Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. d4/2...cxd4/3. c3/3...dxc3/4. Nxc3

Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black kingd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white knightd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 black kingc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3

Smith-Morra Gambit

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White captured the pawn on c3 and got ahead in the development, since his piece can already move along the open lines. He will develop his pieces like this: Nf3, Bc4, Qe2, 0-0, Rd1, Bf4 (g5), Rc1 - depending on black's moves, of course.

Sometimes white can attack with the pawn push to e5 and open the lines in front of the uncastled black king. Another typical attack moves the knight to b5 and puts pressure on the d6 and c7 square (i.e. in combination with Bf4 this is a real threat).

Black has various options, but some of them are just changes in move order. The most flexible move seems to be 4...Nc6, since it is a good developing move and prevents the pawn e4 from advancing. This pawn push is one of the attacking motives that white has, i.e. after 4...Nf6 5. e5.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3
4 5
Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted
Nc6
Nf3
d6

e6
Nf3
d6

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References

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