Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Alapin Formation
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6
The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Alapin Formation is a chess opening classified as ECO B21, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6. 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 2,836 times by this move order. White won 46%, 6% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 4. e5 (88% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.06 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4. e5 Nd5 5. cxd4 d6 6. Nf3 Nc6)
- ECO
- B21
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pp1ppppp/5n2/8/3pP3/2P5/PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 1 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 116 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,269 | |
| 2000+ | 1,451 | |
| All | 2,836 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. e5 | 2,484 (88%) | |
| 4. Bd3 | 108 (4%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 78 (3%) | |
| 4. Bc4 | 59 (2%) | |
| 4. cxd4 | 51 (2%) | |
| 4. Qxd4 | 25 (1%) | |
| 4. f3 | 17 (1%) | |
| 4. Nd2 | 4 (0%) |
Master games
2,680 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 14%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2768) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2785) 1-0 · Titled Tue 14th Mar Early · 2023-03-14
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) – GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (2748) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Jul Late · 2024-07-16
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2788) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2731) 1-0 · CCT Final Survival Loser · 2023-12-12
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2778) – GM Gata Kamsky (2634) 1-0 · Titled Tue 14th Nov Late · 2023-11-14
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2775) – GM Vasif Durarbayli (2627) 1-0 · Titled Tue 11th Apr Late · 2023-04-11
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM MassterofMayhem (2671) – GM Super_FanZhendong (2894) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- BishopAndSons (2694) – Tornado_M (2719) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- BishopAndSons (2679) – IM Mischuk_D (2662) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit (2… cxd4 3. c3) 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3
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.