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On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com we will learn the Ponziani Gambit of the Bishop's Opening. The Ponziani Gambit is a variation of the Bishop's Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4), and it runs with 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4. The Ponziani Gambit may be accepted or declined (usually accepted because it is stronger). The Ponziani Gambit is C24 in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings.
I. Bishop's Opening Ponziani Gambit
The Ponziani Gambit is a sub-variant of the Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6) that covers 70-75% of the Bishop's Opening games at master level. As for the Gambit, it coves only 7% of the games. The Ponziani Gambit is C24, and it runs as 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4. The Ponziani Gambit often turns into the Urusov Gambit (3.d4 exd4 4. Nf3). The next picture is the Ponziani Gambit of the Bishop's Opening:
Moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4
Name: Ponziani Gambit of the Bishop's Opening
Child of: Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6)
Parent of: Urusov Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4. Nf3)
ECO Code in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings: C24
• Study 20 Variations of the Bishop's Opening
Learn below some proven lines of the Bishop's Opening Ponziani Gambit (How to Play). They have been proven by an opening book, by a Bishop Opening database, and by a chess engine showing who is better in pawns as follows: + White; - Black; 0-0.50 equal; 0.51-1.00 slightly better; 1.01-1.50 better; 1.51 much better. Examples: +1.27 (White is better as if White won 1.27 pawns by material). -0.64 (Black is slightly better as if Black won 0.64 pawns). +0.42 (position is equal).
II. How to Play Bishop Opening Ponziani Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4
Chess masters play 3... exd4 (73%), Nc6 (12%), Nxe4 (9%).
They play very rarely 3... c6, d5, d6, Qe7 (in total 4%).
x Don't play 3... Bd6, 3... Be7, or 3... Bb4+ (see below why).
• Main Variant via 3... exd4 (73%)
Bishop Opening Ponziani Gambit
3... exd4 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Qh4 d6 (+0.14)
4... Nc6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 (+0.10)
4... Nc6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qa5 (-0.07)
Notes: The above 3 lines is how the Ponziani Gambit turns into the Urusov Gambit. As a rule, the main line of the Ponziani Gambit (3... exd4) turns into the Urusov Gambit (3... exd4 4. Nf3).
• Second Variants via 3... Nc6 (12%), 3... Nxe4 (9%)
Bishop Opening Ponziani Gambit
3... Nc6 4.Nf3 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 (+0.10)
3... Nxe4 4.dxe5 Nc5 5.Nf3 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 (+0.75)
x Don't Play 3... Bd6, 3... Be7, or 3... Bb4+
Bishop Opening Ponziani Gambit
If 3... Bd6? --- 4.dxe5 Bxe5 5.f4! Bd6 6.e5 (+2.69)
If 3... Be7? --- 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qd5! 0-0 6.Qxe4 (+3.82)
3... Bb4+? is also not good (4.c3 d5 5.exd5 Bd6 6.dxe5 Bxe5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 +1.32).
• To the Main Page of the Bishop Opening (Lesson 22)
Here on chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com you met the Bishop's Opening Ponziani Gambit. The Bishop's Opening starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4, and the Ponziani Gambit runs 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4. The gambit is a child of the Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6) and the parent of the Urusov Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4. Nf3). The Ponziani Gambit is the ECO code C24...
As a rule, the main line of the Ponziani Gambit (3... exd4) turns into the Urusov Gambit.
