B21 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
6/6
1.e4c52.d4cxd43.c3dxc3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted8.4M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
88%7.4M54%
9.8%829k51%
0.1%10k38%
0.1%8.9k49%
0.1%6.7k46%
0%3.9k46%
0%88042%
0%65943%
0%63150%
Famous games in this line1.5k master games
Brodda, Wolfgang (2607) – Lecroq, Michel (2608)Kamsky, Gata (2705) – Andreikin, Dmitry (2509)Adams, Michael (2610) – Nunn, John DM (2595)Berg, E. (2549) – Khairullin, I. (2651)Kharlov, Andrei (2555) – Dolmatov, Sergey (2610)Ohtake, Sakae (2546) – Winkler, Dr. Thorsten (2619)Zhigalko, Sergei (2671) – Tihonov, Jurij (2474)Cuartas, Ja (2492) – Bachmann, Ax (2653)Heroes of this opening Andreikin, Dmitry · Adams, Michael · Kharlov, Andrei · Ohtake, Sakae
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B21
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3
Gambit
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish VariationB21 4.Nf3Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Kan FormationB21 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Fianchetto DefenseB21 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 g6Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Pin DefenseB21 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Bb4
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening