Ponziani Opening

Is black not completely winning in that line?? My engine gives equality after just a short think time and black is down 2 pieces. When that happens the position is usually winning for the side down material if you analyze deeper.

Hadron. you were the one who came up with that defense?

I have studied it.  It is susposed to lead to a draw [which is hardly a refutation]  But I think White, with the right moves retains an advantge.

I'm going to leave my engine on longer. It is only at depth 19 and white already only seems to have 2 drawing moves, Be3 and Na3. Everything else and white is worse.

LOL

It will take more than leaving a chess engine on a position to show the right moves in that variation.

Hadron did youi invent that line?

Thanks for sharing your information. Unfortunately I could not get a connection to your url. Could you show me what you should do after 6. Be3?

I can't imagine that allowing Bf2:+ is a good continuation. White has not started a chess game with 7. Ke2 as a good move in mind. Something has gone wrong before that move. The only freedom of choice white has before that seventh move is another answer on Bc5. Be3 comes to mind as a much more logical move then the greedy dc6:.

5. .. Bc5 6. Be3 Be3: 7. fe3: Ne7 8. Ne5: 0-0 9. Bd3 Nf6 10. c4 and white has gained control over the central squares at a price. The e-pawn of white is a structural weakness, because it will hang for the rest of the game and white will have difficulty playing e5, because the pawn can not be supported by another pawn. Black will use the half-open e-file and has a straightforward strategy.

I guess that the first real freedom to move for black is his eight move. d6 Nf3 Bg4 Bd3 Nf6 c4 might be an alternative.

What are your thoughts about this position? Why is dc6: a better move then Be3?

@Crabiano: oops, 9. c4 is then a better move.

Believe me, if that sequence of moves refuted the Ponziani--one of those super grandmasters would have playee it.

Please all of you, this thread is called the Ponziani Opening, not the ad hominem attack. You can use email to exchange those personal messages. It lures the attention away from the topic. You are a bunch of good chess players. I am far more interested in your chess related answers to the refutation of Brian Wall. That is above my level, hence interesting. :-)

This is the move order Loek is asking about.

I have deleted all of my non-analysis comments.

@kantifields: thank you!

Nice, categorical, unprovable statement.

Yeah, "charlatan", I'll go with that.

Yes, I cannot prove that with any sound opening the result with best play on both sides is a draw.  However the statement is true.  Almost any master or higher will tell you this.

How can you say something is true if it can't be proven?

Wonder if Pacifique would say something so silly?

Lock, I have studied the above line and there does seem to be a way for White to maintain a slight plus. However it is very complicated.  If interested just message me.

bigpoison, there are many things which are true which cannot be proven.

The fact that chess is a draw with best play is one of them. 

Do you disagree with my statement?

kant, FirebrandX is extremely mad at me because of your statement about him.  Would you please explain to him and everybody that just because you make a statement putting down someone's chess ability--this does not mean I agree with your statement?