Ponziani, the Man:
Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani (1719 – 1796) was an Italian law professor, priest, chess player, composer and theoretician. He was born in Modena and in 1742 he graduated with a law degree from the University of San Carlo and was admitted to the College of Advocates in 1745. He was Professor of Civil Law at the University of Modena from 1742 to 1772 when he retired taking a pension and receiving the title of Honorary Professor.
In 1764 Ponziani took orders as a priest un the Catholic Church and quickly began receiving promotions. Ponziani died in Modena and is buried in the Modena Cathedra.
Ponziani was friend with tqo local chess players and writers and the trio is known as the Modenese Masters. In 1769 Ponziani published the first edition of Il giuoco incomparabile degli scacchi (The Incomparable Game of Chess). The second edition in 1782 was a much improved version and laid out the principles of the Italian school of chess.
His work was the best practical available and like writings by pther leading Italian players, Ponziani dealt only with opening and endgame and nothing on the middlegame.
Ponziani espoused the Ponziani Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3), although he did not originate it as it was published by Lucena around 1497.
The Opening:
The answer to, “Should you play the Ponziani” is, “Probably not.” At least not if you are a Master, but for the rest of us it’s probably as playable as anything. After all, most of us are not as good as Howard Staunton who was considered to be the world’s strongest player from 1834 to 1853 and he advocated the opening.
Although the opening was advocated by Staunton, today it is considered inferior and it’s rarely seen even in non-Master play. In my database a ChessBase opening report shows that white scores below average with a +306 (34%), -276 (30%) and =331 (36%). It is also mentioned that endgames are often reached.
Moves and Plans
a) 3...d6
Black scores well (59%).
White should play 4.d4
b) 3...d5
Black scores well (53%).
White’s best reply is 4.Qa4
c) 3...Nge7
Black scores well (56%).
White should play 4.Bb5
d) 3...Nf6
Black scores average (46%).
White’s best reply is 4.d4
e) 3...f5
Black scores average (44%).
White should play4.d4
f) 3...Be7
Black scores badly (29%).
White should play 4.d4
In the following game GM Dragoljub Velimirovic (1942-2014), a wild attacker, used the Ponziani to defeat another sharp attacker GM Milan Matulovic (1935-2013).
Dragoljub Velimirovic2485–Milam Matulovic24401–0C44Yugoslav Cup, UlcinjUlcinj1997Stockfih 16
C44: Ponziani Opening 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.c3 f6 Black does
better with either 3...d5 or 4...Nge7 4.d4 d6 4...xe4 results in full
equality after 5.d3 d5 6.xe5 xe5 7.dxe5 c5 8.0-0 0-0 5.h3 g6 5...e7 6.e3 0-0 7.d5 b8 8.d3 bd7 9.c4 is equal. Velimirovic,D (2515)-Tal,
M (2615) Teslic 1979 c5 0-1 (44) 5...xe4 6.d5 6.e3 g7 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.xd8+ xd8 9.bd2 0-0 10.xe5 White has a slight advantage.
Velimirovic,D (2515)-Harandi,K (2410) Rio de Janeiro 1979 6...e7 7.d3 g7 8.c4 d7 9.c3 c5 10.c2 a5 11.e3 0-0 12.g4 f5 This opens up the
K-side and results in black having difficulties. The routine 12...Bd7 was safe.
13.g1 Slightly more accurate would have been 13.gxf5 first. xe4 14.xe4 fxe4 15.xe4 h8 16.e2 c6 17.0-0-0 cxd5 18.cxd5 b6 19.b1+- g8 20.g5 f6 21.c2 a4 22.b5 While this is hardly a mistake, he misses the much
better 22.Ne6! Of course ut takes an engine to see that. 22.e6
Sacrificing a P for a strong attack n black's K. xe6 23.dxe6 e7 24.h4 xe6 25.h5 gxh5 26.gxh5 f7 27.h6 f8 28.f4 Another fime move by Stockfish! exf4 29.f3 fxe3 30.xa8 and white has a decisive advantgae...so says
Stockfish. 22...e7 Slightly better was 22...Rxa5 then after 23.Qxb6 he
could ecchange Qs easing his defensive burden. 23.b4 This allows black to
equalize. Both 23.Qxb6, 23.Bxb6 or 23.Bxa4 were god. 23.e6 As before,
this is best. xe6 24.dxe6 xe6 25.xa4 and white is better. 23...b7
24.e4 a3 24...xe4 is unsatisfactory. 25.xe4 a5 26.xd6 xd6 27.xd6 a8 28.c4 xd5 29.xb6 xd1+ 30.xd1 White's better
P-formation gives him the advantage. 25.b3 ac8 Although this move looks
quite reasonbable it should not have work out well. 25...a5 attacking the
d-Pawn assures black of equality. 26.xb6 xd5 27.xd5 xd5 28.b5 g8
Black only has a B+P for the R, but his preponderance in the center is
sufficient compensation. Shootout games were very tricky and white scored +1
-2 =2 so the evaluation should probably be "unclear." 26.f3± h6 27.h4
xe4 28.fxe4 d7 29.c1 The trade of Rs dissapates most of
white's advantage. Correct was the aforementioned Qxb6, but the P should not
have been taken with the B. 29.xb6 xg5 30.hxg5 f4 Here at least black
has some play. 29.xb6 c7 30.xc7 xc7 31.c1 xg5 32.hxg5 a8 33.d2 and after 34.Bb4 black is under great pressure. 29...xc1+ 30.xc1
The threat is 31.Ne6 so... xg5 31.hxg5 a6 32.xa3 d3+ 33.a1 f4 Although it's probably too late to save the game 33...Rd8 was a better
defense. 34.xb6 Taking on d6 was also good, but this gives him two
connected passed Ps. xe4 35.b8+ White mates. g7 36.xd6 All that's
left is for white to mop up. h5 37.f8+ h7 38.h6+ g8 39.xg6+ g7 40.e8+ h7 41.xh5+ g8 42.e8+ 1–0
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