According to Lichess (September 2026, N = 170,366 games between players rated 900 to 1700), the Ponziani Opening, 1. 2. 3., scores 52.3% for you as White. The c3 pawn gets d4 ready so you can build a two-pawn center. The trade-off: your b1 knight loses c3, and nothing of yours guards e4. That makes , which hits it at once, the most awkward reply you can face.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
13 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
At your level, opponents answer in 45 of every 100 games, in 27 and in 11. Players rated 2200+ online split almost everything between , at 49 of every 100, and , at 39. That is the reply that suits you least: it hits e4 right away, and you score 45 of every 100 against it. It's rare in your games, though: you'll see it in only 6 of every 100 games, far less often than strong players choose it. Several named lines continue 4., pinning the c6 knight to the king. After 4. , the public pushes 5. in 57 of every 100 games; strong players do it in 94, almost without exception.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.1% | 51.3% | 48.9% | no data | |
| 27.0% | 54.7% | 3.3% | no data | |
| 11.1% | 54.3% | 3.3% | no data | |
| 6.2% | 45.2% | 39.1% | no data | |
| 2.4% | 53.5% | no data | no data | |
| 2.1% | 47.9% | 3.8% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.7% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56.0% | 52.6% | 82.2% | no data | |
| 22.0% | 49.9% | 12.9% | no data | |
| 5.0% | 49.1% | 1.3% | no data | |
| 5.0% | 50.3% | no data | no data | |
| 3.9% | 50.6% | 3.6% | no data | |
| 3.0% | 52.3% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67.0% | 52.4% | 43.2% | no data | |
| 13.2% | 52.3% | 34.9% | no data | |
| 12.0% | 53.9% | 13.2% | no data | |
| 3.2% | 51.4% | 8.7% | no data | |
| 2.8% | 51.4% | no data | no data | |
| 0.6% | 52.2% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56.7% | 55.5% | 93.6% | no data | |
| 35.1% | 48.3% | 2.0% | no data | |
| 4.8% | 45.4% | no data | no data | |
| 2.6% | 54.0% | 1.3% | no data | |
| 0.5% | 52.2% | 3.1% | no data | |
| 0.3% | 43.4% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.6% | 53.5% | 50.1% | no data | |
| 25.3% | 56.1% | no data | no data | |
| 19.4% | 53.6% | 4.3% | no data | |
| 9.3% | 53.8% | 45.6% | no data | |
| 8.1% | 60.1% | no data | no data | |
| 4.0% | 54.5% | no data | no data |
The Ponziani is after a two-pawn center. 3. covers d4, so your d-pawn arrives there with support, and if your opponent trades on d4 you can take back with the c-pawn. The cost is e4: after 3. none of your pieces defends it, and your b1 knight can no longer go to c3. Nearly everything that follows revolves around that pawn. You can also reach the same position by another move order, 1. 2. 3., and the plan is identical.
The strong-player line is 4. 5. 6. 7.. attacks e4, and you don't defend it: 4. hits back at e5, which your f3 knight and d4 pawn attack and only the c6 knight defends. After , move order matters. Take back right away with 5. and e4 is still hanging, so picks it up. That's why 5. comes first: the pawn steps out of the knight's reach by attacking it, and the knight has to move. If your opponent grabs with instead, as 13 of every 100 do at your level and 35 of every 100 strong players, e5 is attacked twice and defended once: your d4 pawn and f3 knight against the c6 knight.
After 5., the knight's main retreat is d5, where none of your pawns or pieces can touch it. Strong players choose it in 50 of every 100 games, the public in 30. Now 6. wins the pawn back and gives you the d4 and e5 duo that 3. was aiming for. The e5 pawn takes d6 and f6 away from your opponent's pieces. develops the bishop with check, and 7. blocks it and offers a trade of dark-squared bishops. Strong players go for it in 88 of every 100 games, and once the bishops come off, your d4 and e5 pawns still hold the center.
At your level the replies change, not the idea. After 5., 1 in 4 opponents plays , and there you score 56 of every 100; if the knight retreats with , you get 60. Strong players alternate between and , which the public picks in only 9 of every 100. Against the bishop eyes f2, but the plan stays the same: 4. is the push 3. set up, and you score 56 of every 100 with it. Against , which props up e5 with a pawn, you score 54 of every 100.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 1,397 | 48.9% | |
| 669 | 82.2% | |
| 539 | 43.2% | |
| 392 | 93.6% | |
| 351 | 50.1% | |
| 165 | 56.4% | |
| 92 | 47.8% | |
| 43 | 88.4% |
After 4. , recapturing with 5. leaves e4 unprotected. Then 6. pins your knight to the king, and after 7. 8. your opponent keeps the extra pawn. It's played in 35 of every 100 games, and it shows: you score 48, against 55.5 with 5..
35 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.3%; scores 55.5%.
After , 4. guards e4 but blocks your d2 pawn, the one meant to reach d4. Your opponent takes the center instead: 5. 6. 7., and the d5 pawn hits your bishop. Played in 5 of every 100 games. At your level it rarely gets punished: you score 49, against 52.6 with 4..
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.5 pawns of advantage. It scores 49.1%; scores 52.6%.
After , 4. develops the bishop but doesn't defend e4, and grabs the pawn. Then 5. : the pawn hits your bishop and cuts its diagonal toward f7. After 6. 7. you kick the knight, but you're still a pawn down. At your level the gap is small: you score 50, against 52.6 with 4..
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 50.3%; scores 52.6%.
Against , 4. shelves the idea behind 3.. After e4 comes under attack and you cover it with 5., so your d-pawn stops halfway to d4. Play goes 6. 7., a slow game. It's played in 9 of every 100 games: you score 52, against 56 with 4..
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 51.7%; scores 56.4%.
Against , 4. hits the bishop, but keeps it on the same diagonal, still aiming at f2. After 5. the bishop has a7 if you push to a5, and with 6. 7. your d-pawn never reaches d4 either. It's played in 7 of every 100 games: you score 52.6, against 56.4 with 4..
7 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 52.6%; scores 56.4%.
After 4. , castling with 5. leaves e4 hanging again, and takes it. You win it back with 6. 7. 8.: the rook chases the knight down the e-file and material is level again. At your level this goes unpunished: you score 56 by castling, against 52 with 5..
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.9%; scores 52.1%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 77,360 | ||
| Not castled | 24,489 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 18,462 |
| 17,623 | ||
| Not castled | 16,638 | |
| Not castled | 6,013 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | ||
| Not castled | 1 |
1. 2. 3. · 73,981 amateur games · 6 over the board
goes straight at e4; it's the most common reply, with 73,981 public games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 16,683 amateur games
After , 4. lets e4 go in exchange for development; you score 50 of every 100.
1. 2. 3. · 3,537 amateur games
With your opponent offers the f-pawn to attack e4; you score 48 of every 100.
1. 2. 3. · C44
1,123 amateur games · White's score: 54.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C44
838 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C44
395 amateur games · White's score: 41.0%
1. 2. 3. · C44
305 amateur games · White's score: 59.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C44
302 amateur games · White's score: 43.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C44
145 amateur games · White's score: 51.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C44
48 amateur games · White's score: 37.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C44
7 amateur games · White's score: 42.9%