Tree path 4 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Smith-Morra Gambit › Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Smith-Morra Gambit B21
- Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit B21 you are here
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit is a gambit, classified under ECO code B21 within the Semi-Open Games family. As with all gambits, one side sacrifices material early — usually a pawn — in exchange for development, open lines, or initiative.
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.
The line arises from 5 plies — specifically the moves 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3.
It is a variation of Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit, which itself descends from the root opening King's Pawn Game.
It is the root of 6 named variations, with Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Alapin Formation, Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation, and others among the most studied.
Together the deeper variations number 24 across the full subtree.
Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.
- ECO code
- B21
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 5
- Direct variations
- 6
- Total in subtree
- 24
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.
Statistics from Lichess
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Variations (6)
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Alapin Formation
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Push Variation
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Scandinavian Formation
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Wing Formation
Show all 24 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 6-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Alapin Formation 6-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation 6-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Push Variation 6-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Scandinavian Formation 6-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Wing Formation 6-ply
- B21 Chicago Defense 14-ply
- B21 Classical Formation 14-ply
- B21 Danish Variation 7-ply
- B21 Fianchetto Defense 10-ply
- B21 Finegold Defense 16-ply
- B21 Kan Formation 10-ply
- B21 Morphy Defense 12-ply
- B21 Paulsen Formation 12-ply
- B21 Pin Defense 12-ply
- B21 Scheveningen Formation 12-ply
- B21 Siberian Variation 12-ply
- B21 Sozin Formation 16-ply
- B21 Taimanov Formation 12-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Dubois Variation 7-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense 18-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Larsen Defense 16-ply
- B21 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense Deferred 16-ply
- B21 Siberian Trap 16-ply