Great! It is this one! I am really elated! I was looking for this game about 15 years.

Hello,

I wonder if anyone has the full game M. Surtees - M. Hebden 1998 played in Ponziani 4. Qa4. I have got only first 16 moves of this game. I would be very grateful for the remaining moves.

That looks quite egregious, like something from the 19th century.  I'm thinking there was probably an Alekhine miniature with that line (4...Nf6; kind of similar is 4...Bd7).  I recall as normal something like 7. d3 0-0 8. Be2 Re8 9. Bg5.

Shouldn't this thread be in 1.e4 e5 Non-Spanish?

I'm hoping the following doesn't sound too harsh.

Peekay wrote on 02/05/15 at 15:20:26:


As a coach, this line of thinking in a student would indicate to me the student is not ready for the mindset of the Ponziani. This shows a need to study tactics, and forms of compensation for material (initiative, development, center control). Without understanding these dynamics you are misevaluating positions very early on, which makes dedicated opening a study a significant loss of time and resources.

It's immediately back to basics at this point. If my student was not willing to change their opening to an Italian (at this stage I would suggest 4.Ng5 in the Two Knights and the Evan's Gambit against 3...Bc5—4.b4!?) or the King's Gambit, then I would at least suggest they begin playing over a lot of games (especially annotated games) in these openings so they could develop a sense of gambit play and material compensation.

You have already managed to take one suggestion here in the Ponziani and apply it to improve one of your blitz games, but your play in the other game and line of thinking shown here suggest you will benefit a lot more from tactics training and studying master games than from dedicated opening study.

Peekay wrote on 02/05/15 at 17:39:06:


When your opponent is playing moves like 2...Qe7 and 3...a6, it's time to give up the system of development and develop actively. You don't need the extra center support of 4.c3 because your opponent is not doing their part in fighting for the center. Either 4.Nc3 and 5.d4 here or go for a plan of 4.0-0, 5.Re1, and 6.d4 to break open lines and make that queen feel awkward. Beyond that, when your opponent neglects their development, leaves their king in the center and creates weaknesses (3...a6 and 5...b6) it's time to open the center so your active pieces and open lines can punish them. 22.Rf5 was indeed a blunder that lost the game. But you had another significant blunder prior with 19.Nd3, simply hanging the pawn to 19...Qxe4 when Black would have been better. These are both one move tactics which need to be prioritized over openings in your training.

Woohoo!!

Here comes my first victory  thanks to 5e5. Here's the game. I'm Jiji

[Date "February 5, 2015"]
[White "Jiji"]
[Black "Gevorgyan from Armemia"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Ng4 
6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 h5 8. Be2 g6 9. h3 Nh6 10. Bg5 Ne7 
11. O-O d6 12. Qa4+

[quote author=6E5B5B555F473E0 link=1423123617/3#3 date=1423139904
The advantage of 4Bd3 is that it points straight to h8. So if (and usually they do) black castles short side, white only needs a check at h8 with his queen and it's kissing the dust for black (only that I rarely get the opportunity to do this but the possibility is very alluring )
[/quote]

If you're looking to improve I'd recommend against playing lines in the hope that you're opponent will fall for a trick in this way. It might work out occasionally now but less and less as you play stronger players.

If you want to stick with the Ponziani I'd recommend looking at 4.d4 (after 3...Nf6). I'm no expert on it but I believe this is what is usually played there. The ideas are:
1) 4...Nxe4 can be met with 5.d5 gaining space followed by winning back the pawn on e5
2) 4...exd4 is met by pushing the other central pawn with 5.e5 followed by re-capturing on d4.

It certainly looks better than 4.Bd3 d5! Besides, you can always put your bishop on d3 later if you want