1.Taimanov Variation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 e6

5.Bc4 a6

6.Nf3 Ne7

In the Taimanov variation of the sicilian defense,though the d6 square seems to be temporarily weak, white cannot capitalize on this weakness with immediate effect as the a6 pawn is preventing white’s infiltration of the black’s camp with Nb5. Black’s knight comfortably sits on the g6 square and later on e5 square and exchanges the minor piece and exchanging pieces give black a main advantage as the game inches towards the endgame if black holds the pawn advantage,he will be able to convert the game into victory. Below is an example game:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 a6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.Bg5 Qc7 8.Bb3 Ng6 9.0-0 Bd6 10.h4 h6 11.Be3 Nc6 12.h5 Nge7 13.Qd2 0-0 14.Rfd1 Be5 15.Nxe5 Qxe5 16.Qe2 d5 17.exd5 exd5 18.Nxd5 Nf5 19.Nb6 Ncd4 20.Qc4

A mistake deviating from the white’s kingside defense

Nf3+ 21.gxf3 Nxe3 22.fxe3 Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Qxf3+ 24.Kh2 Qh3+ 25.Kg1 Qxe3+ 26.Kh2 Qh3+ 27.Kg1 Qg3+ 28.Kh1 Bg4 29.Qxg4 Qxg4 30.Nxa8 Rxa8 31.Rf1 Qxh5+ 32.Kg1 Rf8 33.Rf2 Qg4+ 34.Kh1 g5 35.Raf1 Kg7 36.Rxf7+ Rxf7 37.Rxf7+ Kg6 38.Rf2 h5 39.Kh2 Qd4 40.Kg2 g4

And the pawn majority with the queen helps in converting the game to victory

2.Kan Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 e6

5.Nf3 a6

In the Kan formation of sicilian defense,black knight is not developed on the e7 square and black focuses on fianchettoing the bishop on the b7 square which might be developed immediately to put pressure on the e4 pawn and moreover gains a tempo on the bishop on c4 square.Below is a game:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 b5 7.Bb3 Bb7 8.0-0 Ne7

This move blockades the bishop development on the e7 square

9.Bg5 f6 10.Be3 Ng6 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5

A mistake!

exd5 13.exd5 Bd6 14.Nd4 Ne7 15.Re1 Kf8 16.Qd2 Qa5

Diversion!

17.Bf4 Qc7 18.Rxe7 Bxf4 19.Qe2 Bxh2+ 20.Kh1 Be5 21.Ne6+

Queen is lost and thereby the game!

3.Classical Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 d6

6.Bc4 a6

7.0-0 Nf6

A standard setup in the sicilian defense which involves black being on the defensive side. If you like a slow gameplay with maintaining the positional play then this opening is definitely for you.If you allow black to stabilize the position then the endgame is going to be a downhill for white.Let’s look at the game below:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bg4 9.Qb3 e6 10.Rfd1 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Qc7 12.Rac1 Be7 13.Bf1 0-0 14.Nd5 exd5 15.exd5 Qd7 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Qa4 Rfc8 18.a3 d5 19.b4 h6 20.Bxa6 Qa7 21.b5 c5 22.Qc2 Rd8 23.a4

The central passer Power!

d4 24.a5 Nd5 25.Bd2 Nc7 26.b6 Qxa6 27.bxc7 Rdc8 28.Bf4 Qf6 29.Bg3 Rxa5

Capturing the sidelined pawn.

30.Qe4 Bd6 31.Rb1

A slow response!

Bxg3 32.fxg3 Qd6 33.Rb8 Qxc7 34.Rb7 Qc6

And the two passers get the black player to victory

4.Schevenengin Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 d6

6.Bc4 e6

Are you looking for a decent comfortable position from the opening? Then you have crossed the right path. In this position, black has an extra pawn with a comfortable position. The need here is to hold on to the position with comfortable edge which may get black to victory.Let us see in the game how black continues:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 e5 10.Bb5 Bg4 11.Bg5 0-0 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Rac1 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Be7 17.Ne2 Qd7

Queen seems to be beautifully placed on the b6 allowing for an attack

18.Qc3 Qe6 19.Qxc6 Qxa2 20.Nc3 Qxb2 21.Nd5 Bg5 22.Rb1 Qe2

This move poises a threat for black as his queen seems to be diverted from the d6 pawn and black can only see a draw incoming.

23.Re1 Qh5 24.Qxd6 Bd2 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Qxd2

A blunder paving the way to victory for white

5.Paulsen Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 a6

In the other variations of smith morra gambit, there is a delay in the development of the knight to c6. Black’s primary focus is to give itself a square on the e5 rather than on the f6 square for the knight. Though the space advantage for white might actually nullify the grace pawn present for the black player.

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nf3 a6 7.a4 Nge7 8.h4 Ng6 9.h5 Nge5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Ba2

Bc5 12.f4 Nc6 13.h6 Rg8

Opening up the king side for white to attack

14.e5 Bb4 15.Qg4 f5 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.Bd2 d5 18.0-0-0 Bd7 19.f5 0-0-0 20.Bg5 gxh6 21.Bxf6 Rxg4 22.Bxd8 Kxd8 23.fxe6 Bxc3 24.Rxd5 Rd4 25.bxc3 Rxd5 26.Bxd5 Ne7 27.c4 Bxa4 28.Bxb7 a5 29.Rxh6 Kc7 30.Bd5 Kd6 31.Rxh7 Bb3 32.Rxe7 Kxe7 33.Kb2 Bd1 34.Ka3 Kd6 35.g3 Bg4 36.Ka4 Kc5 37.e7 Bd7+ 38.Kxa5 Kd6 39.g4 Kxe7 40.g5 Kd6 41.Kb6 Bf5 42.Bg8 Bd3 43.c5+ Ke7 44.Bb3 Bf5 45.c6 Bd7 46.c7 Bc6 47.Bd5 Kd7 48.c8Q+ Kd6

And a lost game!

6.Morphy Defense Deferred/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 a6

7.0-0 b5

8.Bb3 Bc5

All the Smith Morra gambit in the sicilian defense involves the sacrifice of c pawn which gives white d open file and c open file. White rooks dominate the two open files with black having the compensation of an extra pawn. In the morphy defense deferred black does not have any immediate action plan of playing the pawn move to d6 in the near future as the bishop is out to the c5 square.Below is the game:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.0-0 b5 8.Bb3 Bc5 9.Qe2 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Bxd4 11.Rd1 Qb6 12.Nd5 exd5 13.exd5+ Ne7 14.d6 Bxf2+ 15.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nc6 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Bf4 Bb7 19.Bc2 Nd4 20.Bd3 Re8 21.Rxe8+ Kxe8 22.Re1+ Ne6 23.Rc1

A mistake overseeing a threat

Nxf4 24.Be4 Kd8

Here white realized Bb7 comes with a fork on the d3 square

25.Bf5 Bc6 26.Rc3 g6 27.Bg4 f5 28.Bd1 Re8 29.a4 b4 30.Rc4 Nd3+ 31.Kg3 Re3+ 32.Bf3 Ke8 33.h3 Kf7 34.h4 a5 35.Kh2 Bxf3 36.gxf3 Ke6 37.Rc8 Kxd6 38.Ra8 Re5 39.Rh8 Nxb2

And completely lost

7.Larsen Defense/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 a6

7.0-0 qc7

8.Qe2 Bd6

Here comes the new move in the opening Qc7.Until now we have observed that knight on g8 moves into e7 and then to g6 and e5 but the move Bd6 provokes a direct threat of the h2 pawn though currently not possible. Black wants to expedite the castle of his king at the earliest. We can see in the below game,the complication present in these positions.

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Qc7 8.Qe2 Bd6

9.Bb3 Nf6 10.Re1 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.f4 Bd4+ 13.Kh1 h5 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Qb6 16.Qd3 0-0 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 a5 19.Rg3 Qb4 20.Rf1 a4 21.a3 Qc5 22.Ba2 f5

This move creates a hole in the black’s camp not allowing for the g6 defensive move.

23.Qe2 Qd4 24.Rd3 Qf6 25.Rc1 h4 26.Rc7 b6 27.h3 Kh7 28.dxe6 dxe6 29.Rd6 Qg6 30.Qf2 Qg3 31.Qxg3 hxg3 32.Rd3 Kh6 33.Rxg3 g6 34.Rgc3 Rb8 35.Re7 b5 36.Rcc7 Rh8 37.Kh2 b4 38.h4 Rb6 39.Bc4 bxa3 40.bxa3 Rd6 41.Kh3 Ba6 42.Bxe6 Rd3+ 43.Kh2 Re3 44.Bxf5

Attacking the Bishop on the a6 indirectly

Rxe7 45.Rxe7 gxf5 46.Re6+ Kh5 47.Rxa6 Rd8 48.g3 Rd3 49.Ra7 Kg4 50.Rg7+ Kf3 51.h5 Rd1 52.Rg6 Ra1 53.h6 Rxa3 54.Kh3 Ra1 55.Kh4 Rg1 56.Kg5 Rxg3+ 57.Kxf5 Rh3 58.Ra6 Rh2 59.Rxa4 Rxh6 60.Kg5 Rh8 61.f5 Rg8+ 62.Kh5 Rh8+ 63.Kg6 Rg8+ 64.Kf7 Rc8 65.f6 Rc7+ 66.Kf8 Rb7 67.f7 Rb1 68.Ra8

White is clearly winning from this position.

8.Pin Defense/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 Bb4

In the pin defense of the smith morra gambit,the dark squared black bishop focuses the effort in pinning the knight temporarily. If you are afraid of any pins that might come towards your end then you have to beware of this kind of setup.

Below is a game:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Bb4 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Qe2 0-0 9.Rd1 Ng6 10.Be3 a6 11.Rac1 b5 12.Bb3 Bb7 13.Qd3 Qb8 14.a3 Be7 15.Ba2 Kh8 16.Bb6 Nce5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Qe3 f5 19.f3

The spearheaded attack needs to be thwarted

h6 20.Nxb5

Blunder!

Bg5

And the game is lost!

9.Morphy Defense/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2. d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 Bc5

In the morphy defense,the bishop eyes a counter on the f2 square. The move might also prove effective only when knight moves to f6 square. But it is not done so in this position as the ideal square for the knight is the e5 square.Thereby approaching a position where bishop cannot be developed on the e3 square. Below is the game for the demonstration:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Bc5 7.0-0 Nge7 8.a3 Ng6 9.b4 Bb6 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Bb3 d6 12.Nb5 Nce5 13.Kh1 Nxf3 14.Qxf3 a6 15.Nd4 Qh4 16.Rad1 Bd7 17.g3 Qh3 18.Qe2 Ne5 19.a4 Rac8 20.f3 Rfd8 21.g4 Ng6 22.Qe1 h5 23.gxh5 Nf4 24.Qg3 Qxg3

A bad idea!

25.hxg3 Nxh5 26.Kg2 Nf6 27.Rh1 Kf8 28.g4 Ke7 29.g5 Ne8 30.Rh7 Ba7 31.Ne2 g6

A Blunder!

32.Nf4 Bc6 33.Nxg6+

A checkmate in the next move

10.Sozin Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Accepted

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 dxc3

4.Nxc3 Nc6

5.Nf3 e6

6.Bc4 d6

7.0-0 a6

8.Qe2 b5

In the sozin formation of the smith morra gambit,black expedites the attack on the white’s queenside. White having a space advantage has a lot to play for. Black has a solid centre as always in these positions which determines the limited scope of defensive ideas for black which can be capitalized by the wide range of attacks that white has under his arsenal.The below game demonstrates white’s idea in this opening:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.0-0 d6 8.Qe2 b5 9.Bb3 Ra7 10.Rd1 Rd7 11.Be3 Nf6 12.Nxb5 axb5 13.Qxb5 Bb7 14.e5

A beginning of a downfall in the position.

Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Bb6 Qa8 17.exd6 Bxd6 18.Rxd5 Ba6 19.Qa4 Bxh2+ 20.Kh1

Bishop has been left lurking near white king’s camp!

Rxd5 21.Qe4+ Ne7 22.Qa4+ Qc6 23.Qxa6 Bc7

A piece is lost!

11.Center Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Declined

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 e5

Center formation of the smith morra gambit gives black a weak d pawn apart from which there seems to be no other weakness which white will be capable of exploiting. Like other openings this is not one thing that black might actually be comfortable playing with but still the d4 pawn is not one such which can be grabbed easily. Below is the game which demonstrates the opening play:

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e5 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 exd4 5.Nf3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bc5 7.b4 Bb6 8.a4 d5 9.a5 Bc7 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Na3 d3 12.Be3 Bf5 13.Nd4 Bd6 14.f3 Bxb4+ 15.Kf2 Ne7 16.g4 Bg6 17.h4 h5 18.gxh5 Rxh5 19.Bh3 a6 20.Bg4 Re5 21.Qa4+ Nbc6 22.Nxc6 Nxc6 23.h5 Rxe3 24.hxg6 Re2+

The position is down for white

12.Alapin Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Declined

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 Nf6

The alapin formation of the smith morra gambit prevents white from getting two open files and also white does not get an additional lead in the development. Though the alapin variation may be having quite a dynamic position it is having minute complications in the position.The below game demonstrates such complications:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.cxd4 e6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Bd3 d6 8.a3 dxe5 9.dxe5 g6 10.0-0 Bg7 11.Qe2 0-0 12.Re1 b6 13.Bd2 Bb7 14.Nc3 Na5 15.Rad1 Nb3 16.Ne4 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 Qe7 18.Nd6 Rad8 19.h4

A hurried move!

Bxe5 20.Nxb7 Bf4 21.Qe2 Qxb7 22.Be4 Qb8 23.h5 Nf6 24.hxg6 hxg6 25.Bd3 Kg7 26.g3 Bc7 27.Kg2 Rd5 28.Bc4 Rxd1 29.Rxd1 Rd8 30.Rc1 Qb7

Equalizes the position

31.Bb5 Bd6 32.Bc6 Qe7 33.b4 e5 34.Nd2 a5 35.bxa5 Bxa3 36.Rb1 bxa5 37.Bf3 Bb4 38.Ne4 Nxe4 39.Qxe4 Rd4 40.Qe3 Bd2 41.Qe2 e4 42.Kg1 Bb4 43.Bg2 Rd2 44.Qe3 Qc5 45.Qf4 Qf5 46.Qe3 Qc5 47.Qf4 Qf5 48.Qe3 Qc5 49.Qe1 Rb2 50.Qf1 Rxb1 51.Qxb1 e3 52.fxe3 Qxe3+ 53.Kh2 Bd6 54.Qb2+ Be5 55.Qb5 Qxg3+ 56.Kg1 Qe1+ 57.Bf1 Qe3+ 58.Kg2 Qg3+

And it’s a checkmate in the next move!

13.Wing Formation/Smith Morra Gambit Declined

1.e4 c5

2.d4 cxd4

3.c3 Qa5

In the wing formation,the queen actually rides out in the open on the queenside with staging a provocation on the white’s part. Though black has to be careful of each move he decides with his queen. It is interesting to note that the position is dynamically open for white’s play.The below game demonstrates the opening played at the GM level:

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Qa5 4.Bd2 Qb6 5.cxd4 e6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.e5 Nd5 9.Bc4 Nxc3 10.bxc3 d5 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Bd3 h6 14.Qe2 Qd8 15.Rab1 Re8 16.Rfe1 Rb8 17.Rb5 Bd7 18.Rh5 f5 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bf8 21.g4 g6 22.Rh3 Bc6 23.gxf5 Qd5 24.Be4 Qxe4 25.Qxe4 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 exf5 27.Rc4 Rxe5 28.Bf4 Re1+ 29.Kg2 Rd8 30.Bxh6 Rdd1 31.Rc8 Rg1+ 32.Kf3 Rd3+ 33.Be3 Rgd1 34.Ke2 Rd8 35.Rc7 Rb1

Allowing white to infiltrate the position

36.Bd4 Re8+ 37.Kf3 Be7 38.Rh8+ Kf7 39.Rxe8

Exchanging off the piece which allows black to neutralize the situation

Kxe8 40.Bxa7 Kd8 41.Rc4 Rb2 42.a4 b6 43.Rc6 Bc5 44.Rxg6 Rxf2+ 45.Kg3 f4+ 46.Kh3 Ra2 47.Bxb6+ Bxb6 48.Rxb6 Rxa4 49.Rb4 Ra3 50.Rc4 f3 51.Kg3 Ra2 52.h4 f2 53.Kg2 Rc2 54.h5 Ke7 55.h6 Kf7 56.h7 Kg7 57.Rh4 Kh8 58.c4 Re2 59.c5 Rc2 60.Rh5 Re2 61.Kf1 Rc2 62.Kg2 Re2 63.c6 Rc2 64.Rh6 Re2 65.Kf1 Rc2 66.Kg2 Re2 67.Kf1 Rc2 68.Kg2 Re2