In the lines with a6,e6,Nc6,Nge7 it is probably more accurate to delay d6, or omit it altogether because the bishop is normally fianchetto'd on b7 so d6 just weakens Blacks position. There is an article on this line in NIC yearbook 67 which gives as the main line 1.e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Bg5 f6 9.Be3 Ng6 10.Nd4 and concludes that it's probably about equal.

I have to agree with Ben Hague regarding the Fianchetto line versus the SMG.  I don't think White can demonstrate full compensation if Black plays very accurately.

I think that the fianchetto variation is an underestimated line, and it wouldn't surprise me if it became the latest trendy refutation. There are a lot of systems in the Morra, and many other offbeat gambits where theory is based on games between fairly weak players, maybe with a bit of analysis by a titled player, and there is a great deal left to be discovered.

Ben hague

That's the practical choice.  Playing against the Smith-Morra requires a lot of accuracy, so a bit of work has to be done away from the board.  If not too many people play it against you (which is often the case in long time controls), then it makes sense to just avoid it.  But for me, it is very tempting for me accept a sacrifice that I don't think is entirely correct!

For those trying to refute the Smith-Morra, I would highly recommended Ciaffone's book.  The system he recommends requires a great deal of accuracy (deviation from the move orders often leads to disaster), but is not difficult to understand.  Mainly you have to be aware of the tactical reasoning behind the move orders, and the tactics are usually not too difficult to calculate.  But it does take some work and memory.  It's just that it's a lot of time to spend, if no one plays it against you!

Alumbrado has a point in that many of the defences against the Smith-Morra tend to be passive.  One of the drawbacks to several systems is that even if black does defend the pawn, white has a lasting initiative, while black has difficulty make progress, often because he is busy defending his weaknesses.  (For example, this often happens in the classical lines where black has committed to ...e5.)  In the system, Ciaffone recommends, black does not compromise his structure and gradually improves his position while responding to white's short term threats in the center.   Once black has completed his development (usually when ..0-0 and Bb7 have been played and a safe place for the queen has been found), he often gets active counterplay similar to the Najdorf (due to the secure center), but with white a pawn down.  Of course, this is anything but easy to obtain, but if black survives the  storm, he is close to winning out of the opening!

Bob Ciaffone's handle on ICC is "Coach999".  His finger notes state his book is available for $10.00 now.  I agree with sacanode's assessment of the system recommended in the book.

There is also an interesting line recommended by John Nunn in NCO which runs (after 3...dxc3 4. Nxc3) 4...a6 5. Bc4 (otherwise Black pays 5...b5 and White will never have a bishop on c4) 5...e6 6. Nf3 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. a3 d6 9. 0-0 Nf6 10. Qe2 Nbd7 11. Rd1 Be7 12. Bf4 Qb8 13. Rac1 0-0 14. Ba2 =+ which essentially involves a somewhat defensive setup (at first) for Black in order to keep the pawn and enter a favorable endgame. The long-range bishop can also be useful in engineering an attack. Though I haven't had any practical experience with it appears to be pretty sound.

what do you think about the line :

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bc4 b5 7.Bb3 Bb7 8.Qe2 d6 9.0-0 Nd7

A friend tell me what it's a very good line for black but it's not play at high level so... what's the problem ? 

I`ve been thinking about playing the Sicilian, but my friend has put me off the idea: he plays the Smith-Morra. I don`t want to experiment with all of blacks various defences so I am asking: Is the Smith-Morra considered dubious ??? among the strongest players, and if so: why? Which defence do they opt for as black? If I find some good lines I can consider going for the Sicilian again....