Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted (B21)

In the Smith-Morra Gambit, 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3, White gives a pawn for a big lead in development: knights on c3 and f3, a bishop on c4, castling and a rook on d1 follow quickly. Black is a pawn up and has to finish development without walking into a tactic, which is harder than it sounds.

The most common accident in our data is a natural pawn move. After 4...e6 5.Bc4 a6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2 Black plays 8...e5?, closing the centre but leaving f7 and d5 weak. 9.Ng5 hits f7 with knight and bishop together, and Black cannot defend it without losing material.

Black's ...d5 break is the second pattern. In a French-flavoured move order, 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Bb4 7.O-O Nf6 8.Re1, the push 8...d5? opens the e-file towards the uncastled king and loses material after 9.exd5. Black also loses pieces to the e5 push: after 5.Bc4 d6 6.Nf3 e6 7.Qe2 Be7 8.e5, developing with 8...Nf6?? drops the knight to 9.exf6, and after 7.O-O a6 8.Be3 the jump 8...Ne5? is answered by 9.Nxe5.

White's own trademark sacrifice can backfire too. After 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Bc5 7.O-O Qc7 White plays 8.Nd5?, hoping to open the e-file, but after 8...exd5 there is not enough for the piece. The general rule for Black is to castle before playing ...e5 or ...Qc7, and to answer every white piece arriving on d5 or g5 with a direct defence. The Siberian Trap, with 9.h3?? Nd4 and mate on h2, is the most famous trap in this gambit and has its own page.