Answers.Body: <p>I have played the Ponziani a lot. There are indeed a lot of ways in which black can hurt himself and fall a victim to tactics.</p>
  
  <p>The line 3...Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Nd5 can lead to many complications for white. There are little opportunities here for white and he must proceed very carefully. I have lost several games (as white) on this line. Most other lines lead to a lot of open space and pressure building by white.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-06-20T12:00:34.633Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-06-20T15:22:28.453Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-06-20T15:22:28.453Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Youstay Igo
Answers.Body: <p>I want to open with.  I can't answer the question.</p>
  
  <p>BUT</p>
  
  <p>I'm watching this video on youtube based upon your question and found it interesting and full of opinion.  IF you have not seen it, perhaps something in it will give you what you are looking for.  Due to my reputation being below 15 I can't comment, which I would have done, if I could have.  So apologies for posting this as an answer.  Look forward to somebody actually answering this.</p>
  
  <p>here's the link.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_caorxTE2w" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_caorxTE2w</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-27T20:54:24.890Z
Answers.Text: If anybody (like me) found this answer suspicious, the link actually does go to a YouTube video about the Ponziani opening.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-27T21:05:02.407Z
Answers.Text: Now that you've commented on my answer, I can comment.  Go look at my profile.  I'm in a bunch of the exchanges and have earned points in them.  Why suspicious?
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul delasaux
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-27T22:04:35.973Z
Answers.Text: It looked suspicious because it didn't contain any reference to the text of the original question, so it had the air of a generic spam message that could be pasted as an answer to lots of different questions. I'm glad it wasn't and that you are now able to comment!
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-27T23:34:53.143Z
Answers.Text: gotcha.  I'm pretty far away from being a chess expert although I've played for almost all of my 47 years.  I don't use any of the terminology because, well....I don't know any.  Apologies.
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul delasaux
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-27T20:48:48.203Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-01-27T20:48:48.203Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul delasaux
Answers.Body: <p>This book might help - Play the Ponziani by Dave Taylor.</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Ponziani-Everyman-Chess-Taylor/dp/1857446208" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Ponziani-Everyman-Chess-Taylor/dp/1857446208</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-31T17:37:17.187Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-01-31T17:37:17.187Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: magd
Body: <p>We live in a strange country. Instead of having championships for all group ages(U10, U12, etc) they just place everyone in a tournament and ship the top people of each group-age. I am third best in the U18(not because I'm a born talent, but because of lack of talents), and I have two competitors. The Nr.1 has beaten several IMs, the second one just got a 2070 rating in his first tournament ever, so you realize my situation. Not only do I have to face them in my group age, but also several other talented kids. So to make sure, I am going to use an offbeat, yet great opening, the Ponziani. I am sure no one knows this.</p>
  
  <p>I have seen several opening lines of this, but I want to know what are the plans in the:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Nf6 variation</li>
  <li>d5 variation</li>
  <li>f5 variation</li>
  <li>Other minor variations</li>
  </ul>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-01-28T15:25:50.210Z
Comments.Text: The real Mikhail Tal would have known :)
Comments.UserDisplayName: Landei
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-01-28T22:32:03.740Z
Comments.Text: just to warn you, if your opponent has studied the ponziani, d5 pretty much refutes it.
Comments.UserDisplayName: CognisMantis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-01-28T22:44:41.353Z
Comments.Text: @CognisMantis Equality is okay for me. I want the opening surprise advantage. Plus I am sure no one really knows it.
Comments.UserDisplayName: MikhailTal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-01-28T22:47:31.987Z
Comments.Text: It might be worse than equality, but I think doing Qa5 will just about keep white maybe with a slight edge. Ofcourse you are right about the surprise advantage but it is important to note that many players will know that d5 is the best move but not know what to do from there. Thus, it is perhaps useful to look deeper than the lines provided in the answers below.
Comments.UserDisplayName: CognisMantis
Tags: <opening><theory><strategy>
Title: The Ponziani - What are the plans?
ThreadText: # The Ponziani - What are the plans?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-01-27)
  
  We live in a strange country. Instead of having championships for all group ages(U10, U12, etc) they just place everyone in a tournament and ship the top people of each group-age. I am third best in the U18(not because I'm a born talent, but because of lack of talents), and I have two competitors. The Nr.1 has beaten several IMs, the second one just got a 2070 rating in his first tournament ever, so you realize my situation. Not only do I have to face them in my group age, but also several other talented kids. So to make sure, I am going to use an offbeat, yet great opening, the Ponziani. I am sure no one knows this.
  
  I have seen several opening lines of this, but I want to know what are the plans in the:
  
  * Nf6 variation
  * d5 variation
  * f5 variation
  * Other minor variations
  
  **Tags:** opening, theory, strategy
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: The real Mikhail Tal would have known :)  
  > **username_2**: just to warn you, if your opponent has studied the ponziani, d5 pretty much refutes it.  
  > **username_0**: @username_2 Equality is okay for me. I want the opening surprise advantage. Plus I am sure no one really knows it.  
  > **username_2**: It might be worse than equality, but I think doing Qa5 will just about keep white maybe with a slight edge. Ofcourse you are right about the surprise advantage but it is important to note that many players will know that d5 is the best move but not know what to do from there. Thus, it is perhaps useful to look deeper than the lines provided in the answers below.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2015-06-20. Score: 0
  
  I have played the Ponziani a lot. There are indeed a lot of ways in which black can hurt himself and fall a victim to tactics.
  
  The line 3...Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Nd5 can lead to many complications for white. There are little opportunities here for white and he must proceed very carefully. I have lost several games (as white) on this line. Most other lines lead to a lot of open space and pressure building by white.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2015-01-27. Score: 0
  
  I want to open with. I can't answer the question.
  
  BUT
  
  I'm watching this video on youtube based upon your question and found it interesting and full of opinion. IF you have not seen it, perhaps something in it will give you what you are looking for. Due to my reputation being below 15 I can't comment, which I would have done, if I could have. So apologies for posting this as an answer. Look forward to somebody actually answering this.
  
  here's the link.
  
  <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_caorxTE2w>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: If anybody (like me) found this answer suspicious, the link actually does go to a YouTube video about the Ponziani opening.  
  > **username_4**: Now that you've commented on my answer, I can comment.  Go look at my profile.  I'm in a bunch of the exchanges and have earned points in them.  Why suspicious?  
  > **username_5**: It looked suspicious because it didn't contain any reference to the text of the original question, so it had the air of a generic spam message that could be pasted as an answer to lots of different questions. I'm glad it wasn't and that you are now able to comment!  
  > **username_4**: gotcha.  I'm pretty far away from being a chess expert although I've played for almost all of my 47 years.  I don't use any of the terminology because, well....I don't know any.  Apologies.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2015-01-31. Score: 0
  
  This book might help - Play the Ponziani by Dave Taylor.
  
  <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Ponziani-Everyman-Chess-Taylor/dp/1857446208>
  
  
  ---
  
  