Chess_Addict wrote on 04/07/10 at 21:47:43:


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.

I browsed through the pages of this section, but frankly I find it easier to consult my database and dig up the analysis stored in it. But it seems that there is little interest for it. So I will shut up for the time being as well.

To reach the Eliskases defence, after 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 there are numerous move orders: Black can start with Nc6, a6 and e6, hinting that he might aim for the Siberian trap; with Nc6, d6 and a6 Black might play the line with ...Nf6 and Bg4. A third order is Nc6/d6/e6/Be7. 

If White plays all the standard moves (Nf3, Bc4, 0-0, Qe2) it really doesn't matter, so decision must be made according to which sidelines White is "allowed" to try (and also which Open Sicilian black plays, since White may choose a move order with 2.Nf3 and 3.d4). 

In particular lines with an early Bg5 (before black has gotten ...Be7 in) or e5 can be annoying. Alex Lenderman recommended some of these lines in his lectures for www.chess.fm, but Mark Ginsburg presents some answer to them on his blog, see

http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/the-fabulous-00s-chessfm-and-handling-th...

http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/the-fabulous-00s-the-smith-morra-again/

and

http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=nezhmet.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%...

Ginsburg's main recommendation is 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6!, when 7.e5!? was Lenderman's suggestion. But note that this move order is not that great for e6 Sicilian (Kan, Taimanov etc.) players, since 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 avoids it.

In the past Dji and I have had some fun trying to prove that White has sufficient compensation. We might have succeeded after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 a6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nf3 b5 7.Bb3 and 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bg4 9.Qb3.

I find 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Bc4 a6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Bg5 f6 9.Be3 b5 10.Bb3 troublesome, especially if Black finds a way to deal with the Nd5 sacs Dji and I have investigated.

Edit: if some threads have disappeared I have save most of the analysis. The defence Stigma mentions in the next post is also sound.

You should include an 'Other' option in the poll to account for lines not mentioned individually.

Personally I think the 3...dc3 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 variation (is this the Taylor Variation?) and the 4...e6 5.Nf3 a6 variation both give Black a slight advantage, but in practice I sometimes play 3...Nf6 because my opponents never seem to be comfortable or booked up in an Alapin Sicilian, and resultantly I often gain a small edge out of the opening without having to navigate the tactics of the Smith-Morra.