Ponziani scheme

The world championship qualifier, known as the Candidates’ tournament, should now be underway in London. (For details see the website worldchess.com/candidates.) The favourite is Magnus Carlsen, who has identified Lev Aronian of Armenia as his most dangerous rival according to an interview in the Guardian with Stephen Moss. If Magnus fails to rise to the occasion, I favour Vladimir Kramnik, who usually plays well in London, where he was crowned world champion in 2000 when he defeated Kasparov.
 
One of Carlsen’s great strengths is his ability to adopt seemingly harmless openings and then manoeuvre endlessly until the opponent cracks. A case in point was his victory with the antediluvian Ponziani Opening, which he used to great effect at Wijk aan Zee earlier this year.
 
Carlsen-Harikrishna: Wijk aan Zee 2013; Ponziani Opening
 
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 Nf6 4 d4 d5 Here I would be inclined to play the sharp 4 … Nxe4 5 d5 Bc5 6 dxc6 Bxf2+ 7 Ke2 bxc6 with distinct compensation for the piece. When Carlsen found himself on the black side, Hou Yifan-Carlsen, Wijk aan Zee 2013, he tried 4 … exd4 5 e5 Nd5 6 Bc4 Nb6 7 Bb3 d5 8 cxd4 Bg4 9 Be3 f6 10 0-0 Qd7 with a balanced position. 5 Bb5 exd4 5 … Nxe4 was seen in an old game also played in London: 6 Nxe5 Bd7 7 Qb3 Nxe5 8 Qxd5 Qe7 9 Qxb7 Bxb5 10 Qxa8+ Kd7 11 dxe5?? (correct is 11 Qd5+, keeping the advantage) 11 … Qxe5 12 Be3 Bc5 (sacrificing the second rook) 13 Qxh8 Nxf2 14 Kd2 Bxe3+ 15 Kc2 Qe4+ 16 Kb3 Qa4 with a spectacular mate (Wayte-Ranken, London 1890). 6 e5 Ne4 7 Nxd4 Bd7 8 Bxc6 bxc6 9 0-0 Be7 10 Be3 0‑0 11 Nd2 Nc5 12 b4 Nb7 13 f4 a5 (see diagram 1) 14 f5 One might have expected the solid 14 a3.