The Bishop’s Opening is one of the oldest openings to be analyzed. Black has a wide range of options for their second move, since White’s second move does not pose an immediate threat.
The Ponziani Gambit, which involves White playing 3. d4, is a more assertive approach to countering the Berlin Defense. This move allows White to launch a direct attack in the center.
1. e4 e5 2. ♗c4 ♞f6 3. d4
Let’s have a look at the two most common lines. Black usually decides to capture one of the offered pawns, especially if they aren’t prepared for the d-pawn advance.