Ponziani opening traps

ponz111 - I don't play the Ponz as White. Vs my 3...Nf6, I saw it as Black in four consecutive games (all losses on time in "drawish" games).

Most of this thread shows 3...Nf6, not 3...d5, one of the most common counter-thrusts by black in almost all e4 gambits. As my Nf6 results showed me, playing main lines favors the player who studies/knows more.

GM Evans'  "Chess Advantage in B&W" uses the idea of playing second-best lines to cut down study time, then learning them as well as the snipers who play the offbeat openings. In Evan's latest B&W edition, he simply plays d4; no more e4 as white. Again, it's about reducing study and staying away from heavily-prepared "sniper" openings. As a kid who picked off 1 GM and 2 IM's, (but never got to 2000) my memory could handle oceans of theory. At 63 that's shrunk to a puddle.  Wish prostates worked like brains.

Hi Ponz...Nice thread..!! Why further no comments but?

Ponz111 has the word here but I would reply that with 5. Bb5

My idea would be to take the knight on c6 (removing one defender of e5) and then castling, no matter whether black takes with the pawn or the knight. In the end we (white) end up gambiting a central pawn, but getting an accelerated attack against black's uncastled king.

Notice that black not taking the other pawn and castling is no better as it allows us to take back the pawn and make the black's dark bishop look really stupid.

Nxe5. If d6 (the most natural move), play Bb5+.

I would probably play 5.Bc4.  I doubt if it is best, but it's easy to play because your e-pawn is safe and you can develop quickly with common attacking motifs.  

Have been working on the forum "Chess Tactics" which is more important to most players than The Ponziani. 

Pikay, those are straight Stockfish suggestions.  Unless you plan on using Stockfish for the rest of the game (not unusual), you might need a bit more meat on those suggestions.

 Above: Black has mate in 7 starting with 15...Bc5 (from GM Kaufan's "Chess Advantage in Black and White" 1st edition).

That is one reason we have been warning players for years that 4. Bb5 is a losing move and White should play 4. Qa4

Again, GM Kauffman's "Chess Advantage in Black & White." He notes similarity to the Marshall.

 10. d4 instead of 10.d3

Wins the exchange (Kaufman)

True re Sniper openings.

Kaufman gives: 8. h3, Bd3 9. d3, c6 with compensation for the pawn. He was using Fritz when he wrote the first edition.

Of course none of these are a bust to the Ponz, but 3...d5 as shown here definitely puts you on better footing than 3...Nf6, which plays into familiar terrain for the Ponz player. It follows the Chess Advantage idea of avoiding massive analysis; a must for us hacks. 

Kaufman's system for rating openings is the best I've seen. He's proven himself the world's best chess engine programmer. 

Oh whaa ... I don't even have Stockfish on my computer at all! It's quite shocking to know my line of thought is on par with Stockfish, even if for 3-4 moves!!

Sort of resurrecting this thread.

I played a Ponziani in really low ELO (just started playing chess seriously this week).

This is how the game went. I'm curious is there was a better/more optimal line I should have taken here. (I was white)

You did not play the Ponziani. This is how the Ponziani starts:

or

Im sorry.. I don't understand. 
Do you mean my opponent didn't play the expected reaction to my opening of e4/kf3/c3?

My understanding is that the Ponziani was these 3 beginning moves followed by the appropriate 'line' depending on the enemies moves. Does my opponents moves change my play, I thought that would just require a different line. 

Perhapse when he moved Nc3 i should have did a different strategy? Which would you suggest there?