Smith-Morra Gambit
You play White · 19 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 8
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Classical FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O Nf67 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Taimanov FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Bc4 a6 6. Nf3 Ne76 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation, Siberian TrapB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. O-O Ng48 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Fianchetto DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 g66 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Fianchetto DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 g65 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Fianchetto DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Nf3 g65 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O a6 8. Qe2 b5 9. Bb3 Ra79 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. O-O a67 moves
Other variations · 11
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Finegold DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 Nf68 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Larsen DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qe2 a6 8. O-O Bd68 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense DeferredB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O b5 8. Bb3 Bc58 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Bc56 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Pin DefenseB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Bb46 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Kan FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 a65 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish VariationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nf34 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Dubois VariationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d3 4. c44 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 e53 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Scandinavian FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d53 moves
- Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Wing FormationB211. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Qa53 moves
What is the Smith-Morra Gambit?
The Smith-Morra Gambit is White's sharp answer to the Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3, offering a pawn. After 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 White has a lead in development and open c- and d-files for the pawn. White develops with Nf3, Bc4, O-O, Qe2 and Rd1, aiming the pieces at Black's king and the backward d-pawn. It is an open, attacking gambit rather than a main-line weapon, and it is not considered fully sound at the very top, but it is a very practical choice at club level: Black has to know what to do, and one careless move often loses on the spot.
Main ideas and plans
Against the Classical Formation with ...Nc6, ...d6, ...e6 and ...Nf6, your standard set-up is Bc4, O-O, Qe2 and Rd1, then Bf4 and Rac1, as in 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.O-O Nf6. The key ideas are pressure on d6, the e5 break, and piece sacrifices on d5 or b5 while Black's king is in the center. Against Taimanov, Kan and Chicago set-ups with ...a6 and ...b5, use Nd5 and e5 tricks before Black castles. In the Siberian Variation Black has a dangerous trick: after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Qc7 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.O-O Ng4 the natural h3 runs into ...Nd4, and if the knight is taken, ...Qh2 is mate.
Black can also decline. In the Push Variation, 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3, Black returns the pawn but your c-pawn stays on c3, so you lose the natural Nc3; the Dubois line with c4 is one answer. The Scandinavian Formation with ...d5 and the Center Formation with ...e5 give less tactical positions, and the Wing Formation with ...Qa5 is rarer. After 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 you reach Alapin-type positions. Have one clear answer ready for each, because many Sicilian players decline to avoid your preparation.
Who is it for?
The Smith-Morra suits attacking players who value initiative over material and want to avoid huge Open Sicilian theory. It needs less memorising than the Najdorf or Sveshnikov, but you must understand activity, open files and timing. If Black consolidates, the extra pawn usually tells in the endgame. Learn the Siberian trap and the classic punishment of a careless capture: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.e5 Nxe5 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qxd8 wins the queen.