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Smith–Morra Gambit

In chess, the Smith–Morra Gambit (or simply Morra Gambit) is an opening gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves:

1. e4 c5
2. d4 cxd4
3. c3

White sacrifices a pawn to develop quickly and create attacking chances. In exchange for the gambit pawn, White has a piece developed after 4.Nxc3 and a pawn in the center, while Black has an extra pawn and a central pawn majority. The plan for White is straightforward and consists of placing his bishop on c4 to attack the f7-square, and controlling both the c- and d-files with rooks, taking advantage of the fact that Black can hardly find a suitable place to post his queen.

The Smith–Morra is uncommon in grandmaster games, but is popular at club level.[4] It does not have a definitive refutation.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

History

The Smith–Morra is named after Pierre Morra [fr] (1900–1969) from France,[5] and Ken Smith (1930–1999) of the Dallas Chess Club.[6] In Europe the name Morra Gambit is preferred; other names for it, including Tartakower Gambit and Matulovic Gambit, have disappeared.

Around 1950, Morra published a booklet and several articles about the Smith–Morra. Smith wrote a total of nine books and forty-nine articles about the gambit. At the San Antonio 1972 chess tournament, Smith played it against Donald Byrne, Larry Evans, and Henrique Mecking, but lost all three games.

Many players consider the opening amateurish[citation needed]. International Master Marc Esserman, author of the 2012 book Mayhem in the Morra!, is one of its leading advocates. In the Chessable Masters tournament in April 2023, Hikaru Nakamura played it in two rapid games against Fabiano Caruana, winning one and losing the other.[7][8][9]

Continuations overview

Black has a wide choice of reasonable defences after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3. White sometimes plays 2.Nf3 and 3.c3, which depending on Black's response may rule out certain lines. 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 is the Sicilian Center Game, similar to the Center Game, 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3.

Themes for White

In return for the sacrificed pawn, White acquires a number of benefits that can be used to create active plans:

The mix of short- and long-term ideas means that the character of positions arising from this gambit can be described as a mix of the Stafford Gambit and the Benko Gambit: to survive against a well-prepared White player, Black must first navigate the minefield of traps in the opening, then contend with White's long-term pressure and initiative. If Black manages to do this while holding on to the extra pawn, he/she will have good chances to win the ensuing endgame. This is not easy, however, and many Sicilian players opt to decline the gambit altogether.

Morra Gambit Accepted: 3...dxc3

4.Nxc3

Scheveningen Formation

Paulsen Formation

Kan Formation

Larsen Defense

Morphy Defense

Morphy Defense Deferred

Pin Defense

Sozin Formation

Taimanov Formation

Classical Formation

Fianchetto Formation

Chicago Defense

Finegold Defense

4.Bc4 or 4.Nf3

This line is similar to the Danish Gambit: 4...cxb2 5.Bxb2

Morra Gambit Declined

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The latest (2002) edition of the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, volume B, classifies all lines beginning 1.e4 c5 2.d4, including the Smith–Morra Gambit, under B20.[1] Chess Informant, however, gives B21 as the code for 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 in its guide to the ECO opening codes provided on its website[2] and has classified games featuring the Smith–Morra Gambit under B21 in its more recent publications.[3]

References

  1. ^ Krnic, Zdenko; Matanovic, Aleksandar (2002). Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, volume B (4th ed.). Belgrade: Chess Informant. ISBN 978-8672970500.
  2. ^ "Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings Classification Code Index" (PDF). Chess Informant. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. ^ Matanovic, Aleksandar, ed. (2013). Chess Informant 118. Belgrade: Chess Informant. p. 195. ISBN 978-8672970685.
  4. ^ Written by. "Common Lines in the Sicilian Defense Chess Opening". Chess.about.com. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  5. ^ Chess Notes by Edward Winter, entry 3953 ("Morra")
  6. ^ Kenneth Ray Smith (1930–1999) Obituary at the US Chess Federation
  7. ^ https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessable-masters-2023-d5
  8. ^ https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2472507
  9. ^ https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2472509
  10. ^ Esserman vs. van Wely, 112th US Open (2011) Chessgames.com. Retrieved on 2023-06-18.
  11. ^ Esserman vs. Gukesh, Cannes Chess Festival 2017 Chessgames.com. Retrieved on 2023-06-12.

Further reading

External links