Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Smith-Morra Declined is a chess opening with the ECO code B22, part of the Sicilian Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 8 moves it is White to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
2. c3 – White plays the pawn to c3
2... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
3. e5 – White plays the pawn to e5
3... Nd5 – Black plays the knight to d5
4. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
4... cxd4 – Black captures on d4 with the c-pawn
In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 5. Nf3.
About the Sicilian Defense
Black answers 1.e4 with 1...c5, fighting for the d4 square from the side. The game becomes unbalanced and sharp, with chances for both sides.
After d4 and ...cxd4, Black trades a side pawn for White's centre pawn and gets an extra centre pawn.
Black uses the half-open c-file: a rook on c8 and pressure on c3 and c2.
Kings often castle on opposite sides, so both players race to attack; every tempo counts.
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