Openings 1.e4 c5: the Sicilian
Smith-Morra Gambit: Lines, the Siberian Trap and Stats by Rating
3.c3 gives a pawn to get fast development and open lines against the Sicilian. White’s pieces flood the board (Nc3, Nf3, Bc4, O-O, Qe2, Rd1) while Black is still finishing development.
B21Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
Games from this position (1600–1999): 31k
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 68% | 21k | ||
| 8% | 2,352 | ||
| 7% | 2,133 | ||
| 5% | 1,570 | ||
| 4% | 1,357 | ||
| 3% | 813 | ||
| 2% | 638 | ||
| 2% | 496 | ||
| 1% | 434 |
Plans for both sides
White
- After 3...dxc3 4.Nxc3, aim the pieces at d6 and f7: Bc4, Nf3, O-O, Qe2 and Rd1.
- The open c- and d-files are your compensation; use them before Black catches up.
- If Black declines with 3...Nf6 or 3...d5, you get an Alapin-style game.
Black
- Accepting is fine; develop with ...Nc6, ...e6, ...a6 and ...Nge7 or ...Nf6, and castle.
- Declining with 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 or 3...d5 avoids all the theory.
- Watch out for Nb5 and Nd5 jumps and the Siberian trap (below).
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Smith-Morra Gambit at each rating
How often the position after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.
| Rating | Games (Share of games) | White · Draw · Black | Top next move |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1200 | 1,120<0.1% | 3...dxc370% | |
| 1200–1599 | 10k0.2% | 3...dxc372% | |
| 1600–1999 | 31k0.5% | 3...dxc368% | |
| 2000+ | 16k0.8% | 3...dxc354% | |
| All | 58k0.3% | 3...dxc365% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
White has full development; Black is solid and a pawn up. The battle is over d6.
87 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 46%, 7% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1Black transposes to an Alapin-style position and avoids the gambit.
9,182 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 47%, 7% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5Black hits the center at once. Simple and good.
3,259 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 53%, 6% were drawn, Black won 41%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4
Common traps
The Siberian trap
In this common setup, 9.h3?? walks into 9...Nd4!: the knight hits the queen, and 10.Nxd4 allows 10...Qh2 mate. Before you play h3 here, look at what the g4 knight and the c7 queen do to h2.
Fewer than 6 games in our data reached the end of this line.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Qc7 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2 Ng4 9.h3 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Qh2#(ends in mate)Advertisement
At club level
Below 2000 White scores better with the Morra than in the average Sicilian. As Black, if you do not know the lines, decline it.
Practice it
The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.
Related openings
- Sicilian Defense
1.e4 c5
- Closed Sicilian
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3
- Alapin Sicilian
1.e4 c5 2.c3
- Rossolimo Attack
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
- Sicilian Najdorf
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
- Sicilian Taimanov
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6