Ponziani - Jaenisch Counterattack 2

In the last blog I wrote how the Ponziani starts:
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.c3.

With the main line continuation of 3... d5 4.Qa4 Qd6 5.Bb5.

The Jaenisch Counterattack continues with 3...Nf3 4.d4 and Black continued with 4...exd4.

In this blog I am going to examine what happens if Black continues with 4...Nxe4 (the most common move in Blitz Chess).

5.d5
as with the last lesson White chooses not to take back immediately but to push his Pawn and force a tempo with Black having to make another Knight move.

5... Ne7
is the best move (5...Nb8 is unnatural and allows White an easy development with Qe2 at some point to gain another tempo and 5...Na5 leaving the Knight impossible to defend without doubling pawns).

6.Nxe5
capturing the Pawn back.

6...d6
to attack White's Knight is the most natural but also a blunder, leading to a few forced moves. (6...Ng6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 (see picture below) is Blacks best and leave White well ahead, both diagonals open, black an arkward Knight and doubled pawns [though this isn't too bad a problem]).

7.Bb5+ c6
8.dxc6 bxc6
9.Nxc6
Black has to move his Queen as 9... Nxc6 10.Bxc6+ Bd7 11.Bxe4 leaves White a piece and a Pawn ahead).

9... Qb6 (9...Qc7 10.Ne5+ Bd7 or Nc6 11. Bishop takes and gains the piece. Worse still is 10...Kd8 11.Nxf7#).

10. Nd4+ Bd7
11.Bxd7+ Kxd7
12.0-0
(see picture below)

or

10...Kd8 Be3 both lead to winning positions for White.