In this seventh article we will see some different lines of the Smith Morra Gambit. I realize that one article is too short for an in depth analysis. May this article be the beginning of your own study and analysis of these lines.
I'll show some examples of the following defenses:

• The Siberian Trap

• The Fianchetto Defense

The Siberian Trap
The Siberian Trap has become popular in the early 1990's when white was not prepared for this system.
It revolves around the threat of mate on the h2 square if white develops normally.
This is the beginning of these games:
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. O-O? Ng4! 9. h3?? (or Bb3?? or Bg5??) Nd4! 1-0

• If 10. hxg4 then 10. ... Nxe2+ 1-0

• If 10. Qd2 then 10. ... Nxf3+ and 11. ... Qh2#

I have in my database more than 30 of these games!

How must white play against this system? Even after the move 8. ... Ng4 white is not lost.   With the move 9. Nb5 (covering the vital square d4 and attacking the black queen) white is still alive.

See the game Horak - Palkovi 1991:
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. O-O Ng4 9. Nb5 Qb8 10. h3 h5 11. Be3 a6 12. Nc3 b5 13. Bb3 Bd6 14. Rfd1 Nxe3 15. Qxe3 Bf4 16. Qe2 h4 17. Rd3 Ra7 18. Rad1 Nb4 19. Rd4 Nc6 20. R4d3 Kf8 21. Re1 d6 22. Qd1 g6 23. Ne2 Be5 24. Qd2 Kg7 25. Ng5 Qb6 26. Kf1 a5 27. f4 Bf6 28. Rxd6 a4 29. Bd5 Rc7 30. Rc1 Bd7 31. Nf3 exd5 32. exd5 Be7 33. Qc3+ f6 34. Rxc6 Bxc6 35. dxc6 Bd6 36. Nfd4 Re7 37. Qf3 Rh5 38. Qg4 Rd5 39. f5 g5 40. Ne6+ Kh6 41. Qf3 Re5 42. N2f4 Re1+ 43. Rxe1 Bxf4 44. Nxf4 Rxe1+ 45. Kxe1 gxf4 46. Qxf4+ Kg7 47. Qe4 Qc5 48. Ke2 b4 49. b3 a3 50. Qg4+ Kf8 51. Qxh4 Qxc6 52. Qxb4+ Kg7 53. Qg4+ Kf8 54. Kd2 Qc5 55. Qf3 Qd4+ 56. Qd3 Qb2+ 57. Qc2 Qd4+ 58. Ke2 Qe5+ 59. Kf3 Kg7 60. Qe4 Qb2 61. Qe2 Qc3+ 62. Kf2 Qb2 63. Kf3 Qc3+ 64. Kg4 Qb2
65. Qe7+ Kg8 66. Kh5 Qxa2 67. g4 Qd2 68. Qe8+ Kg7 69. Qg6+ Kf8 70. Qxf6+ Ke8 71. Qc6+ Ke7 72. Qe6+ Kd8 73. Qb6+ Ke7 74. Qa7+ Kf6 75. Qa6+ Kg7 76. f6+ Kf7 77. g5 Qg2 78. Qc4+ 1-0

But for a better line we must return to move 6. ... Qc7.

Diagram 2: Position after 6. ... Qc7
 

From Diagram 2 many white players continue 7. Qe2 and 8. e5 with the intention to close the c7-h2 diagonal as soon as possible.  Some white players include both 0-0 and Qe2.

There are also a couple of nuances for black.  Black can include the move a6 (securing the important b5 square) but that gives white an extra (important) tempo.  It is important to study all these differences. An example is the game: Mayers - Rutter 1993 where black includes a6 and white plays both 0-0 and Qe2.

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Qc7 8. Qe2 Nf6 9. e5 Ng4 10. Bf4 f6?

Diagram 3: Position after 10. ... f6

Makes the following move possible:
11. Nd5(11. ... exd5 12. exf6+ is won for white) 11. ... Qb8 12. exf6 Bd6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Rad1 Qb8 15. fxg7 Rg8 16. h3 b5 17. Bb3 Nge5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. Qh5+ Ng6 20. Nf6+ Kf7 21. Nxg8 Kxg8 22. Qh6 Qf4 23. Bxe6+ 1-0

The Fianchetto Defence
In this part we examine lines in which black places his king's bishop on g7.
Normally this line begins with the following moves: 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Bc4

Diagram 4: Position after 6. Bc4

In the various forms of the Sicilian Dragon the moves g7-g6 and Bf8-f7 are part of the plan to attack the white queenside.  In the Fianchetto Defense of the Smith Morra Gambit black has the intention to develop his pieces without making structural concessions in the center with the moves d6 or e6.

This line has the following drawbacks:

• The weakness of the f7 square

• It can be difficult to develop the kingside Knight

We will look at two games with the Fianchetto Defense. The first game is Dietrich - Gikas 1993.  6. ... Bg7 7. e5 Qa5 avoiding the complications after 7. ... Nxe5.

Here is where the second game comes in. In the game Schwertel - Zimprich 1990 black played 7. ... Nxe5

Diagram 5: Final position after 22. Rd4

In the game Dietrich - Gikas the result for the black player was not better.
8. O-O Nh6 9. Nd5 Ng4 10. b4 Qd8 11. Bf4 Ngxe5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 14. Re1 d6 15. f4 e6 16. fxe5 exd5 17. exd6+ Be6 18. Bxd5 Qxd6 19. Bxe6 Qb6+ 20. Kh1 fxe6 21. Qd5 Ke7 22. Qg5+ Kf7 23. Rf1+ Ke8 24. Qf6 Kd7 25. Rfd1+ 1-0

Diagram 6: Final position after 25. Rfd1

So far these interesting lines of the Smith Morra Gambit.

When you click here you can view and download all games of this article.
But I have prepared more materials to study on MyChessSite.
Here is a list of all games and articles about the Smith Morra Gambit at MyChessSite.

And here you will find my download files.
One file for free (2150 games) and a big database of over 9600 games for only USD 5.95

Until next week. Then we'll discuss the Smith Morra Gambit declined.
I'm still working on an article about the Finegold Defence, but that article will take some more time.

Be happy, play chess!