Here another message from Albert Hoogendoorn, webmaster of MyChessSite. Thank you for your interest!  You are interested to learn about the Smith Morra Gambit the Sicilian Beating Opening.  In the introduction I explained WHY I started to play the Smith Morra, now I will start explaining HOW it is done!  Be prepared! It's not easy and you will have to spend some time studying the different lines.

You will find all games that I mention in this article here for viewing and downloading.

Enough, let go play chess!

As example we look at the game Albert Hoogendoorn - Shinji Kanakurni, a CC-game I played in 2000.

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 ...
Most of the time the Smith Morra Gambit will begin like this.
Black can decline the Gambit with moves like 3. ... Nf6.

We are in the middle of the game. White offered a pawn. For what? What is the plan for white?

• The white rooks should be placed on the c- and d- file

• White must find open diagonals for the bishops

• Nc3 can attack the black position from b5 or d5

• Pawn e4 to e5

By giving up his c-pawn white gains time for development and opens the c-file.  Consequently white may expect a greater initiative than normal.
Blacks Queen in particular can expect some problems
finding a safe square, because the c- and d-file will be
dominated by the white rooks. Furthermore white must try to
find open lines for his bishops. For now white is two tempi ahead.

The black player has a number of reasonable defences.
In this article I will analyze one of my first games with
the Classical Main Line. Let's continue with this game.

4. ... Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 This Bishop attacks the vulnerable f7 pawn.
6. ... e6 strengthening the a3-f8 diagonal.
7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Rd1 As I explained before,
the white rooks must dominate the c- en d-file to give white compensation for his pawn.

This is the first critical position in this variation.

• Black is still a pawn ahead

• White is still ahead in development

• The e4-e5 thrust is possible

• The white rook dominates the d-file, so the black Queen is not safe

• The b5 square is available for the white pieces

What is the best move for black?

1. 9. ... a6? (secures the b5-square) 10. e5! Nd7 11. exd6 Bf6 12. Nd5 0-0 13. Nxf6+
with a clear advantage for white.

2. 9. ... Qc7 10. Bf4 is seen in the game M. Tal - Neibult (Riga 1962)
10. ... a6 11. Rac1 Qb8 12. Bb3 Ne5 13. Nd4 O-O 14. Bg3 Ned7
15. f4 e5 16. Nf5 Re8 17. Qc4 d5 18. Nxd5 Bc5+ 19. Kh1 Re6
20. Qxc5 Nxd5 21. Rxd5 exf4 22. Ne7+ Kh8 23. Rxd7 Bxd7 24. Bxe6 1-0
The defence with the black moves a6 and Qc7 can be considered as a special line of the SM Gambit.

3. 9. ... Bd7 can be met with 10. Bg5 0-0 11. Bxf6 gxf6 like the game Cibulka-Zajic (CZE 1966)

4. 9. ... e5 this move characterises black's classical approach to the SM Gambit.
Black develops his Kingside as quickly as possible, and radically prevents white's e4-e5 thrust.
In my opinion this is the best line for black.
Firstly black avoids early tactical accidents, and
secondly black tries to neutralise white's lead in development by means of exchanges.
You can see this happen in the game Van Wijgerden-Kuipers (Wijk aan Zee - 1981):
10. h3 O-O 11. Be3 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Rac1 Qd7 14. b4 a6
15. Na4 Bd8 16. Qc2 Qe7 17. a3 Rc8 18. Nb6 Bxb6 19. Bxb6 Nh5 20. Ne1 Nf4
21. Kh2 Qh4 22. Be3 Rcd8 23. Rd2 Kh8 24. Rcd1 d5 25. Bc5 Rfe8 26. exd5 Nxd5
27. g3 Qf6 28. Qe4 Nc3 29. Rxd8 Nxd8 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. Qxb7 h6 32. Nf3 Qf5 33. Nh4 Qf6
34. Qc7 Ne4 35. Be3 Nxf2 36. Ng6+ Kh7 37. Ne7 Re8 38. Qc2+ e4 39. Nc8 Nd3
40. Nd6 Rf8 41. Nxe4 Qb2 42. Qxb2 Nxb2 43. Nc5 Nc4 44. Bg1 e5 45. Kg2 Nxa3 46. Nxa6 Kg6 47. Nc7 Rb8
48. Bc5 Kf5 49. g4+ Ke4 50. Ne6 g6 51. Nf8 Nc2 52. Nxg6 Nxb4 53. Bf8 Nd3 0-1

Upon 9. ... e5 white faces a very important decision:

• Preventing the pin ... Bg4 with h3, or

• Ignore this possibility with Be3

The lines in the first case turn out to be rather drawish.
The second case gives black chances for counterplay
with 10. Be3 0-0 11. h3 Be6 like in the game Van Wijgerden- Kuipers above, or
10. Be3 0-0 11. Rac1 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. Bc5 Rc8 like in the game
Monokroussos-Ivanov 0-1 (Reno 1985)
There is another possibility for white : 10. Be3 0-0 11. b4!?
I have tried this line one time in the game Albert Hoogendoorn-Kelvin Uttendorf with a draw as result.