Tree path 3 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Smith-Morra Gambit
B21

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit

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Overview

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit belongs to the gambit family of chess openings (ECO B21, Semi-Open Games). It trades material for attacking chances — a classic trade-off that has fascinated players from the Romantic era to modern correspondence chess.

The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.

It is reached after 3 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 c5 2. d4.

The line refines Sicilian Defense, which traces back to the root opening King's Pawn Game.

The line splits into 4 documented sub-systems: Sicilian Defense: Coles Sicilian Gambit, Sicilian Defense: Halasz Gambit, Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit, and others.

In total, the branch covers 29 sub-variations across all depths.

Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.

ECO code
B21
Group
Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies
3
Parent
Sicilian Defense
Direct variations
4
Total in subtree
29

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. A more detailed, human-written description is on the way — and you can speed it up by suggesting one yourself.

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Variations (4)

Show all 29 sub-variations (full subtree)