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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Smith-Morra (Read 63145 times)
TimS
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #59 - 07/25/07 at 09:50:04
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MNb wrote on 07/23/07 at 23:39:11:
Black in that case can chose a variation, where Qe2 is less appropriate. I am thinking especially of the Dragon: 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Nc6 6.c3 dxc3 (Bg4 also looks good) 7.Nxc3 g6. Now the thrust e4-e5 does not seem dangerous, while normal development with 8.0-0 Bg7 9.h3 (9.Rd1 Bg4) 0-0 10.Rd1 Nd7 does not offer enough compensation.
Flesch already was right. If White wants to play the Morra Gambit, 2.d4 is the only move.

I looked up my stats overnight. I had the position after 5...Nc6 in nine games, scoring +7=1-1. Two of the wins and the draw were against much stronger players. I played 6.c3, 6.0-0 and once 6.Bg5. On the other hand, if you look at the position in Mega Database 2007, you'll find White scores abysmally, albeit there are just 17 games and there appear to be no strong players involved and most people seem to reach the position somewhat randomly, as indicated by the most popular move, 6.h3 (not the way to play a Morra, delayed or otherwise!).
I suspect my success was due to a) deliberately playing a delayed Morra as opposed to reaching the position almost by random, b) most Blacks prepare just one line against the Morra - delaying the gambit often takes them away from their prepared line.
I reckon the Delayed Morra is a good surprise weapon but I wouldn't fancy playing it against a prepared titled (FM+) player
  
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MNb
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #58 - 07/23/07 at 23:39:11
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Black in that case can chose a variation, where Qe2 is less appropriate. I am thinking especially of the Dragon: 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Nc6 6.c3 dxc3 (Bg4 also looks good) 7.Nxc3 g6. Now the thrust e4-e5 does not seem dangerous, while normal development with 8.0-0 Bg7 9.h3 (9.Rd1 Bg4) 0-0 10.Rd1 Nd7 does not offer enough compensation.
Flesch already was right. If White wants to play the Morra Gambit, 2.d4 is the only move.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
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TimS
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #57 - 07/23/07 at 10:24:10
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TopNotch wrote on 07/21/07 at 10:37:53:
Klick wrote on 07/21/07 at 10:07:11:
By the way, can`t white reduce black`s options by using the move-order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.c3 instead of the normal 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cd 3.c3 dc 4.Nxc3 and now black can play a6, d6, e6, g6, etc. whereas in the former he is already committed to d6?


The move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.c3 allows Black the extra option of 4....Nf6 which could prove quite akward for a Smith Morra specialist to meet. That said 4...dxc3 is still strongest in my opinion.

Toppy Smiley

I used to play a delayed Morra as above but with 4.Bc4 (c3 to come later). Then 4...Nf6 can be met by 5.Qe2
  
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TopNotch
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #56 - 07/21/07 at 10:37:53
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Klick wrote on 07/21/07 at 10:07:11:
By the way, can`t white reduce black`s options by using the move-order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.c3 instead of the normal 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cd 3.c3 dc 4.Nxc3 and now black can play a6, d6, e6, g6, etc. whereas in the former he is already committed to d6?


The move order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.c3 allows Black the extra option of 4....Nf6 which could prove quite akward for a Smith Morra specialist to meet. That said 4...dxc3 is still strongest in my opinion.

Toppy Smiley
  

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Klick
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #55 - 07/21/07 at 10:07:11
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By the way, can`t white reduce black`s options by using the move-order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd 4.c3 instead of the normal 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cd 3.c3 dc 4.Nxc3 and now black can play a6, d6, e6, g6, etc. whereas in the former he is already committed to d6?
  

There just isn't enough televised chess - DAVID LETTERMAN
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Klick
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #54 - 07/21/07 at 05:52:22
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Quote:
Mnb writes:
For instance, I have always wondered if 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 g6 (might be
more precise than Nc6 5.Nf3 g6 6.h4!?) 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.e5 Qa5 8.o-o Nxe5 9.Nxe5
Bxe5 10.Re1 d6 11.Bb5+ Kf8 and 10.Nd5 e6 11.Re1 d6 12.Bb5+ Kf8 are that strong for
White? Best might be 10.Nb5!?


10.Nb5 does indeed look strong and if it is then Rozentalis/Harleys`s 8.Nxe5 surely must be !? However black has other options available, for instance 8.Nh6.

If anyone is interested in learning/training/sparring the Morra by playing some games as white against me on ICC I`d be happy.
  

There just isn't enough televised chess - DAVID LETTERMAN
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kingscrusher
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #53 - 03/18/05 at 08:45:56
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I`ve been thinking about playing the Sicilian, but my friend has put me off the idea: he plays the Smith-Morra. Undecided 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....


The Morra-smith gambit is quite dangerous, and has been used by some very strong players such as GM Adams in the British Championships.  I have written a technical article about it which can be found here:-

http://www.insight.demon.co.uk/Technical_Articles/beatingsicillian/sicillian_bea...

If you want to see how a top correspondence chess grandmaster played against it in a recent game, look at the following line adopted by ICCF GM Peter Coleman:-

[Event "www.ChessWorld.net server game"]
[Site "www.ChessWorld.net "]
[Date "2004.3.8"]
[Round "NA"]
[White "Mulleady, Peter"]
[Black "ICCF GM Peter Coleman"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Termination "Draw agreed"]
[WhiteElo "1800"]
[BlackElo "2160"]
[Mode "ICS"]
[DateLastMove "2005.1.22"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Board "510656"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nb1xc3 Nb8c6 5. Ng1f3 d6 6. Bf1c4 a6 7. O-O Ng8f6 8. Bc1g5 e6 9. Qd1e2 h6 10. Bg5f4 g5 11. Bf4e3 Nf6g4 12. Be3d2 b5 13. Bc4b3 Bf8g7 14. Rf1d1 Qd8e7 15. Ra1c1 Bc8d7 16. Nf3xg5 hxg5 17. Qe2xg4 Bg7f6 18. Bd2e3 Nc6a5 19. h3 Bd7c6 20. Qg4g3 Bf6e5 21. Qg3g4 b4 22. Nc3a4 Rh8h4 23. Be3xg5 Rh4xg4 24. Bg5xe7 Rg4xg2 25. Kg1xg2 Ke8xe7 26. f3 Ra8g8 27. Kg2f2 Rg8h8 28. Na4b6 Be5xb2 29. Rc1c2 Bb2c3 30. Kf2g3 Bc6b5 31. h4 Na5b7 32. Nb6a4 Bb5xa4 33. Bb3xa4 Nb7c5 34. Ba4b3 a5 35. Rd1h1 a4 36. Bb3c4 f5 37. exf5 d5 38. Bc4e2 exf5 39. h5 Rh8g8 40. Kg3f2 Bc3d4 41. Kf2e1 Rg8c8 42. h6 b3 43. axb3 axb3 44. Rc2xc5 Rc8xc5 45. Ke1d2 b2 46. h7 Bd4c3 47. Kd2c2 f4 48. Be2d3 Bc3h8 49. Kc2d2 Rc5c3 50. Rh1b1 Ke7d6 51. Rb1g1 Kd6c5 52. Rg1b1 Rc3a3 53. Rb1d1 Kc5d4 54. Bd3b1 Kd4c4 55. Rd1f1 Bh8c3 56. Kd2e2 Ra3a7 57. Rf1h1 Ra7e7 58. Ke2d1 Re7e8 59. Rh1g1  {Draw agreed} 1/2-1/2

Best wishes
Tryfon
  
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MNb
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #52 - 03/04/05 at 16:13:58
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No. I have tried this line out - as White - in two friendly corr games. My conclusion is that Black's defense is not better or worse than others.
In this pseudo-Najdorf defense White has two main ideas:
A. the tactical Nc3-d5, especially if Black plays b5-b4;
B. the positional Rd2/Rad1 massaging the Black d-pawn.

So if you are an experienced Najdorf player than it is a reasonable choice. But it is not a clear cut refutation.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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BearerOfBadNews
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #51 - 03/04/05 at 10:54:57
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I have heard that there is a really good way to play against the S-M:  e4 c5 d4 cd c3 dc nc3 e6 bc4 a6 qe2 b5 bb3 bb7, followed by developing queens knight to d7; all this in Najdor fashion. Could this--COULD THIS--be the black line ALL OF US SICILIANS HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR? Please elaborate further. Tanks.   Kiss
  
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Rajmund_Emanuel
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #50 - 03/04/05 at 07:22:11
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It functions too:
18.g4 h6 19.h4 Nfd5 [19...b4 20.g5 Nh7 21.Na4 hxg5 22.Bxh7+ Kxh7 23.hxg5±] 20.Qd3! f5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Qe2 Nf4 23.Qe3 Nd5 [23...fxg4 24.Rd4 Nd5 25.Qe4 Nf6 26.Qe3 Bb7 27.Nd7±] 24.Qe1 Qd6 [24...Re8 25.Bb3 Bb7 26.gxf5 Qd6 27.fxe6 Rxe6 28.f4 Rd8 29.Rc2±] 25.Ng6 Rf6 26.Bxf5 Bb7 27.Be4 Rd8 28.g5±
« Last Edit: 03/05/05 at 01:14:49 by Rajmund_Emanuel »  
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MNb
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #49 - 03/02/05 at 22:33:39
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In Nepustil-Geissler the idea 14.g4 is remarkable - Black has difficulties completing his development. Maybe he must try 13...Bd7.

12...Qb8 13.e5 Nh5 14.Bg5 dxe5 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Nxe5 Nf4
After 16...Nf6 17.Bc2 b5 18.g4 h6 I am curious, if RE wants to continue with 19.h4 ?

17.Qe3
Indeed better than 17.Qe4, but not a novelty. The honour goes to the game Starck-Hobusch, DDRch Plauen 1980. The game ended in a draw; 20.Nb6 seems to be an improvement. My first glance tells me, that Black still has difficulties in the endgame.
MGteers should investigate RE's ideas seriously, as they contain an interesting try to establish an advantage in a line that is considered safe for Black.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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:-*Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #48 - 03/02/05 at 14:14:39
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All variant present for white a rock and I was living long time with a trouble, as far as perhaps now, after my game with W.Geissler...  Wink
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.Bf4 a6 11.Rac1! ( Embarrassed11.e5?! I think, this will get nowhere. The move 11.e5 is somewhat nervy. Better is 11.Rac1. - 11.e5?! Nh5! etc.) 11...O-O 12.Bb3 Qb8  
[12...Rd8 13.h3!N Qa5 14.g4! h6 15.g5 hxg5 16.Nxg5 Bd7 17.Nd5 exd5 18.exd5 Ne5 19.Bxe5 Re8 20.Bc3 Qb6 21.Bc2 Rac8 22.Qf3 Rxc3 23.bxc3 Qa5 24.Bb3 Bf8 25.Re1 Qa3 26.Rb1 Rc8 27.Qd3 Qa5 28.Re3 g6 29.Rbe1 Bf5 30.Qd4 Qd8 31.Qh4 Qa5 32.c4 Bg7 33.Re7 Rf8 34.R1e3 b5 35.Rf3 bxc4 36.Bc2 Qxd5 37.Bxf5 gxf5 38.Kh2 1-0, Nepustil,F (2252) - Geissler,W (2416); EM/J50/Q12 ICCF, 2003-4; with analysis - see http://www.mujweb.cz/www/rajmunde/partiegeis_e.htm, my web)]  
13.e5! (Now yes!) 13...Nh5 [13...dxe5 14.Nxe5 Qa7 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Rd3 Bb7 17.Rg3 Rad8 18.Bh6 Ne8 19.Qh5 Bc8 20.Ne4 Qd4 21.Ng5 Bxg5 22.Bxg5 Qxb2 23.Re1±] 14.Bg5 dxe5 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Nxe5 Nf6 
16...Nf4 17.Qe3N (17.Qe4 Neg6=) 17...Nc6 [17...Neg6 18.Nxg6 Nxg6 19.Na4 Qe5 20.Nb6 Qxe3 (20...Rb8 21.Ba4 Qxe3 (21...Qxb2 22.a3 Qe5 23.Bd7 Qxe3 24.fxe3 Bxd7 25.Nxd7±) 22.fxe3 Ne5 23.a3±) 21.fxe3 Rb8 22.Rc7 Ne5 23.Ba4±] 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6 e5 20.g3 Nd4 21.Nxc8 Nh3+ 22.Kg2 Qxc8 23.Qxe5+-
 
17.Bc2N Ned5 [17...b5 18.g4 Bb7 19.g5 Nfd5 20.Rd4 Ng6 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Nxg6 Qd8 23.h4 Re8 24.Ne5 Qc7 (24...f6 25.Ng6 fxg5 26.Qh5+-) 25.h5 Qc5 26.Rh4 Qe7 27.Ne4±] 18.Rd4!? b5 19.Rh4 g6 20.Re1 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Bb7 22.Qe3! Qd8 [22...Qc7 23.c4 bxc4 24.Qg5 Qe7 25.Re3 Qd8 (25...Rae8 26.Rg3+-) 26.Nxg6+-] 23.Qh6 Qd5 24.Qg5 Qd5 Rac8 25.Bb3 Qd8 26.Rd1 Bd5 27.Qh6 Bxb3 28.Rxd8 Rfxd8 29.h3±   Cry
  
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MNb
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #47 - 02/27/05 at 19:55:29
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In 1992 Andrew Martin in his booklet Trends in the Smith-Morra Gambit gives the corr. game Belenko-Rivlin, in which White played the line until 15.Nce4. Now Martin gives 15...o-o 16.g3 but after Nd4! I think Black is better.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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Ben_Hague
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #46 - 02/27/05 at 07:26:22
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It wasn't really modesty that stopped me posting that game, I just wasn't that happy with it. Obviously I was pleased to beat a GM, especially as it was my first win over a GM at a proper time control, but Plaskett is known for having very good days, and very bad days and I think I caught him on a very bad day.

I was quite happy with my position up to about move 20, when I felt I started to drift a bit, although I'm not sure how I should have played. Probably 25...b5 or 26...b5 was critical, when I think White's in trouble. After not playing that Black must play 30...Nf7 rather than Ke7. After 30...Ke7 I think he's just lost, buthe could've put up more resistance.

After 12...Bxg5 I was intending 13.Nxg5 Nf4 14.Qf3 dxe5 15.Nce4 when it's messy, but I think that White has reasonable compensation. I spent quite a bit of time looking at this line about 10 years ago at university, and I remember coming to the conclusion that it's a forced draw, but I can't remember why.
  
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MNb
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Re: Smith-Morra
Reply #45 - 02/26/05 at 20:39:49
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As the winner himself apparently is too modest to publish this game, I will do it for him:

Hague,B (2264) - Plaskett,J (2490) [B21]
4NCL Nottingham ENG (6), 23.01.2005
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Pxc3 Pc6 5.Pf3 e6 6.Lc4 d6 7.0-0 Pf6 8.De2 Dc7 9.Td1 Le7 10.Lf4 a6 11.e5 Ph5 12.Lg5 dxe5 13.Lxe7 Pf4 14.De4 Kxe7 15.g3 Pg6 16.h4 f5 17.De3 e4 18.Dc5+ Ke8 19.Pd4 De5 20.Db6 Pge7 21.Pce2 Kf7 22.f4 Da5 23.Db3 Pd8 24.Tac1 Te8 25.Kh2 Pec6 26.g4 Pxd4 27.Pxd4 Kf8 28.gxf5 exf5 29.Lg8 h6 30.Lh7 Ke7 31.Txc8 Txc8 32.Pxf5+ Kf6 33.Dg3 Dxf5 34.Lxf5 Kxf5 35.Dh3+ Kf6 36.Dxc8 e3 37.Txd8 1-0

Congratulations. Played according Rolf Schwarz' advice: "Machen Sie Ihre Gegner opfernd mundtot!" Still I wonder, how Ben would have continued after 12...Bxg5.
  

The book had the effect good books usually have: it made the stupids more stupid, the intelligent more intelligent and the other thousands of readers remained unchanged.
GC Lichtenberg
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