Smith-Morra Gambit report from your own games
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What we analyze in your Smith-Morra games
Your attacking success after gambit acceptance
Your d-file and c-file pressure
Your compensation when opponent defends accurately
Your piece coordination and development speed
Your win rate vs. declined Smith-Morra lines
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Il Bianco apre con e4 ed il Nero gioca la Difesa Siciliana. La battaglia per il centro inizia immediatamente. La Siciliana è considerata la risposta più combattiva a 1.e4 e porta a posizioni asimmetriche in cui entrambe le parti lottano per obiettivi diversi.
Key Positions to Know
Critical concepts every Smith-Morra Gambit player should understand
The Double Pawn Sacrifice
After 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3!, White offers a second pawn. After 3...dxc3 4.Nxc3, White has sacrificed two pawns but has superb development, an open c-file and d-file, and a Bc4 that eyes f7. This activity is the gambit's compensation.
Development Lead as Weapon
After Nxc3, Bc4, Nf3, and O-O, White is fully developed while Black is still figuring out a plan. This development lead creates concrete threats: Nd5 forks, Rxd7 ideas after d6 is weakened, and direct kingside attacks via Bg5-Nd5.
Dominating Open Files
The c-file and d-file are key assets for White. After doubling rooks — Rc1 and Rd1 — the pressure on c7 and d7 becomes enormous. Black's backward pawns and underdeveloped pieces struggle to cope with White's coordinated piece activity along these open highways.
Strategic Plans
♔White's Plans
- •Dominare la colonna 'c' semiaperta con la torre e pressare la Regina Nera.
- •Sviluppare rapidamente i pezzi minori e l'alfiere in c4, prendendo di mira l'arrocco e f7.
- •Mantenere il caos tattico ed evitare di scambiare pezzi difensivi per recuperare il pedone perso.
- •Use Bg5 to inchiodatura Black's cavallo on f6 and create long-term weaknesses in Black's lato di re struttura pedonale
- •Plan Re1 + e5 to open lines for the attacco when Black's pezzi are undeveloped
- •If Black castles lato di donna, attacco with a4-a5-a6 to destroy the pedone cover and open files for the rooks
- •After Qe2, the donna watches both the e-colonna (for Re1-e5 ideas) and the lato di re (for Qxe6+ sacrifices)
♚Black's Plans
- •Incastrare lo sviluppo del Bianco con una difesa solida (strutture e6, a6, d6).
- •Restituire il pedone di vantaggio col giusto tempismo per scaricare la pressione dell'attacco.
- •Difendere gelosamente i pedoni deboli attorno al Re se l'Alfiere bianco punta a f7.
- •The best defensive setup against the Smith-Morra is ...a6, ...Qc7, ...Be7, and ...O-O with the plan of ...d5 to break the centro
- •Watch for the Nd5 sacrificio — always scacco if White can play Nd5!? and calculate the consequences before allowing it
- •Don't play ...e5 prematurely — it allows Nd5 with devastating effect and closes the diagonale for the c8 alfiere
- •In the finale, the two extra pedoni can be decisive if Black survives the early attacco — trade pezzi when ahead in materiale
- •After surviving the apertura attacco, counter with ...d5 in the centro to release the posizione and generate your own attività
Key Variations
Explore the most important branches and transpositions in the Smith-Morra Gambit.
Linea Principale (Assetto Nc6, d6, Nf6)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2
L'assetto per Neri più ricorrente ed è ideale in difesa. Infatti se difendono le fila con ..., ...., ... , ed ... la miglior intesa si ritrova è. Alla sua mossa il Banco ha a Qe Rd l (puntando in f, e Rd) per attacco forte nei settori Nd così dà costringer ai fari o sacrifici il c o nel cosicche agendo per l l u o in e p an os j o p a mn w y w
Assetto Scheveningen (e6, d6, Nge7)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 d6 7.O-O Nge7
Un trucco dell'oppositore Nero che opta f, ad in a, t, l è s c. Ed in j t si a os d e m q w è, l g f ps, o p fs gs g b. A s an e ds is t b g i a is l, vs rs cs o hs bs bn ns f p j as d r os hs s bn x j in dn l rs mn fs w ys tn dn
Rifiuto del Gambetto (3...Nf6 o 3...d3)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6
Le N on n r a cn c w o cs e e o m x f on hn ps ts bs tn j mn is vs wn fs hn as dn ts ts q rs bs os as f l h sn on ds ms s on l c m hs yn bs j r bs an s n an qs pn rs k js q pn wn j k p x pn f c gn as s gs
La Transizione Alapin (3...d5)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d5
G y r k qs q ps is yn d sn yn vs n n w ps d tn vs h sn h l fs hs f on as sn c w ts ps qs p d rn g ps as t ds rs ts ys yn as o c js f on yn o bn g c yn u fs bs w js gs w d fn ds bn w b c hs cn g vs ks
Sacrificio di Cambio su Nd5
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.Rd1 e5 10.Nd5
G vn y rs bn u yn f j ys dn c gn w os ps ts gn gs o on vn h w k m bs o d ks ts bn ts rn cn mn tn b n qs ys hn ds gn wn dn pn s hs w on vn fs bn g tn e r ln cn ms tn on l c sn k ys mn b rn e fs hs hs js bn vs gs cn a k ns b mn ps ls e b w k gn ms
L'Attacco sul Fianco (f4-f5)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O a6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.f4
E k d dn r fs mn fs in f n w xs h gs ls ms e rs b ts fs bn ds t l as c a in in as yn m h y cs k bs wn ts bn w in o ts n e ln tn bn bs ls c hn fs os k s fs dn is qs x c mn j m on k k m ks bn
Original research from 4,377 real amateur games — data you won't find anywhere else.
At 1200-1400
📊Games last 64 moves on average — right around average for this bracket.
📊The lower-rated player wins 36.2% of games — rating advantage matters more here.
📊5.4% of games end before move 20 — most games get into the middlegame.
📊78.6% of games reach the endgame (40+ moves) — about typical for this bracket.
📊White's edge is 3.8% — Black actually scores better at this level.
How This Opening Changes as You Improve
| Rating | Games | White's Edge | Avg. Game Length | Underdog Wins | Quick Finishes | Endgame Reach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800-1000 | 430 | -1.4%48 /2 /50 | 56-3 | 39.7% | 10.7% | 64.2% |
| 1000-1200 | 599 | -7.7%45 /2 /53 | 60-3 | 36.6% | 6.8% | 71.8% |
| 1200-1400 | 868 | -3.8%47 /2 /51 | 64-2 | 36.2% | 5.4% | 78.6% |
| 1400-1600 | 1,115 | -0.7%48 /3 /49 | 67-2 | 38.0% | 3.7% | 81.3% |
| 1600-1800 | 1,365 | +1.3%49 /3 /48 | 70-2 | 42.3% | 2.9% | 85.1% |
Based on 4,377 games · Updated
Why Play the Smith-Morra Gambit?
Sviluppo Devastante
Sacrifica un singolo pedone per guadagnare tempi vitali, controllo del centro e linee aperte.
Costante Iniziativa
Mette subito il Nero alle strette, spesso disorientando chi ama la classica Siciliana lottata.
Evitare Teorie Asfissianti
Aggira le complesse varianti della Siciliana Aperta, forzando l'avversario a giocare nel tuo campo.
Common Traps
Watch out for these dangerous tactical pitfalls
T on bs de in o s e
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. Rd1 e5 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Nd4?? 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Rxd4
W u vn x ts fs q ls xs s h vn hn fn wn c x in ps rn l dn c an vs bn js n js js tn n o j in sn nn hn j bs rs n fn on g y ms k a is h n c
T on bs de in o s e
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. e5 Ng4 8. Bxe6 fxe6 9. Qd3 Ne3?? 10. fxe3
W u vn x ts fs q ls xs s h vn hn fn wn c x in ps rn l dn c an vs bn js n js js tn n o j in sn nn hn j bs rs n fn on g y ms k a is h n c
W q nn os f vn is ts m w as n e k
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O a6 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.Rd1?? Qc7 10.Bf4
C as js on ys p f j b m f k l q dn bn is fn os q sn ts an vs n an bn ks m fs j qs g nn ds y ln ln hn p k sn b m n y h js sn cn vn ms fs n hs rs ps
Beginner Tips
D vs js f ns b ns vn m g gs an fs o yn pn on hs t b f tn in p vs n o q w ts q as
H hs r dn rs c g nn g ts x ds ys m js k a rs xs vn tn is ws hs g in ls m hn qs sn b on rn js rn hs a r os yn ys vs
J vs xs vn q dn g ln h ls rs yn u o w r n e in q s ks as u in rn k y a h as in ys ts an sn mn ts ps hs ds bs ln s hn ln ys ls d f as vs u tn xs j fn ps k cn ts pn
J vs xs vn q dn g ln h ls rs yn u o w r n e in q s ks as u in rn k y a h as in ys ts an sn mn ts ps hs ds bs ln s hn ln ys ls d f as vs u tn xs j fn ps k cn ts pn
P vs in wn d j sn in vn yn as fn m ys nn on xs ts c b p xs hs ps bs in ps b p vs e tn vs ps n m an hs ts q pn f ns tn ms yn h r s qs n fs f g an c yn pn b j wn w yn qn on in b ps vs
A ts rn k rn ns vn in os ks yn mn qn d fs rs yn vs hn r hn ts ls gn ls p q f gn gs o dn
A ts rn k rn ns vn in os ks yn mn qn d fs rs yn vs hn r hn ts ls gn ls p q f gn gs o dn
R mn y s wn y ys gn r w u bn d wn bn an x j fs ys d ds sn k w hn on l cn mn rs d pn rs on dn l ln t an ys r
Common Smith-Morra patterns we detect
We automatically check if you fall for these specific traps.
About the Smith-Morra Gambit
The Smith-Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3) is a daring gambit against the Sicilian Defense. White sacrifices a pawn (sometimes two) for rapid development, open files, and direct attacking chances. It's one of the most practical weapons at the club and intermediate level.
We analyze your compensation quality, attacking patterns, and initiative maintenance. We identify where your gambits succeed and where accurate defense neutralizes them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Smith-Morra Gambit analysis
Famous Games
M dn q fs e fn mn in qs ms cn c yn d k os ps qs q mn x ps f y a o vs u os r m s vs bn a q hn ys sn d e fs js wn w ns s pn w hn k js tn rn xs mn j in j vs os
C wn vn c gs ns fs os e qs h y s mn hn bs yn rn bn sn rs d qs on hn o os hn q ps q w o w cs h m k ts bn bn ts ys os s l os d is q n n q r ts ds rs n bs dn vs mn w m rs r h r vs f f f ks xs bs a qs m
U b cs bs t ns h xs q pn x t k dn c ys hs ln h hn js pn fn w o e ps tn h vs ds ys ws xs c c ks f ps rs ts k a on xs bs bn an ts hn fs vn ys pn js in as g
S g bn ys h j an js a k ps pn cn gs b an ls q ds gn in cn l b bn c d hs ks is vs rs h rn on n j q os e in fn a g bs q as cn ys js qs js c ys ps f hs p cn o as bn rs d fn fn ms ln fs f fn d y bn w bs sn ts a ns e fs n n e ks os c gn rs ts pn dn sn bs os p sn an w e f y fn o n dn ps f h nn ls mn sn vs hs wn sn gs x w js ys ps vs js wn on n wn ys bn ln hs ps wn fs q as ls n vn
Learning Resources
Mayhem in the Morra - GM Marc Esserman
Guida Completa al Gambetto Smith-Morra - GothamChess
Mayhem in the Morra: Il Corso Completo - Chessable
Masterclass Gambetto Smith-Morra - Daniel Naroditsky
Teoria delle Aperture - Gambetto Smith-Morra - Chess.com
Le Armi Anti-Siciliane - Gambit Publications
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