Ponziani opening traps

One cannot win a game without a mistake. Ponziani Power did lose one game but as soon as we resigned their leader said two of their players were using a chess engine and he should have resigned. 

I do not have most of the games from that vote chess team. Only have about 3 games.

I cannot remember ever losing playing the Ponziani. [except for the one vote chess game]

I have lost a game playing my Center Counter line which I have published.

Also, once lost a game playing the Ruy Lopez which I have published.

But my record is pretty good.

One can say that any game one side or the other wins--the other side played poorly. To win the other side must make a mistake.

 Ok but quite strange black's play always so poor against u.

They should know u play Ponziani : it seems they are surprised or they try something stupid each game. Maybe to catch u but hardly a good idea.

Vote Chess Teams in general are pretty weak. And against an opening that they may have never played before--they are weaker.

IM poucin regarding mistakes made by opponents you published a game you won where your opponent made a beginners mistake on the 8th move: Your opponent was rated near master. But you failed to show the mistake in your annotations.

Ok let's go for some games in this variation played better by white, but not enough...

With d3 and 0-0 :

What about 0-0-0 for white then?

Not appealing for white, so let's see a game where white tries d4, which may be a better idea than the slow d3.

IM poucin  I have to tell you that in those games, White did not make the correct moves in the opening.  I am very ill right now but will explain if I recover. Moves like g3 hurt White 9. d4 probably is wrong 9. d3 probably better.  I cannot give analysis right now.     

very instructive games. thanks

Attention! ponz is going to address a line which has given good practical chanches for Black

I refer to your incorrect analysis in this variation and by the way this was the same variation that you refused to play me when I claimed the move 4. Bb5 should lose. Why should you play the variation? To try and correct your incorrect analysis.

I still don't see the analysis...

Do you mean my analysis or your analysis?

I did not see one game in the Ponziani games given by IM poucin where White made the correct move 8. d3!  It does not matter how many games are shown played with inferior moves--The strong Ponziani player will play the best move 8. d3.

There are a lot of strong players who think that played games by strong or semi strong players mean a lot. But I can see a lot of mistakes in those games and much better moves for White in the Ponziani.

I am not saying the Ponziani is quite as strong as the Ruy Lopez but I have seen stats that the Ponziani scores better than the Ruy. And the good thing is with the Ponziani you have to learn about one tenth of what you need to learn to play the various lines of the Ruy Lopez. 

Yeah, but the point with the Ruy, and some other openings, is that you don't learn it to play, you play it to learn.

Actually this is not usually true. Most players pick an opening they like best. 

Besides, the Ponziani is definitely an opening you can play to learn if you are so inclined.

Anyway, Deirdre already had said something like that before me.

fast play game:

What do you do if black plays Qe7? 

I got into this position in a previous game and wasn't sure how to get out of it.

e4          e5

Nf3        Nc6 

c3          Nf6

d4          Qe7

I am not sure what kind of advice i can give him. Personally i would say, give up chess and take up darts maybe.  

Avoid that line.