Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack 4…d5 5. Nbd2
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Statistics from Lichess
75,466 games: White 49.5% / Draw 5.1% / Black 45.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 30,73631K | ||
| 11,75412K | ||
| 10,71911K | ||
| 6,0566,056 | ||
| 4,1304,130 | ||
| 4,0084,008 | ||
| 3,9043,904 | ||
| 1,9621,962 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.15 The position is about equal
Best play: 5... Bd6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O Re8 8. Re1 h6 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Bf1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (ECO C44, Open Games) is a variation of the Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. Nbd2 (5 moves).
In 75,466 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.5%, Black 45.3% and 5.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…dxe4, in 41% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 5. Nbd2
5…a5 scores best for Black: 55.9%, with Black winning 52.9% and White 41.0% of 4,008 games. The most played, 5…dxe4, scores 46.3% in 31K games, and 5…d4 scores lowest: 42.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…Bd6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (C44)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ponziani-opening-jaenisch-counterattack-4