Theoria
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Ponziani Opening

Ponziani Countergambit, Schmidt Attack

C44aggressiveoffbeat

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Nf3Nc6
  3. 3.c3f5
  4. 4.d4d6
  5. 5.d5
244 games48%50%

A Ponziani Countergambit line where White answers 4...d6 with 5. d5, gaining space and driving the c6-knight back rather than opening the center.

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About the Schmidt Attack

The Schmidt Attack, 5. d5, answers Black's 4...d6 in the Ponziani Countergambit by pushing past the now-supported e5-pawn instead of exchanging in the center. The advance gains space and evicts the knight from c6. Black's most common reply by a wide margin is 5...Nce7, while 5...fxe4 and the retreat 5...Nb8 are less frequent. The engine gives White a slight edge, though results in online games are close to even.

Popular continuations