Ponziani Opening: Instructive Winning Strategy

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In this video, I play an instructive chess game in the Ponziani Opening. Rather than relying on my usual dubious aggressive gambit style, I displayed a more controlled solid and positional approach. I managed to snag a pawn early on in the opening resulting from a tricky line. I then proceeded to show how to transform the single pawn advantage into an easily winning position...
Analyze the game: lichess.org/XzBNtbxp
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Eric Rosen
4579 Laclede Ave 205
St. Louis, MO 63108
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See Eric in the chess documentary Chess State (2015): vimeo.com/ondemand/chessstate
Chess book recommendations: imrosen.com/book-recommendati...
London Opening 8-hour video course: www.ichess.net/sale/8020-tact...
#chess #ericrosen #ponziani

[@Shameless0101]

'I sleep when I'm not awake" couldn't have said it better myself

[@Samuftie]

3:33 timestamp for ur comment dude

[@remainconfident1]

I love it!!!

[@em3711]

That's... what sleep means 😂

[@toryshafer1961]

That got me so good 😂😂😂

[@Evangeliman]

Oh yeah? Well, I’m awake when I’m not asleep!

[@brightmalsawma]

When I lose games, I resort to your channel and get inspired to play just to lose again

[@eric-rosen]

losing is one of the best ways to learn!

[@cloverthrill6708]

I am forever a 1100

[@keerthivasangnanaudayan5915]

@@eric-rosen "sometimes you win, sometimes you learn in chess" this is da way

[@RemyWillard]

The master has lost more games than the beginner has played. Don't ask me to name the wise man who first made the above statement. I couldn't do it. All I can do is make it clear that it's not an original quote on my end. XD

[@setagkeviv]

@@RemyWillard I saw this quote on Danya's channel

[@suleyman3998]

Eric is the kid in school who is friend with everybody (even with bullies)

[@dreamsnicer]

Yeah just look at all the Eric/Hikaru content

[@francorios5134]

the guy even befriended goats, it's just impossible to hate him

[@chrisko-pelago8753]

And would even be chill with the shady guy in the back of your campus, with/without knowing what he really does there.

[@demonguy5082]

He would be the most chill guy in the school where everyone would be ok with him

[@DavidEmerling79]

I've often referred to him as the Bob Ross of chess. When he makes a bad move, it's only a "happy little mistake."

[@MoldbugReads]

If you make a series on this opening, I will buy it if the title is “Eric Rosen’s Ponziani Scheme.”

[@MoldbugReads]

Heck, I’ll take a dozen.

[@RemyWillard]

I'll only take 8. Gotta stay true to Zoidberg form, after all.

[@kingalonsoiv]

Invite friends to buy too and you get % lmao. I'd love to see this course though

[@jimmyhuston7092]

I really appreciate Eric saying why he wasn’t scared about the bishop taking on H2 because you can trap the bishop. So obvious but I couldn’t understand why. Best channel ever.

[@MrCheeze]

Like he alluded to, that blunder is famous for the time Bobby Fischer made during his world championship match against Spassky. (It's not that he was unfamiliar with trapped bishops, but he miscalculated a line that he thought would free it again.)

[@DoenerDuesentrieb]

@@MrCheeze thx for the info

[@GoodkindASMR]

Eric taught me this opening several years ago. The Ponziani is a great opening!

[@GoodkindASMR]

And I still play it to this day!

[@ranatha]

Eric taught women chess champion? How could you not be a GM eric

[@sanjeevkhurana6628]

"I sleep when I am not awake" - 26 years old man, Eric Rosen, 2021

[@TtttTt-ub5xb]

He's only 26?

[@Samuftie]

3:33 time stamp for ur comment

[@Kichefski]

@@TtttTt-ub5xb 27, but I easily would have guessed 30-35 tbh

[@achiyazigi3869]

"every decent chess player can beat a gm from this position." Me: can't mate with king and pown

[@nicolaidepue3970]

endgame chess player* I refuse to accept that I'm not decent at chess Edit: good endgame chess player

[@aranahjohnson9640]

@@nicolaidepue3970 im more of a first 2 moves chess player myself

[@properdude_6866]

3:31 lmao how does he keep a straight face I’d laugh at my own joke

[@sahlinegassi5456]

In case anyone was wondering about the puzzle at 14:47 the solution is to ‘stalemate’ the black king and promote, a little like Eric showed in the video. You have to underpromote to rooks to avoid an actual stalemate. Kb6 fxe6 f7 Kd7 f8=R Ke7 c8=R Kd7 Rc7#

[@silver1788]

Wow a normal video-title without caps Rare No fence Eric is my favourite chess-content-creator

[@ericcolin1262]

All the way from South Africa saying howsit, thanks so much for the instructive end game. Please can we get more of this. Really appreciate it. You're content is amazing and love the humour. Frikin entertaining. Keep up the grind mate.

[@fabiobertoni2580]

This is one of the best opening, with a lot of trick and traps, and it's easy to understand and remember. You are instructive, and thank you for everything you are doing😁

[@peep2268]

I was just learning the ponziani 14 hours ago through your old videos and you come out with another banger, great timing Eric!

[@shaihorowitz0]

I watch Eric at 2.5 speed and he still feels like hes talking in slow motion. Anyone else and I'd hate it but here its oddly soothing. Good way to relax after dropping 200 points in tactic puzzles.

[@mauricem7007]

Eric Rosen ASMR

[@iansmith3698]

I love your explaining/ teaching style in your videos. Makes it so easy and enjoyable to follow & learn. Thank you.

[@monarch9743]

I'm glad to see more ponziani, one of my favourite openings! :)

[@LukePalmer]

I enjoy your instructive streams like this where you describe your thought process. I learned a lot, thanks

[@akiyamach]

Eric: "KZbin, say hi to Twitch chat" Me: I guess we'll time travel...

[@RahulSingh-zo7sm]

Thank you for the instructive endgame.

[@NathanHarrison7]

I was just thinking before watching this video that I needed to improve my Pawn end game. Thank you!

[@RyanEmmett]

Thanks for the great instructional content.

[@JohnVDenley]

Definitely handy, as im trying to learn the ponziani... Thank you (also the king pawn end game was handy too!)

[@yugen2811]

Hi Twitch people, love Eric's videos, very informative and practical

[@physicsandpoetry]

🎶 Simple and smooth is the way that you’re making me feeeeel toniiiight🎶

[@sibam5092]

« We just traded everything except the kings and the pawns », ah yes, the king trade

[@sonofsamuel5693]

classic king sac

[@sajithbabu4237]

Ohh no my king

[@fallenskies3223]

*Vidit Gujrathi enters the chat*

[@francescovanspronsen404]

Thanks for answering my request Eric, of making a video about the Ponziani

[@johnambers]

Great insight during this game.

[@alejrandom6592]

it's so relaxing to listen to your games

[@alwaysinout]

Beautifully done

[@patbenvenuti7470]

I really like your videos and happened across your 80/20 tactical videos when I purchased a Club players bundle from Ichess. Studying along with you on the London system !!! I am looking forward to your other video lessons in the Club players bundle. Also, can you do a video on chess engines and how to properly utilize them. It would really help me. thanks in advance

[@ninopoker]

Hey Eric, at 4:58 taking the knight with queen is a blunder because of Qh4 that attacks your bishop, and if you move it, then rook xe3. If queen xe3 then the other rook can swing over to e8.

[@demonguy5082]

What if light square bishop to e2?

[@saiprasadrakasi8442]

@@demonguy5082 Black will still take the dark square bishop and then after queen takes brings his other rook with tempo. At the end irrespective of what you do, the light square bishop will fall. I just analyzed with stockfish

[@BenjaJohnsonIII]

Don’t try to act like you know it’s a blunder cus of your own thinking Change your comment to “the engine says taking with queen is a blunder”

[@countercuIture]

I was watching the live stream as you uploaded this lmao

[@mego7389]

This opening is actually incredible. I was stuck around 600 ELO for about a week and after learning this opening and the London system I went up to 700 in just 2 days and a few games.

[@TheChessGiant]

This might be my favorite chess opening!

[@newyorkslim2001]

nice job. good instructional video.

[@andres154525452]

Hi Twitch! Second time seing this game, Very goood

[@007RussianMafia]

love your content and your style. Didn't love the coffee slurping sounds that are picked up SO well by your quality mic.

[@PlaylearnShare]

Eric great teacher 👍

[@treedom5094]

0:10:00 - I was rather happy to discover that trapping possibility the first time on my own, following opponent bishop taking one of the outermost pawns ... there are many cleverer things to find out for yourself, still a modest confidence booster Knights trapped similarly - oh no my rook moment ...

[@sarthakkale7761]

When he said " apologies to who are colour blind " I laughed. Idk why bit I did and now iam sorry

[@almscurium]

Stronk.. hevign stonkr

[@clank1013]

great tutorial, thank you

[@tofinoguy]

" I sleep when I'm not awake". I can still hear the crickets.

[@filipkjellstrom8334]

Its impossible not to like this man

[@ripmeep]

i love the ponziani so much

[@geocentricallysymmetrical3636]

I don't know what Chenz a menz is but Daniel has donated to you before with that message it might just be his thing Eric :D

[@SKyrim190]

"If you follow the rule always play f6!" Lmao

[@enverhoxha2698]

Very instructional game. I learned how to draw arrows

[@GinoParra]

You make endgames look easy!

[@karlisbergs]

I am a simple man - i see ponziani, i press like.

[@andres154525452]

KZbin loves Eric! Pawsiane is just an extra flavor

[@green1201]

You're my hero

[@wassimbenchekroun1425]

Thank you

[@thejudge8691]

Every time I try the ponziani I mess it up and I watch every video of yours that talks about it lmao

[@magnafire1]

It's not that it is not funny when he says he sleeps when he is not awake, but he says it with no expression as if he just said I'm going to the store lol.

[@caswir]

Eric talking to Alexa like she's the housekeeper who's in the early stages of dementia, and he's used to reeling in her rambling tangents.

[@Vengaard]

I challenge you to the ponziani again! This time, I am a bit prepared!

[@julianzugzwang9677]

lmfao when he called out Bobby F. @ 7:26

[@couldntcareless7884]

16:46 for stile points, you capture fg instead of hg and promote to a knight, and checkmate them after they queen

[@kogureee]

pawn H1 would be check and a big throw

[@couldntcareless7884]

@@kogureee indeed, so you underpromote to a Knight only if black captured g pawn, so that it wouldn't be a check, or, even better, capture with the f pawn yourself, so that black has no chance of queening h pawn

[@Holphana]

Hikaru is entertaining but you are where the real education is at. GothamChess is educational but you are where the real entertainment is at. You’re like the cool high-school teacher. And I’m sorry if you find that insulting but I think it’s one of the most important personalities to the development and continuation of our species. Keep being awesome.

[@honeybadger_sc9816]

The skewer mentioned at 8:05. I wonder if it would be better for black to give up the rook and keep queens on the board or give up the black bishop but also trade queens. After Rad8, Bg5 Black can play Bf4. If Bxf6 Bxd2+ Kxd2 gxf6 it is an even trade where black ends up with doubled pawns. So White has to accept the sacrifice with either Qxf4, Qxf4, Bxf4 trading the queens or with Bxf4 keeping queens on the board. White also has the option to, before taking the bishop, further simplify by playing Rxe8+ I would love to know if anyone sees a better defensive option for black after they get skewered on g5

[@geofisue]

My favourite opening hehe

[@barabooe]

Oh yes... After a couple of comments, Legend Rosen heard my call for the ponziani instructional. I can go in peace now

[@chandankumar-ir3cz]

I think he has video in the past as well on ponziani. May b u have missed it ☺

[@barabooe]

@@chandankumar-ir3cz yes yes true. He has a couple that explain the two main opening traps. Other than that he has no instructional on ponziani as he does for london, french and stafford. He does play ponziani very often though. And as always i would love to see more lesson from Eric

[@chandankumar-ir3cz]

@@barabooe ok👍

[@davidnelson4960]

Press on young man, you are our soul. Last one on the rosen bandwagon is the oregano.

[@dermax1027]

You are right. I like Ponziani.

[@evanhansen5064]

have you ever covered the vukovic gambit against the ponziani? i’m sorry if it was in this video i haven’t watched the entire thing but i think it would be an interesting line to look at

[@gchifanzwa]

"F6 is easy to play when u follow the rule 'Always play f6'"

[@ViktorEnns]

Pawnziani, my new gamer tag 🤣

[@bryceerickson1925]

I got my first oh no my queen moment yesterday. !!!

[@bryceerickson1925]

@renderinggg yes. I mated the guy.

[@dsspiegel]

Eric, love your content. Curious, at 9:38, why didn't you take the pawn at b6 with your light-square bishop?

[@huggyskyway]

Same

[@dsspiegel]

@@huggyskyway oops, looks like I meant b5…

[@MR__MAD__MAX]

He is a human , they make mistake

[@redrobsanthem9206]

@@MR__MAD__MAX or maybe there’s another reason which they wanted to know. They’re trying to learn

[@josephtarantin1931]

Eric! on move 14 Qxd2 is a blunder! I was putting the game on stockfish for deeper analysis and it found 14. Qh4! as an alternative to 14. Qf6?

[@TheDigiWorld]

Sub: "When do you sleep?" Eric: "I sleep when I am... not awake" Nice one

[@SevenTheJester]

I've watched this video many times in the last month or so, because I'm expanding my repertoire to include the Ponziani (and maybe the Alekhine). This time watching it, I just realized that there's something kinda funny that I hadn't noticed before. When asked about how to draw arrows, Eric said "Drawing arrows is just a matter of right clicking and dragging. You can't do it on mobile, you need a mouse; and if you have a keyboard, you can use combinations of shift and alt to make them different colors." If you can't do it on mobile because you need a mouse, that means that it can *only* be done on a PC...so why did Eric say *"if"* you have a keyboard? Are there people out there who own computers but not keyboards? I'm not making fun or trying to be a jerk, I'm a huge fan of Eric, both his online content and his actual chess career. That comment just struck me as really funny for some reason. 😂

[@birdwatchingandmoltoaltro4985]

we love ponziani content

[@MrDlnggorton]

Can you make a video on the Locock Gambit? It's similar to the ponzioni but they make a slightly different move on the second move.

[@cathaldunne4073]

Ah I remember watching this live

[@JazzieHERO]

2012 was not a movie, it was a documentary of how we survived 2012.

[@mintcream7017]

Hi twitch chat! I like ponziani especially pinning the night in c6 PINziani

[@tuddgrimley8532]

5:00 if black plays Qh4 here he attacks your bishop and also threatens to capture on e3 because f2 is pinned. Coulda been scary

[@santiagocarrillo7696]

Correct! Move 14: if black plays Qh4 Stockfish has black winning by 6 points.

[@JayPeePee13]

Ponziani!

[@TtttTt-ub5xb]

Thanx

[@dneary]

I wonder why Bxb5 to take the hanging pawn wasn't considered for move 18 at 9:28 - am I missing something?

[@joshtyler7999]

I know this is old but, you're right, I guess he just missed it. Trading the bishop actually weakens his position quite a bit

[@gboycalix8446]

@@joshtyler7999 he didn't miss it. If he did capture the pawn then the b file opens up for the rooks and the queen thus endangering the position of his king.

[@joshpark7827]

Please! More Pawnziani!

[@axelorsal9583]

"I sleep when I am not awake" Yes, that is what sleeping means. XD

[@monsamkhan4919]

My type of game

[@V8SupersQirreL]

You open a bottle of Ponziani vine, choose a Ponziani Cigar and listen to a Verdi piece of music Ponziani feeling. Oh, I forgot - you ask your Butler to bring Mr. Ponziani directly to you...

[@TALKINGtac0]

"So we just traded everything except the kings and the pawns." Damn I kinda wanted to see a king trade 😕

[@ianmoore5502]

10/10 would instruct again

[@Samuftie]

3:33 "I'm sleep when I'm not awake"

[@JohnDoe-jp3oo]

9:26 is bishop g5 a bad move? It attacks the queen and brings a discovery attack on a bishop

[@dreamofsleeping1980]

Someone just played this against me. I honestly thought I was fine playing D5 against this opening, but then he did the queen move and I could not figure out what to do to keep the pawn. According to stockfish it's play f6, which I didn't think of. I was worse all the way through the game until the end game where he hung back rank mate.

[@obie805]

Wish you were taking new students I live near st. Louis!

[@ahmedalmassri2997]

Best coach

[@xXNeoxLightXx]

I am wondering why u didnt take the pawn on the b file , when he wanted to trade the white bishops, wasnt it a free pawn?

[@dunerino892]

thought the same

[@BryceDoesLife]

LETS GOO

[@Nourou44]

Yo Éric Come back to Sénégal 🇸🇳 plz, BIg Fan

[@franciscovaladez9801]

Everybody gangsta until Eric says "Alexa, quiet!"

[@safe4547]

I'd pay a fortune just to have a tea talk with Eric.

[@8bitprodigy145]

please make a video on the vukovic gambit

[@worldwidehappiness]

What's the best defensive opening for a beginner playing white vs a GM? I mean, is there an opening line a beginner to memorise that will keep the game going as long as possible, regardless of what the GM plays?