Smith-Morra Gambit
{{Chess diagram|=
tright | = | nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|= | | | | | | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | | | | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
In chess, the Smith-Morra Gambit (or simply Morra Gambit) is a gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 (the moves are given in algebraic notation). It is not common in Grandmaster games, but at club level chess it is an excellent weapon.
How to play it
*1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3
White sacrifices a pawn to develop quickly and create attacking chances. In exchange for the gambit pawn, White has a piece developed and a pawn in the center, while Black has nothing but an empty space on c7.{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | |bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|= | |nd| | | | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | | | | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
*4... Nc6
Play statistics are: White won 38% Black won 42% Draw 20%
Crafty 20.14 evaluates this position at a depth = 17 2/45 as -0.08 (+ = advantage for white)
Kasparov played Nc6 in Landa - Kasparov 1988 with a draw resulting.
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | |bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| | |pd|pd|pd|pd|= | |nd|pd| | | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 5. Nf3 d6
*5. Nf3 d6
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | |bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd| |pd|pd|pd|= | |nd| |pd| | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 5. Nf3 e6
*5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 d6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Rd1 e5 (see lower diagram)It would be nice if White plays the pawn to h3 now or on the following move to keep Black's bishop off of g4. (It should be noted that the above line is just one path of many that the game can take.)
{{Chess diagram|= | tright |
>rd| |bd|qd|kd| | |rd|= | pd| | |bd|pd|pd|pd|= | |nd|pd| |nd| | |= | | | |pd| | | |= | |bl| |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | |ql|pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|rl| | |kl| |=| A typical position resulting from the SMGA
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd| |pd|pd|pd|= | | | |pd| | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | | | | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
*4...e6
Play statistics are: White won 33% Black won 49% Draw 18%
Crafty 20.14 evaluates this position at a depth = 17 1/21 as -0.13 (+ = advantage for white)
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | |bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd| |pd|pd|pd|= | |nd| |pd| | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 4... e6 5. Nf3 Nc6
*4...e6 5. Nf3 Nc6
Play statistics are: White won 33% Black won 47% Draw 20% for > 100 games
Crafty 20.14 evaluates this position at a depth = 19 9/44 as -0.20 (+ = advantage for white)
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | nd|bd|qd|kd| |nd|rd|= | pd| |pd| |pd|pd|pd|= | | | |pd| | | |= | |bd| | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 4... e6 5. Nf3 Bc5
*5. Nf3 Bc5 6. Bc4 d6 7. O-O a6
Play statistics are: White won 18% Black won 70% Draw 12% for 27 games
Crafty 20.14 evaluates this position at a depth = 18 1/44 as -0.06 (+ = advantage for white)
Recommended over Nc6 in order to set up for castling on the king side sooner. It is also more aggressive and attacks the pawn at f2, expecting white to also castle on the king side eventually.
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|= | pd| |pd| |pd|pd|pd|= | | | |pd| | | |= | | | | | | | |= | | | |pl| | | |= | |nl| | |nl| | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | |bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 4... e6 5. Nf3 a6
*5. Nf3 a6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qe2 Nc6
Play statistics are: White won 29% Black won 47% Draw 24%
Crafty 20.14 evaluates this position at a depth = 17 3/44 as +0.04 (+ = advantage for white)
{{Chess diagram|= | tright | = | nd|bd|qd|kd|bd| |rd|= | pd| |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|= | | | | |nd| | |= | | | | | | | |= | | |pd|pl| | | |= | |pl| | | | | |= | pl| | | |pl|pl|pl|= | nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|=| Smith-Morra Gambit Declined: Transpose to Alapin Sicilian
*1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6
If black wants to refuse the gambit, he can do so with 3... d5 or 3... Nf6, both of which transpose to the Sicilian Defense, Alapin Variation (usually introduced by the move order 1. e4 c5 2. c3).
3...Nf6 is a transposition to the Sicilian Defense, Alapin Variation
Alternatively, 3... d3 is the Smith-Morra declined proper, and leads to unique lines.
Another gambit against the Sicilian is the Wing Gambit (1. e4 c5 2. b4).*The Smith-Morra gambit
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