Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B28, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 266 times by this move order. White won 52%, 3% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 4… dxc3 (62% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.13 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 4… dxc3 5. Nxc3 e6 6. Bf4 Nc6 7. Be2)
- ECO
- B28
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1ppppp/p7/8/3pP3/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 19 | |
| 1500-1999 | 124 | |
| 2000+ | 123 | |
| All | 266 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… dxc3 | 164 (62%) | |
| 4… d3 | 28 (11%) | |
| 4… Nf6 | 25 (9%) | |
| 4… d5 | 16 (6%) | |
| 4… e6 | 11 (4%) | |
| 4… d6 | 7 (3%) | |
| 4… Nc6 | 7 (3%) | |
| 4… g6 | 3 (1%) |
Master games
94 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 8%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- GM Thomas Beerdsen (2505) – IM Milosz Szpar (2495) 1-0 · Titled Tue 5th Mar Late · 2024-03-05
- FM Kirill Bazyrtsyrenov (2284) – GM Nils Grandelius (2664) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 23rd Apr Early · 2024-04-23
- FM Simon Lamaze (2388) – CM Konstantin Garagulya (2389) 0-1 · Titled Tue 25th Jul Early · 2023-07-25
- Piotr Mickiewicz (2302) – IM Shyam, N. (2443) 0-1 · Titled Tue 31st May Early · 2022-05-31
- FM Mohammad Hossein Darvishi (2319) – IM Karina Ambartsumova (2385) 1-0 · 1st 3-0 Thu 17th Sep 2026 · 2026-09-17
Highest-rated Lichess games
- buysignifystocks (2599) – BEagles1903 (2575) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- unitedff (2602) – WOW_PEDRO (2550) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Supertimurchess (2482) – gehrmansparrow (2550) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.