Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit (1… c5 2. d4)
1. e4 c5 2. d4
The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B21, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 103,467 times by this move order. White won 49%, 4% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 2… cxd4 (82% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.05 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 2… cxd4 3. Nf3 e5 4. c3 Nc6 5. cxd4)
- ECO
- B21
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. d4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 30,321 | |
| 1500-1999 | 55,431 | |
| 2000+ | 17,715 | |
| All | 103,467 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… cxd4 | 85,144 (82%) | |
| 2… e6 | 6,628 (6%) | |
| 2… Nc6 | 5,433 (5%) | |
| 2… d6 | 2,938 (3%) | |
| 2… b6 | 814 (1%) | |
| 2… g6 | 629 (1%) | |
| 2… d5 | 527 (1%) | |
| 2… c4 | 359 (0%) |
Master games
3,277 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 49%, draw 12%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- StoofvleesII a18 (3532) – Stockfish2021061923 (3632) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-07-09
- Stockfish2021061923 (3632) – StoofvleesII a18 (3532) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-07-07
- AllieSteinv0.8-120f959_PS1.7 (3543) – KomodoDragon2747.00 (3582) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-29
- KomodoDragon2747.00 (3582) – AllieSteinv0.8-120f959_PS1.7 (3543) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-27
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2751) – GM Sergey Karjakin (2783) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 1m+1spm 2017 · 2017-10-24
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nana_jede_cevape (2892) – IM Kostik_Mostik (2908) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Superstitions_Guy (2782) – winx_m (2939) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Superstitions_Guy (2729) – GM cutemouse83 (2960) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Halasz Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. f4
- Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3
- Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit (2… cxd4 3. c3) B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3
- Sicilian Defense: Coles Sicilian Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd1 Nf6 5. Bc4
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- 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
- Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation 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.