Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit
The Ponziani Gambit is 3.d4 against the Berlin Defense, opening the center while Black's only developed piece is the f6 knight. Black's main answer is ...exd4, and then Nf3 reaches the Urusov Gambit, where White plays for open lines and quick development.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4
- ECO
- C24
- Engine
- −0.15 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 1,961 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 58.8%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- After ...exd4, Nf3 heads for the Urusov setup: White regains d4 later or plays e5 to hit the f6 knight.
- If Black plays ...Nc6, the push d5 drives the knight back to b8 and gains space.
- Against ...Qe7, dxe5 and exf6 punish the queen move with a strong center, as the third engine line shows.
Black
- ...exd4 is best: it takes a pawn and opens the e-file for Black's pieces.
- After Nf3, ...Bb4+ and ...d5 return material to finish development, as the main engine line shows.
- ...Nxe4 at once is a riskier grab; White gets Qxd4 and fast development for the pawn.
Plans and pawn structure
This is an open game where time matters more than pawns. White wants Nf3, castling and e5, or quick piece play against f7 with the c4 bishop. Black should return a pawn if needed to finish development with ...d5, which also blunts the c4 bishop. If Black castles safely in an open position, White's gambit has failed; if not, the e-file and the f7 square decide the game.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.15: level. Its three top choices for Black:
- −0.15 3...exd4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3
- +0.23 3...Nc6 4.d5 Nb8 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.h3
- +0.90 3...Qe7 4.Nf3 d5 5.dxe5 dxc4 6.exf6
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
1,961 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 58.8%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Urusov Gambit3...exd4 · 684 games
- Urusov Gambit, Panov Variation3...exd4 · rare
How to play against it
As Black, take with ...exd4. After Nf3, ...Bb4+ and ...d5 are the cleanest way to break White's initiative. Avoid ...Qe7, which blocks the f8 bishop and walks into dxe5 with a clear edge for White.
Questions
What are the moves of the Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit?
The Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit starts 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4. Its ECO code is C24.
Is the Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.15 at depth 20, which is level. In 1,961 lichess games from our sample, White scored 58.8%. A good practical weapon for White players who enjoy open games; a well-prepared Black player equalizes by returning the pawn at the right time.
What is the main idea of the Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit?
White opens the center at once with d4, offering a pawn for fast development. Black takes with ...exd4 and then gives material back with ...Bb4+ and ...d5 to finish development safely.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is exd4, with Nc6 and Qe7 close behind. 3...exd4 takes the pawn and opens lines for Black's own pieces, the most principled reply.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.