Smith-Morra

As a Najdorf player, I have had great success facing the Open Sicilian. However, some openings such as the Smith-Morra give me a problem. Recently, I have started pushing the pawn instead of accepting the gambit. Any comment on this line? It seems to give White a Maroczy structure, but there seems to be chances for both sides. Can you suggest some lines or resources? Thanks!

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit, Declined Push Variation (B21)

The best way to deal with Smith-Morra as Black is to play 3.Nf6!

It forces White after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 to play the c3 Sicilian.  Not a good variation for White.

Thanks Transpo, but I've found that, from experience, it's hardly forcing. The following line is quite pestilent:

1. e5 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Nf3

Then, my d-pawn is pinned and I believe the tension is favourable to White. It is hard to fight off. Of course, you are totally right if White complies and plays 5. cxd4

@Firepower8: Like I already said, I dislike playing against the 5. Nf3 lines.

3...Nf6 is a complete answer to the Morra, and of course it can be used against the Alapin as well.

5.Nf3 is not something to boast about. After 5...e6 white has no better move than taking on d4, and also after 5...Nc6 white has to take on d4 sooner or later.

The only lines that white can do something interesting is the ones he does NOT commit himself to an early d2-d4, say 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bc4, which was (and still is) very topical, but obviously not applicable under the Morra move order.

Yeah, what he said and stuff!

Ok, thanks pfren! I'll try that line!

Phren has completely over simplified black's response.  If 3... Nf6 is the complete answer to the Smith-Morra it would no longer be played.

reviving a almost year old thread?

He didn't call it a refutation. What he means is that because it forces them into alapin lines there is no need to learn all the SMG lines, therefor it is a complete answer.

kantifields, what you just said made no sense. Basically 3...Nf6 is a complete answer to the Smith-Morra because it forces White to transpose to the Alapin, which may not be in the taste of somebody who wants to play the Smith-Morra. Although the Alapin is quite possibly better...but perhaps Morra players don't prefer to play it or they would have played 2.c3!

ok.  i mis-read it as playing Nf6 in an accepted variation.

here is a recent game played online here.

another

this one was kind of boring.

I got lucky here.  I should have lost.  I really thought I could make my 13th move work.

here is a 3... Nf6 line (I blundered this one)

Now, the smith morra is a great weapon against a player who did not plan on even playing a sicilian as black! Here is a highly inaccurate game played G60 OTB with this idea.

This is definitely incorrect (or at least very overly simplistic). You are correct in that after 5... e6 White has nothing better than 6. cxd4, but this is hardly bad for White. Certainly the position remains between equal and a slight advantage for white (as is the case with essentially every major opening), and White can definitely do "something interesting". 

Additionally, 5... Nc6 6. Bc4 Nb6 7. Bb3 d6 8. exd6 Qxd6 9. Na3 a6 10. O-O gives White either excellent Morra-type compensation (e.g. 10... dxc3 11. Qe2) or a pleasant position with 10... e6 11. cxd4 (though White also has other ways to do "something interesting" besides taking the pawn back). 

3... Nf6 is, however, a simple response for those who already play 2... Nf6 against the Alapin, leading essentially to a transposition. It should not, however, be regarded as an easy road to equality. 

I would have to say that the 3. Nf6 lines are the safest way to decline the Morra, but having said that I disagree with Pfren that it is a "complete answer" to the gambit.

This is how a typical 3. Nf6 line may go. Judge for yourself.

No, the correct move order is 1. d4 c5 e4!. See my previous post.

If you are playing someone prepared in the sicilian, the morra is not a good idea. Instead, surprise a benoni player!

*Ahem* the correct move order is as I had it. I've never played a serious game in my life where my opponent responded to 1. d4 with c5. And besides, what business does a d4 player have playing the Morra anyways? A waste of effort learning all those lines just on the off chance you get to play it.

I will play you any game control with the Morra, and you can prepare all you want.

You're a 1500. You can't possibly expect to be taken seriously when talking about any opening, nevermind when proclaiming the doom of one, provided only that Black has prepared.