Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Kan Formation
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 a6
The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Kan Formation is a chess opening classified as ECO B21, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 a6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,124 times by this move order. White won 49%, 3% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 6. Bc4 (77% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 66; best line 6. Bf4 Nc6 7. Be2 Bb4 8. O-O Nge7)
- ECO
- B21
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p3p3/8/4P3/2N2N2/PP3PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 a6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 57 | |
| 1500-1999 | 665 | |
| 2000+ | 402 | |
| All | 1,124 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Bc4 | 864 (77%) | |
| 6. Bf4 | 60 (5%) | |
| 6. Be2 | 51 (5%) | |
| 6. Bd3 | 51 (5%) | |
| 6. a4 | 36 (3%) | |
| 6. e5 | 21 (2%) | |
| 6. Bg5 | 14 (1%) | |
| 6. a3 | 13 (1%) |
Master games
309 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 8%, Black 53%). The strongest:
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2775) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2764) 1-0 · Chessable Masters Div 1 W · 2023-04-07
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) – GM David Anton Guijarro (2669) 1-0 · Titled Tue 23rd Jul Late · 2024-07-23
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) – GM Velimir Ivic (2592) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 6th Aug Late · 2024-08-06
- IM Ruben Domingo Nunez (2405) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2792) 0-1 · FIDE World Bl Team Pool A · 2026-06-20
- GM Emanuel Berg (2556) – GM Normunds Miezis (2546) 0-1 · Vasteras Open 2013 · 2013-09-28
Highest-rated Lichess games
- BishopAndSons (2653) – evg85 (2800) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- BishopAndSons (2648) – evg85 (2805) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- KM2200 (2554) – Turlov (2571) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3
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.