Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (3… Nf6 4. d3)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3
The Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack is a chess opening classified as ECO C44, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3. It is a line of the Ponziani Opening. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4,684 times by this move order. White won 47%, 5% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 4… Bc5 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.14 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4… d5 5. Nbd2 a5 6. Be2 Bd6 7. exd5)
- ECO
- C44
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/4P3/2PP1N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2,421 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,133 | |
| 2000+ | 130 | |
| All | 4,684 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Bc5 | 1,802 (38%) | |
| 4… d5 Jaenisch Counterattack (4. d3 d5) | 1,153 (25%) | |
| 4… d6 | 566 (12%) | |
| 4… h6 | 436 (9%) | |
| 4… Be7 | 433 (9%) | |
| 4… Bd6 | 93 (2%) | |
| 4… g6 | 71 (2%) | |
| 4… a6 | 52 (1%) |
Master games
82 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 20%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Sergei Movsesian (2658) – GM Laurent Fressinet (2702) 0-1 · World Blitz 2015 · 2015-10-14
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM Alexander Morozevich (2659) 1-0 · Titled Arena Jan 2nd 2021 · 2021-01-02
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM Mateusz Bartel (2635) 0-1 · European Online CC GpG · 2021-03-27
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM Evgeny Postny (2605) 1/2-1/2 · C'Chartres Blitz Open · 2020-11-28
- GM Baadur Jobava (2568) – GM Jingyao Tin (2584) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid 2025 · 2025-12-26
Search all games of the Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- MandibleusZygomidus (2528) – Mallorca10Barcelona (2682) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- MandibleusZygomidus (2555) – unitedff (2616) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- WBoar (2542) – Bruno-Fernandesh-8 (2575) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (3. c3 Nf6) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6
Continuations
- Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (4. d3 d5) C44 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3 d5
More Ponziani Opening lines (all)
- Ponziani Opening C44
- Ponziani Opening: Caro Gambit C44
- Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (4… d5 5. Nbd2) C44
- Ponziani Opening: Leonhardt Variation C44
- Ponziani Opening: Neumann Gambit C44
- Ponziani Opening: Ponziani Countergambit C44
- Ponziani Opening: Ponziani Countergambit, Schmidt Attack C44
- Ponziani Opening: Romanishin Variation C44
- Ponziani Opening: Réti Variation C44
- Ponziani Opening: Spanish Variation C44
- Ponziani Opening: Spanish Variation, Harrwitz Attack, Nikitin Gambit C44
- Ponziani Opening: Steinitz Variation C44
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.