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Question: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra gambit ?

Taylor defense (Gallagher,Palliser a6,d6,Nc6,Bg4)

37 (27.4%)

Eliskases defense delayed Nf6(Be7,Bd7,Nc6,Rc8)

7 (5.2%)

Finegold defense(e6,d6,a6,Nf6,Nbd7,Be7)

10 (7.4%)

The siberian trap system (Nc6,Nf6,e6,Qc7,Ng4)

8 (5.9%)

Chicago defense(e6,d6,a6-b5,Ra7-d7)

4 (3.0%)

Early Bc5 (Watson,handbook tricky chess openings)

0 (0.0%)

g6- setup.

5 (3.7%)

Nge7 Variation(e6,a6,Nc6,Nge7,f6)

10 (7.4%)

Morra-declined 3...d3

5 (3.7%)

Ah why bother ? I offer the c3-sicilian. (3..Nf6)

41 (30.4%)

Other

8 (5.9%)

Total votes: 135

« Last Modified by: Bogojump on: 02/24/10 at 17:27:40 »

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What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g (Read 80112 times)

LeeRoth God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 1520 Joined: 10/22/05	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #24 - 04/13/10 at 23:05:29	Post Tools	Print Post
	MNb wrote on 04/13/10 at 12:26:14: That's remarkable, as ...Bb4 lines for decades have been looked down upon by Morra fanatics, including me. My instinct tells me that the pair of bishops should provide sufficient compensation at least. What does Zachartsov offer after 8.Qe2 0-0 9.Rd1 ? Perhaps Ng6 10.Bg5 Qa5 ?Calling this Black's best looks a bit premature to me, but once again I agree that it is one of the 15 - 20 defences White has to prepare for. Yes. He cites Termentzoglou-Grivas, Greece 1990. That game continued: 8. Qe2 O-O 9. Rd1 Ng6 10. Bg5 Qa5 11. Rac1 h6 12. Bd2 Qh5 13. Nb5 Be7 14. Be3 a6 15. Nc3 b5 16. Nd4 Qxe2 17. Bxe2 Bb7 18. Nb3 d6 19. f4 Rfe8 20. g3 Nf8 21. Bf3 Nd7 22. Ne2 Rac8 23. a3 Ba8 24. Bg2 Ncb8 25. Nd2 Nc5 26. Nc3 Nd3 27. Rb1 Nxb2 28. Rdc1 Nd3 29. Rc2 Nd7 30. Nb3 N7c5 0-1


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Q Reply #23 - 04/13/10 at 22:55:06	Post Tools	Print Post
	You probably already know Raitanen-Rantanen, Helsinki 1988, which went 10.Nxe5! O-O 11.Rd1 Qe8 (just transposes) 12.Bf4! Nbd7 13.Bb3 iso 13.Bd3, which looks better indeed. I agree that the suggestion 9.e5! is critical. The steroetypal 9.Rd1 b5 10.Bb3 leads to a sort of position examined by Dji and me in another thread. Black played ...b5 at an earlier stage and we came to the conclusion that White should play the Queen's Rook to d1 to strengthen the typical knight sac on d5. The King's Rook can go to e1 then. Here 9.Rad1 obviously is not good; Black will not play ...b5 but simply ...Qc7 and ...Nc6, showing that the Queen's Rook is misplaced.

	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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urusov Full Member Offline Posts: 147 Location: Kenilworth Joined: 08/04/05	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #22 - 04/13/10 at 16:33:18	Post Tools	Print Post
	Just posted some notes on Esserman - Finegold, ICC 2006, featuring the Finegold Defense getting smashed: http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2010/04/smashing-finegold-defen... Has anyone played a game with the line 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 d6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8 Qe2 a6 9 e5! dxe5 10 Nxe5 0-0 11 Rd1 Nbd7 12 Bf4! as recommended by Langrock? Would love to collect some game scores. Regarding the Bb4 line: this was also recommended by Efstratios Grivas in his article "A Black Repertoire against the Morra and Grand Prix," NIC Yearbook 88 (2008), where he thinks White's isolated pawn at c3 gives Black long-term chances in an otherwise equal position.


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #21 - 04/13/10 at 12:26:14	Post Tools	Print Post
	That's remarkable, as ...Bb4 lines for decades have been looked down upon by Morra fanatics, including me. My instinct tells me that the pair of bishops should provide sufficient compensation at least. What does Zachartsov offer after 8.Qe2 0-0 9.Rd1 ? Perhaps Ng6 10.Bg5 Qa5 ? Calling this Black's best looks a bit premature to me, but once again I agree that it is one of the 15 - 20 defences White has to prepare for.

	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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LeeRoth God Member Offline I love ChessPublishing.com! Posts: 1520 Joined: 10/22/05	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #20 - 04/13/10 at 02:49:18	Post Tools	Print Post
	I personally like the Taylor, but what about: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Bb4 7.0-0 Nge7. Zahartsov calls this set up the best one for Black in the current CBM.


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kylemeister God Member Offline Posts: 4989 Location: USA Joined: 10/24/05	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #19 - 04/12/10 at 16:55:07	Post Tools	Print Post
	Once upon a time 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. ed cd 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. cd Nxd5 7. Qb3 was considered better for White, but I don't think that has been considered true since a game between Schulz and Miles in 1983.


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #18 - 04/12/10 at 15:17:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	Stigma wrote on 04/12/10 at 10:03:38: Why exactly is 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0?! dxc3 7.Nxc3 d6 something White wants to avoid? Because 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.e5 is White's best option and not the stereotypal 7.0-0. After 7...d6 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.Rd1 Bg4 and after 8.h3 Nf6 9.Bf4 0-0 Black's plays his/her Queen's Knight to c4. White by far does not have enough. Refute 7.e5 and the Morra Gambit is dead. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3/5.Nf3 g6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bb5+, 7.Bc4 and 7.Qb3 all three offer White better prospects for an advantage than 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3. But it's true that this Panov Variation or 5.e5 is another major variation White has to prepare. It exactly shows why the Morra Gambit is not a handy shortcut anymore.

	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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Stigma God Member Offline There is a crack in everything. Posts: 3277 Joined: 11/07/06 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #17 - 04/12/10 at 10:03:38	Post Tools	Print Post
	MNb wrote on 04/09/10 at 14:07:17: It's nice to avoid the Leonidov Plan with an early h2-h4 indeed. But that also can be done by 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 g6 iso ...Nc6 first. It's 7.e5 that still is problematic. After 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 or d6 White has to play 6.cxd4 indeed as 6.0-0?! dxc3 7.Nxc3 d6 or Nc6 is a line that White wants to avoid. Sounds all very nice. Objectively speaking the simple 4.cxd4 is preferable. After both d5 5.e5 and 5.exd5 Black still must prove that he/she can equalize. It shows my main objection against the Morra Gambit: it demands a huge theoretical knowledge, because Black has such a wide choice. At the other hand - why play the Sicilian and then allow the Caro-Kann Panov Variation via the Morra Gambit? I lack a lot of knowledge here. Why exactly is 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0?! dxc3 7.Nxc3 d6 something White wants to avoid? The Caro-Kann Panov transposition is to a line where White has exchanged on d5 too early. After 5.exd5 Nf6 White never gets the chance to defend the pawn temporarily as he does in the critical Panov line (and besides, even that may have been over-rated for White by theory). 5.e5 though is a serious try for advantage, but on amateur level at least Black is doing fine there. It's not easy to defend a big pawn centre against Black's attempts to break it up.

	Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #16 - 04/11/10 at 21:40:28	Post Tools	Print Post
	Oh, when I played the Morra-Gambit the transpositional 3...Nf6 did not spoil my fun. But I agree that it is very practical to play the same defence against the Morra and 2.c3. As I always have like 2...d6 against 2.c3 I always have been interested in 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d6 as well.

	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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Kubi Junior Member Offline Practice makes perfect Posts: 52 Location: Turkiye Joined: 06/11/09 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #15 - 04/11/10 at 19:49:58	Post Tools	Print Post
	In my early games I was accepting the gambit pawn and then trying to defend against white attack which comes either way for the price of one pawn. Then one day I said to myself : "Why bother with Smith Morra gambit ? I already have something, that's Nf6 variation, against Alapin sicillian so why not simply transpose to that one ?" Actually from that time on, whenever my White opponents play 1.e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3.c3 I suppose the game has started as 1.e4 c5 2.c3 and shift my mental attitude towards that way by continuing with 3...Nf6. I am sure that way I spoil the fun White wants to have but who said chess is always decent in the first place ?


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ChevyBanginStyle Full Member Offline 2 \infty & CRUNCH Posts: 238 Joined: 01/03/10	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #14 - 04/11/10 at 02:40:17	Post Tools	Print Post
	The Siberian Trap might be one of the easiest lines to learn if Black knows: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 Qc7 a) 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.e5 d5!? b) 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Nb5 Qb8 9.e5 a6!? OK, these are not refutations, but Black returns the pawn in these critical lines for long term advantages (e.g. bishop pair, central pawns) in equal/unclear positions. Of course, if White does not have an antidote prepared against the Siberian Trap, his position can go downhill quickly. I don't consider the Siberian Trap the best attempt for a refutation, but I think it is a good practical choice since White has to abandon the typical Morra plans. Playing for an outright refutation takes a lot of work and it can easily backfire against a specialist. I've played the Taylor Defense before and it works great against inexperienced players, but I remember getting smoked after an inaccuracy against (now FM) Kazim Gulamali.


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #13 - 04/10/10 at 04:21:54	Post Tools	Print Post
	As far as I can see it is remarkably complete. At first I thought you had missed Schwarz' book from 1980, which I own, but you have mentioned the reworked version of 1989.

	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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urusov Full Member Offline Posts: 147 Location: Kenilworth Joined: 08/04/05	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #12 - 04/09/10 at 16:39:36	Post Tools	Print Post
	I recently posted a Smith-Morra bibliography that may be of interest to readers of this thread: http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2010/04/smith-morra-gambit-bibl...


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MNb God Member Offline Rudolf Spielmann forever Posts: 10778 Location: Moengo Joined: 01/05/04 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #11 - 04/09/10 at 14:07:17	Post Tools	Print Post
	It's nice to avoid the Leonidov Plan with an early h2-h4 indeed. But that also can be done by 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 g6 iso ...Nc6 first. It's 7.e5 that still is problematic. After 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 or d6 White has to play 6.cxd4 indeed as 6.0-0?! dxc3 7.Nxc3 d6 or Nc6 is a line that White wants to avoid. Sounds all very nice. Objectively speaking the simple 4.cxd4 is preferable. After both d5 5.e5 and 5.exd5 Black still must prove that he/she can equalize. It shows my main objection against the Morra Gambit: it demands a huge theoretical knowledge, because Black has such a wide choice. At the other hand - why play the Sicilian and then allow the Caro-Kann Panov Variation via the Morra Gambit?

	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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Chess_Addict Full Member Offline I Love ChessPublishing! Posts: 163 Location: Italia!!!!!!!!! Joined: 01/17/08 Gender:	Re: What is the "best" line to fight the Smith-Morra g Reply #10 - 04/09/10 at 11:47:17	Post Tools	Print Post
	Stigma wrote on 04/08/10 at 07:44:20: Chess_Addict wrote on 04/07/10 at 21:47:43: I like to play cxd4 and ...g6 for practical reasons: a) I can (and do) play the same positions against 2.c3 b) when you play a gambit you hope your opponent takes the pawn and gives you all the initiative: by playing something positional the psychological momentum is clearly on the black side. I actually recommended that to a student the other day; combine 2.c3 g6 and 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 for simplicity. I used the 2.c3 coverage in "Chess Openings for Black, Explained" as a base. One thing I've wondered though: If White is determined to gambit the pawn, how long can he keep it going without recapturing on d4? Moves like Nf3, Bc4, 0-0, e5, Re1 are available. Or even h4!? if White delays castling. ...g6 is not the best defence in the Morra accepted, so I don't think Black wants to take on c3 unless there is some specific reason. Interesting point! Not sure about it but I guess a few points can be made: -if white is to take on d4 he should make with a pawn, -after black has played a few more developing moves then I guess he should be able to safely take on c3 (white cannot develop the b1 N, the a1 R, if he castles then he can't play h4 stuff any more) -black hasn't (yet) committed any crime so an assault against the king with h4 shouldn't be that dangerous as white's king will be in the center and I don't see how white can get enough pieces near our king. Possibly Nf6,d6 and h5 will suffice (ok, we need a real position to get some moves in). Also some ...Qa5 idea may be interesting pinning c3 and keeping an eye on h5 and g5.


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