Ponziani Opening

I did not know they were playing a two game match or what particular variation?

What is a "computer induced draw"?

The first  9 moves were scripted.  From move 12 on were computer forced.  The game ended in 20 moves after a 3-fold rep.

Really not a game at all.

Black could have put up a lot more resistance in that endgame. 64. ...Rc4 would have forced white to find a zugzwang and would have cut off the white king for a while. When the pawn was lost, black had the opportunity to play 3rd rank defense (very difficult to break down) or even 2nd rank defense which is also quite tricky. Moving the rook away from the king was a horrible move.

I had calculated how to win the pawn after 64... Rc4.  I do regret the blunder at the end because I might not have internalized the correct method for winning this game.

I once had an exhibition match with a strong player. I won the first of two games and the 2nd game came down to my rook vs his queen with no other pawns or pieces.  I resigned immediately.

Some years, back in chess life, one of the GM contributors was chastizing another GM who failed to win a B+N versus king.  He said players of that strength should be able to figure out the process on the spot.

You resigned too soon.

Over the board I think I would win the Q vs. R endgame because my opponent would likely fail to put up the most challenging moves.  I had the game analyzed by chess.com and  dont think it found the mate in 50 moves after the last capture.  At around the 40th move it stated "white has a decisive advantage" and offered no more analysis. 

I am about to give my current evaluations of the Ponziani.  I cannot play chess right now due to health problems.

This will be in several parts.

1. for most players--those rated below master--the Ponziani is a great practical opening. The Ponziani Power Vote Chess Team won 13 games in a  row with no losses or draws.  The other vote chess teams were strong and had players rated up to more than 2400.

So if you are rated anywhere from 1000 to 2199 the Ponziani may work for you.

2. However there is a problem with the Ponziani for anyone rated master or above.  It is the Fraser Defense

Brian Wall has played many games with the Fraser Defense and here is his excellent website  BrianWallChess@Yahoogroups.com

[I cannot see well and hope I got it right.

I will add that FirebrandX also has contributed to the theory of the Fraser and as he states--if your are a Centaur and playing correspondence chess using the Ponziani is a wasted White.  [I am paraphasing here] 

However less than one tenth of one percent of players are in that category.

3. Here is a variation where two supergrandmasters played a draw recently.

There are moves for White in this variation not explored or little explored which seem to give White some advantage.

4.

Here is a variation NOT to play as White.

Even master and above will need to be seriously prepared to play the Fraser.  Brian Wallhas dedicated plenty of time to this line, so yes, if a Ponziani player runs into him they will be in trouble.  Otherwise, it is a centaur solution.  Not magnus, Hikaru, nor Swidler considered the Fraser.

Here is a variation which I think is better than it's reputation. The reason it is better than it's reputation is Black has made the move f6.

There is some new but untested analysis on this line...

Here is a line that has not really been tested and needs more investigation.

I have a testing analysis going but do not know if I will be able to continue.

This is my summary of the Ponziani as it stands to date both the good and bad.  Obviously some will disagree with parts of my summary or maybe the whole summary.

I recently witnessed this move played in a game (Ng1)

Kantifields, this was an exhibition match and there were good reasons to resign the one game.