I think the smith-morra is a good choice. IT is fairly simple to learn the development scheme and tactical motifs, and can offer you some great attacking games. In addition some lines may offer some positional play revolving around d5 and d6 and the c-file giving plenty of learning chances and better understanding of the game in the long run.
Another bonus is that many of your opponents at your level will be under-prepared against the smith morra as it is not the mainline open sicilian.
the con for this opening is that it can be quite double-edged at times especially when it gets to the more tactical type positions, it can be complex at times and ive had a few games where ive gone on brilliant attacks to only blunder a single move and lose the game.
i agree, if you are going to play an anti sicilian, let it be the rossolimo or smith morra
if black does not know what hes doing in the morra, he loses. even if he does know white gets great development and a center attack at the cost of a pawn
in the rossolimo black gets good play, so does white. and the plans are simple are the game is complex but less attacking
Sea turtle what about Alapin? It smith Morra is an option surely the Alapin is too
all your points except the middle paragraph apply to the open as well
so... surprise value for a pawn, which to take... hmm...
It’s not like that, the smith Morra and the open Sicilian are fundamentally different with completely diffferent games. It’s not like it’s the same thing but down a pawn.