Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (4. d3 d5)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3 d5
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 d5. It is a line of the Ponziani Opening. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,153 times by this move order. White won 45%, 5% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 5. exd5 (52% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.14 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 5. Nbd2 Bd6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O a5)
- ECO
- C44
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3pp3/4P3/2PP1N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 616 | |
| 1500-1999 | 498 | |
| 2000+ | 39 | |
| All | 1,153 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. exd5 | 605 (52%) | |
| 5. Bg5 | 199 (17%) | |
| 5. Nbd2 Jaenisch Counterattack (4… d5 5. Nbd2) | 117 (10%) | |
| 5. Qc2 | 83 (7%) | |
| 5. Be2 | 56 (5%) | |
| 5. Qe2 | 23 (2%) | |
| 5. h3 | 18 (2%) | |
| 5. d4 | 12 (1%) |
Master games
39 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 21%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- GM Baadur Jobava (2713) – GM Maxim Matlakov (2714) 1/2-1/2 · 18th ch-EUR Indiv 2017 · 2017-06-10
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) 1-0 · Titled Arena Jan 2nd 2021 · 2021-01-02
- GM Baadur Jobava (2712) – GM Falko Bindrich (2604) 1-0 · TCh-AUT 2017-18 · 2017-11-16
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM Quang Liem Le (2709) 1-0 · Online Olym Top DivA 2020 · 2020-08-21
- GM Baadur Jobava (2603) – GM David Navara (2697) 1-0 · MrDodgy Invitational 2 · 2021-05-14
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 (2537) – Sacrifice_chaser (2541) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (3… Nf6 4. d3) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3
Continuations
- Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (4… d5 5. Nbd2) C44 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. Nbd2
More Ponziani Opening lines (all)
- Ponziani Opening C44
- Ponziani Opening: Caro Gambit C44
- Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (3. c3 Nf6) 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.