Ponziani Opening

It is not a question of blacks moves, it is a question of finding the strongest white responses.

We are pretty sure white made the best move in each position, including whites first move!

I prefer Bxf6 followed by d5

Expertise87 at what move do you prefer Bxf6?

1. Bxf6 is an alternative but not quite as good as 1. Bh4 in my opinion

I agree that Black's 4th move was bad and 4. ... Bf5

was better to which probably 5. Re3 is good for White

or Black could have played 4. ...Re8 and then 5. Rxe8+ is the best continuation for White.  Both to gain some dominance on the e file.

I tried Bxf6, which means I got 0 right and am class d .

It is almost as good. But you were unlucky. It was kind of a trick as you would think in a puzzle like this it would start Bxf6  you do not often see something like Bh4 in a puzzle.

This is an easier one

For white. 1st move I would do Bxf6, 2nd move I still consider Bxf6 an equally good move as Bxc6 (although it's pretty redundant after Bh4).

Black's 4th move is simply terrible and 1st move, why a3 when you can abuse white's Bh4 with g5?

Other than that everything is nice, and Rook sacrifice to exploit black's blunder looks very spectacular.

Cnacnel,

Next time I do a puzzle it will not start with a move such as Ba4.  Right now we have a couple of players who would play 1. Bxf6  but what is the follow up after 1. Bxf6     Expertise suggested [I think]    1. Bxf6  Qxf6  2. d5 but that surely only leads to a slight advantage?    

This 2nd puzzle is a lot more clear I think...

Haha, the first puzzle I scored 7/9. No way that that is my level! But thanks anyhow.

Interesting position though and very nice puzzle. Even when I do not fully understand why all the moves are the best. I missed the first and fourth move. The first move I doubted between Bh4 and d5. 1. d5 hg5: 2. dc6: bc6: 3. Bc4 (Bg4 4. h3) g4 4. Ng5 is ok for white. The black knight can not go to any good field, for instance after b4 comes 1. d5 Nb4 2. Bd7: Qd7: 3. Bf6: gf6: 4. a3 Na6 which is good for white.

By the way, I think 1. Bh4 is very good for a first move of a puzzle if it is not an exceptional move. It is all about finding the best move, not the most spectacular one. I chose a different move, but liked it very much as a solution. Was that not what Mark Dvoretsky did? Presenting a situation and let the pupil find out what the best move should be? Could be any kind of move.

On the fourth move was my first choice 4. Ne4 Be7 5. d6 cd6: 6. Nd6: Bd6: 7. Qd6:. When I play it right now on the board I also see 6. ... Bc6. My second choice was 4. Nd4, because it develops the knight beautifully, it puts pressure on the same fields as the advanced pawn does and removes any pin on f3. But that move fails on 4. ... Bh2:+ 5. Kh1 Bf4 and the pin on f6 will end. Hence I chose 4. Ne4 preserving pressure on the pin on f6.

Jempty, this thread is the Ponziani Opening. These are positions which have come out of vote chess games by our group, Ponziani Power.

Our vote chess group analyzes each candidate move propably to an extent more than 99% of other groups. We may have several pages of analysis for one move if it is a particularily difficult move. Our members who do not particpate in Vote Chess learn a whole lot about chess just by watching.

So, since these are the type of positions which come from the Ponziani--they are quite appropriate for this thread.  

I think the Ponziani group agrees that 6. Bc4 is not best.  No one in our would play that.  We used to like 6.Qb3 but that also has fallen out of favor.

That was terrific game you played pfren!

That's our line.  At least our move 6.  Thanks for the input.

pfren, way back, I had a similar ending in the finals of the USCCC--my knight and 3 pawns vs a rook in the endgame. [knight and 3 pawns won][I also, had Black]

Someone, try my 2nd puzzle--it is fun! [it is from a Ponziani game]

The second puzzle, I am not sure why 4.Qc4 is correct over 4.Qb3  After 4.Qc4 does black not have 4...Qd5.  Whereas 4.Qb3 Qd5 loses to 5.Bc4

I prefer puzzles with forced sequence, but puzzles like this are pretty nice to see the other good moves, possible variations and best defense.

Also, there is not so much difference between 4. Qc4+ and Qb3+, both seem equally winning.

Also, 5. Nf7+. How about b4? Doesn't have a mate threat but also looks pretty nice.

Those are my moves for the second puzzle:

1. Bg5 Be7 2. Qh4 Bg5: 3. Ng5: Qf6 does not give white any advantage.

1. Qc4 d6, which is ok for black. One pawn move two threats away. 2. b4 a5 and white must move its queen.

1. Ne5: Qe7 2. Re1 will give white an advantage, black will not like. Queen and King in one line with a white rook, white king ready to go.

So, what to play after 1. Ne5:? I thought 1. ... a5.

1. Ne5: a5 2. Nd3 Ba6 3. Kd1 Bb5 4. Qb3 Bb6 and black will castle queen side.

@ponz111: what do you think of the move 1. d5 in the first puzzle? Is it ok or is it good for white in the Ponziani to wait with this move?

@Loek Qc4 d6 is very bad for black after Bg5.

Before Nxe5 white is already better. I think after Nxe5 black doesn't have any miraculous response.

1.Nxe5 a5 and here white continues as in the puzzle with Re1 and is better.

d5 in first puzzle is pretty bad. because 1.d5 hxg5 2.dxc6 bxc6 with tempo and it's not a bad position for black

@Cnacnel: thanks for the answers. I also don't think black is in a good position, although the king of white is not in a good position. That was the origin of the move a5, to make use of that and trying to develop the black pieces with tempo, so black can castle queen side. But Re1 makes the move Kd1 not a loss of tempo.

Ok, I thought the pawn structure after 1. d5 is clearly better for white, but you are problaby right.