Tree path 6 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Normal Variation › Ponziani Opening › Jaenisch Counterattack › Ponziani Opening: Vukovic Gambit
C44

Ponziani Opening: Vukovic Gambit

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Overview

Ponziani Opening: Vukovic Gambit is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO C44 in the Open Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.

The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.

Play reaches this position via 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 Nxe4 5. d5 Bc5, after 10 plies of opening development.

In the opening tree, this line branches off from Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.

Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.

ECO code
C44
Group
Open Games (C)
Plies
10
Parent
Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

43,763 games · White 40.4% / Draw 3.5% / Black 56.1%

MovesGamesW / D / B
dxc625,367
Be317,418
Qe2337
Nxe5215
Bd389
Qa465
Qc254
Be250

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:17:09

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