Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code B21, part of the Sicilian Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. O-O a6. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 14 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. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
2... cxd4 – Black captures on d4 with the c-pawn
3. c3 – White plays the pawn to c3
3... dxc3 – Black captures on c3 with the d-pawn
4. Nxc3 – White takes on c3 with the knight
4... d6 – Black plays the pawn to d6
5. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
5... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
6. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
6... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
The line goes on for 2 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
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.
chessGM