Ponziani Opening

The Ponziani Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 It is one of the oldest chess openings, having been discussed in literature by 1497. It was advocated by Howard Staunton, generally considered the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, in his 1847 book The Chess-Player's Handbook. For some decades, it was often called "Staunton's Opening" or the "English Knight's Game" as a result. Today, it is usually known by the name of Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani, whose main contribution to the opening was his introduction of the countergambit 3...f5!? in 1769. Although it is considered inferior to other third move options such as the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5), it has a reputation for leading to sharp and dynamic play. It is typically only used as a surprise weapon by modern players. The move c3 supports a later d4 push and also enables early development of the queen, with White frequently playing Qa4. Black's usual response is either 3...Nf6 or 3...d5. Magnus Carlsen used it for a victory in 2013.