I was fortunate to go 2-0 for my team Ponziani Power!!
Ponziani Opening
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The 2nd game 5. ...Nge7 is a minor error for Black
You played 6. exd5 which is ok but 6. d4 is an alternative
However 7. 0-0 is a major error and the correct response is 7. ... e4
The Ponziani line with 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 Qd6 has been revised in the last couple of years for White.
I have noticed several Ponziani Players playing 3. c3 d5 4. Bb5?? recently and they all lose to a player up on theory. It makes for a very nice game for Black.
Maybe you joined Ponziani Power after our game which started with 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 Qd6 but that game had more recent theory.
Jun 15, 2013
0
#704
That Vote Chess game black played 5... Bd7, so it is quite different.
Jun 15, 2013
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#705
In the game I played, my opponent played a6 instead of f6. Is 0-0 still wrong in that line. In the game below, white lost space and was defeated in a very complicated game.
7. 0-0 is still a bad and losing move after
3. c3 d5 4. Bb5 Nge7 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. 0-0
Yes, you are correct in the vote chess game Black played 5. ...d7
and in your game Black played 5. ...Nge7 but in general and also in your game it is not quite correct for White to play 7. 0-0 7. d3 is a better move.
In youe game starting with 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 Qd6 after the follow up
5. Bb5 Nge7 6. exd5 Qxd5 and now 7. 0-0 is not best as Black can reply 7. ... e4
There is a whole lot of new theory on the Ponziani being developed in the last 3 or 4 months. Fortunately the new theory is somewhat favorable for the Ponziani Opening.
i still dont understand why anyone would want to play this
If you play a Ponziani bad line it is not good.
However it is different if you are up to theory.
I think Ponziani Power vote chess likes to play the Ponziani because of great results. Soon they will have a 14 game winning streak. Since playing the Ponziani wins 41% each game with 29% chance of loss and 30% chance of draw it is one of the better openings. However the Ponziani Power 13 game winning streak and based on 41% chance of winning each individual game comes out of a fantastic performance that such a winning streak has less than one chance in a hundred thousand base on math alone.
There is more to the Ponziani than many think.
FirebrandX wrote:
I've got 1st place secured in the 19th USA CCC!
grats!!!
Jun 16, 2013
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#711
Very little of any value has been said beyond the first couple of pages.
Hi, Firebrand, That is great! It is not so easy to get through the prelims and then first in the Finals! Actually I am the 7th Champ.
How many players in the 19th Finals?
They sent me an email a couple of months ago. I have now a ICCF Correspondence fixed rating of 2528 but do not have any titles such as SIM as apparently they have me only playing only 27 games. [I played many more games than that as I also qualified for the 8th finals both from preliminary sections and from the fact I was the 7th champion] Also I had a very good score in the first prelims of the first USCCC of 10 1/2 out of 12 which they did not count]
I am not sure how many more games to get a title? Maybe I need 1 or 2 or 3 more games? I was quite unlucky as many of my games not counted
were from the preliminary rounds of the USCCC which were not counted.
[I am not sure but think later such games were counted but not for me of course]
Story of my chess life--a very large number of games I did very well both in ICCF Correspondence [about 20] and in USCF over the board [8 straight wins out of 8] all games "not counted" for one reason or another bringing down my USCF to 2188 and my ICCF Correspondence to 2528 with no titles anywhere in sight. 
What is good line after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.d5 Nb8 6.Nxe5 Bd6. It looks strange to place the bishop in front of the d pawn but there is the threat to the Knight on e5. Would appreciate a line for white that leads to advantage.
Jun 17, 2013
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#717
I agree with Firebrand and would like to add that White has a good position there.
It is one of the many Ponziani positions where White has a slight lead in development and slightly more space and a good player will take advantage of both "slights"
Not having alot of time to pore through forum postings and openings I have one Question: a friend and I were playing and he chose the Ponziani against me and on move 4. plays Bd3. Is this within the theory of the opening or is this anti-positional? Given that the c1 Bishop is blocked that it is not so good.
It's a good thing I won it very easily then! But thanks for the input.