Great Counter to Sicilian Defense

sicilian defense closed or smith morra gambit

I play the Sicilian and had S-M played against me often enough. Basically I know 1 game:  https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1126415  and pretty much follow its idfeas until my memory deviates or white deviates. Then I play it like a Schevennigen [a pawn up, playing Qb8 rather than Qc7 and focusing on 'prevent e5!'].         So far, I've been fortunate and that has been enough to win every game in it.  I can say that in those games white had more fun: defending is a chore compared to attacking but you gotta do what the position demands.

As white I did experiment with it for a while but always found that I wanted my knight on d4 not f3 to help attack. So I dropped SM for the standard open Sicilian.

I think S-M is an OK way for white to have fun and narrow the openings to learn. But it isnt the path I've picked.  -Bill

Favourite Najdorf variation?

As white, the Bg5 line is most interesting. I'm good on the older lines but in the last 40 years there has been some new ideas that I'm working, one loss at a time, on finding a path through.  - Bill

Counter here

This is also my favourite. I like Bc4 as well but it's more dubious.

Lol.

A fun try is the Kopec System. Developed by IM Danny Kopec, it shows up in only 52 games in the lichess master level database. White has won 48%, Black has won 15%, and the rest were draws. Svidler, Aronian, and Rapport have used it with success, and Kopec beat Ivanov (rated 2678 at the time) twice with it.

The idea is that White will play c3 and Bc2. The LSB, which has become known as the Kopec Bishop, can be effective on the b1-h7 diagonal, the a2-g8 diagonal, or the a4-e8 diagonal, depending on how the game develops.

I'm a d4 player but would definitely try this against the Sicilian for its entertainment value if I ever decide to get wild and crazy and play 1. e4.

The Agent Smith-Morra is an excellent antidote to the flabby Sicilian.

After kicking a pedantic Sissycilan player pillar to post, ask them---

"Want some Morra that?"

Morra is dreadfully frightening