 8.Be2 Re8 where Black has compensation for the pawn. *** 4...f6, the Steinitz Variation, protecting the central e5-pawn is considered and best, but unnatural because it deprives the black knight of f6. The line can continue 5.Bb5 Nge7 6.exd5 Qxd5 with either 7.d4 Bd7 or 7.0-0 Bd7 and an equal position. * 3...f5, the Ponziani Countergambit, is an aggressive Black response originally suggested by the 18th-century Italian writer, Ponziani. In 1951,

Boris Spassky Boris Vasilyevich Spassky (; January 30, 1937 – February 27, 2025) was a Russian chess grandmaster who was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky played three world championship matches: he lost to Tigra ...

chose this countergambit against

Yakov Estrin Yakov Borisovich Estrin (Russian: Я́ков Бори́сович Эстрин, April 21, 1923 – February 2, 1987) was a Russian chess player, chess theoretician, writer, and World Correspondence Chess Champion who held the chess titles of In ...

. The countergambit is considered better for White after 4.d4 fxe4 5.Nxe5 Qf6 6.Ng4 Qg6 7.Bf4 or 5...Nf6 6.Bg5. * 3...Nge7, the unusual Kmoch Variation, was advocated by

Hans Kmoch Johann "Hans" Joseph Kmoch (July 25, 1894 – February 13, 1973) was an Austrian-Dutch-American chess International Master (1950), International Arbiter (1951), and a chess journalist and author, for which he is best known. Playing career Kmoc ...

. According to

Reuben Fine Reuben C. Fine (October 11, 1914 – March 26, 1993) was an American chess player, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology. He was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the mi ...

, citing analysis by Kmoch, Black equalizes after 4.d4 exd4 5.Bc4 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.cxd4 Be6. *3...d6 reinforces the e5-pawn and intends to show that c3 was unnecessary. It is considered passive, however, and does not present White with any problems. After 4.Bc4, Black's most common responses are 4...g6, 4...Be6, and 4...Bg4.

Illustrative games

Here is a quiet

draw Draw, drawing, draws, or drawn most commonly refer to: * Draw (terrain), a terrain feature formed by two parallel ridges or spurs with low ground in between them * Draw (tie), in a competition, where competitors achieve equal outcomes * Draw ...

typical of the 3...Nf6 line: :V. Medvedev (2365) vs. Charles Milgram (2375),

ICCF ICCF may refer to: * International Conference on Cold Fusion * International Conservation Caucus Foundation * International Correspondence Chess Federation International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) was founded on 26 March 1951 as a ...

1991
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.d5 Ne7 6.Nxe5 Ng6 7.Qd4 Qf6 8.Qxe4 Qxe5 9.Qxe5+ Nxe5 10.Nd2 d6 11.Nc4 Nxc4 12.Bxc4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Re1 Bf6 15.Be3 Bd7 While this game was agreed drawn there are good winning chances for White in this type of endgame. The variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nge7 has been attributed to Reti due to him having tried it against Tartakower and lost. Recent analysis gives White the edge, i.e. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nge7 4.Bc4 (immediately targeting f7) d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 and now either 6.0-0 or 6.Qb3 lead to a White advantage. Also playable for White is 4.Bb5 which transposes to a line of the Cozio Defense to the Ruy Lopez. Here are two games illustrating the wild tactical play that often develops in the 3...d5 4.Qa4 f6 5.Bb5 Ne7 line: *

Mikhail Chigorin Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin (also ''Tchigorin''; ; – ) was a Russian chess player. He played two World Championship matches against Wilhelm Steinitz, losing both times. The last great player of the Romantic chess style, he also served as a ma ...

vs. George H.D. Gossip, New York 1889:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 3...Nf6 is the safest response if Black is not well versed in the ensuing complications—as Gossip proves not to be. 4. Qa4 f6 5. Bb5 Ne7 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. 0-0 7.d4! is the main line today. 7... Bd7 7...e4! 8.Ne1 Bf5 9.f3 leads to equality. Efim Bogolyubov, ''

: Selected Games'', Caissa Books (Publishing) Ltd, 1987, p. 39. . 8. d4 e4 9. Nfd2 Ng6? 9...f5! or 9...0-0-0 was better. 10. Bc4 Qa5 11. Qb3 f5? 11...0-0-0! was the best chance. 12. Bf7+ Ke7? 12...Kd8 is forced. 13. Nc4! Setting up a problem-like finish. 13... Qa6 14. Bg5+! Kxf7 15. Nd6# Black's

king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

cannot escape the

double check In chess and other related games, a double check is a check delivered by two pieces simultaneously. In chess notation, it is almost always represented the same way as a single check ("+"), but is sometimes symbolized by "++". (The symbol "++", ...

. * S. Kaouras vs. R. Vorlop, e-mail 2003:
1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 e5 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 f6 5. Bb5 Nge7 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. d4 7.0–0 is considered the main line, e.g. 7...Bd7 8.d4 a6!? (8...exd4 9.cxd4 Ne5 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 is equal) 9.c4 Qf7 10.d5 Nb8 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7 12.Nc3 Nf5 13.b4 gave White the advantage in S. Hassan–B. Amin, Cairo 2003. 7... e4 Alternatives are the old move, 7...Bd7, and 7...Bg4, which is currently popular at the international level. 8. c4 Qd7 9. Nfd2 Qxd4 10. 0–0 Bd7 11. Nc3 a6 12. Nb3 Qe5 13. c5 f5 14. g3 Ng6 15. Rd1 Be7 16. Bc4 Nd4 Now White appears to be in deep trouble. 17. Qxd7+! The best practical choice, which inspires White to play very aggressively. 17... Kxd7 18. Be3 Nh4 If 18...Kc8, 19.Bxd4 traps Black's queen. 19. gxh4 Kc8 20. Bxd4 White has three pieces for the queen and the initiative; Black's pieces are uncoordinated. 20... Qf4 21. Be6+ Kb8 22. Ne2 Qf3 23. Ng3 Bxh4 24. Be3 g6 24...f4? 25.Nd2 traps the queen. 25. Rd7 Bf6 26. c6 b5 27. Rd5 Re8 28. Nc5 Bg7 29. Rad1! White creates a by threatening Rd8+. 29... Ka7 30. Rd7 Be5 31. Bxf5 gxf5 32. Nb7+ Qxe3 33. fxe3 Having regained the queen, White has a winning advantage. 33... f4 34. exf4 Bxf4 35. Nd6 Bxd6 36. R1xd6 Kb6 37. Rd1 Re6 38. Re1 e3 39. Rxh7 Rae8 40. Rg7 Kxc6 41. Re2 Re5 42. Nf1 Kd5 43. Kg2 c5 44. Rg3 Kd4 45. h4 c4 46. Rexe3 Rxe3 47. Nxe3 Kd3 48. Kh3 Kd2 49. Nd5 Kc1 50. Rg2 Re5 51. Nf4 b4 52. h5 Kb1 53. h6 Re8 54. Kg4 Rh8 55. Kg5 c3 56. bxc3 bxc3 57. Rh2 c2 58. Nd3 1–0 Notes based on those by

International Master FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and ...

Gary Lane.

History

Nomenclature

Introduction and overview

Variations

Illustrative games

See also

Notes

References

Further reading