True, this is indeed the only point of playing the Morra rather than the Alapin move-order. I think this one of MNb's favorite subjects, so you can expect him to merrily chime in. My only contibution is this : Black has an independant attempt in 4. ...Ktf6.

Interesting thought, that maybe strong players would steer away from 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cd 3. c3 Nf6 for sake of avoiding the mainlines of the 2. c3 Nf6 sicilian.  Then if Black plays  3. c3 d5 instead, does he concede anything  from the regular 2. c3 d5 lines ? if so, it could be an idea to play 2. d4 first (or against 2. c3 d5 players). But can White gain something with 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cd 3. c3 d5 compared to 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 ? sorry for revealing such ignorance at move 2 on a chess openings website 

For some concrete lines on 6...a6 I refer to the game Hague-Uberdeker.

http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1154029852

This game did not exactly encouraging me to pick up the Morra again.


On the quick queenside expansion:

http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1159716408

From White's point of view I suspect, that studying the Morra takes as much time as the Open Sicilian. The difference is of course not the lacking pawn, but the fact, that White has a much wider choice against all the defences of the Open Sicilian. Eg against the Najdorf there is 6.g3, 6.a4, 6.f4, 6.Be3, 6.Bc4, 6.Bg5, 6.Be2 and sorry if I forget someone's pet line.
Against 4...e6; 5...a6; 6...b5; and 7...Bb7 White basically has only one attacking plan. The gambit 8.0-0 is not really independent, as after d6 White will probably have to play 9.Qe2 anyway. I think this a big objection.

Hoppers wrote on 06/06/07 at 16:06:25:


I hope, that ex-Morra players like me may participate as well, even though I will not defend this gambit to the hilt. 
Frankly I do not trust that quick e6/a6/b5 variation for Black. Indeed, there are Nd5 sacs in abundance. If that is not possible (ie Black does not play ...b5-b4), White just develops and doubles rooks on the d-file. In general White must postpone the loss of tempo a2-a3 as long as possible. There are a few games by Mladen Zelic, which show this strategy.
I do not trust those ...Bc5 lines either. In TN's example White can try Nunn's recommendation 10.Bf4 e5 11.Ng5.
The other defence with 6...a6 is in perfect shape though. At the moment 7.Qe2 (or 7.0-0) Nf6 8.h3 seems White's best try, which is quite lame of course after ...e6. Compare 6...e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Qe2 a6 etc, where White can play more active moves than x.h3.
If Black is willing to do some more preparation, 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Bg5 f6 9.Be3 Ng6 is also good.
Finally I maintain, that the Fianchetto Defence 4...g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.e5 is underrated. After all two pawns are quite a lot. At the other hand Black exactly must know what he is doing in order to avoid getting crushed.

  I too am interested to see The Anti- Morra recommendation.  In the past, I just memorised the line given in NCO as =/+, involving a quick e6/a6/b5, but in practical games, white just met ...b4 with Nd5 sacs and whatever the objective assessment, white players were typically happy with their practical chances!

One of my greatest disappointments in recent years was when Rogozenko just recommended 3...Nf6 in typically solid Eastern European fashion, because, "Black isn't worse in the c3 sicilian".  Fair enough, but I tend to side with Gallaghers' old argument that it's better to take a pawn and suffer a little than not at all.

Finally, I am looking forward to the reaction of Morra players, because practitioners of such gambits tend to defend them to the hilt and well...the BDG threads have gone a bit quiet!

Against the Morra, I've always liked the line 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 a6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. Qe2 d6 9. O-O Be7 10. Rfd1 Nd7. It's a very easy system to play and Black scores extremely well with it

2 Na3 and 2 a3 make it - not 2 a4 or 2 Nh3 I'm afraid.
In general there's two lines for Black against all W's major alternatives to 2 Nf3: 2 c3, the Closed, Grand Prix (both versions), 2 b3 and the Morra.

The book's finished I believe...but you might need to ask Mr Palliser and/or change the title of this thread. 
Hennie - thanks and yes to the tree format!