Announcement: Smith-Morra Simul With IM Marc Esserman

UPDATE: Marc Esserman's simul will now take place on Saturday, December 3rd! Please look for Marc's live commentary on chess.com/tv of the games in progress and follow the games live yourself by following username "MEsserman" in live chess. Marc will also now be taking on 15 opponents instead of 10, due to the popular demand to participate!

Chess.com is proud to announce the first in a series of thematic simuls! These simuls will offer users a chance to play an "expert" in the opening for which they are famous.

On December 3 at 5 p.m. PST, IM Marc Esserman will take on 10 players in the Smith-Morra Gambit. All games will start from the following position with Esserman taking White and users taking Black in all games.

A best game winner, selected by Esserman (and no, he can't select himself!), will receive a one-year diamond membership on Chess.com.

Interested victims (errr ... players) should sign up below!

Now that you've signed up, you should start studying! Esserman has already bared his soul on the Smith-Morra in his acclaimed book, "Mayhem in the Morra."

Esserman's book (and his strong play and research) have breathed new life into the Morra on both the amateur and professional level. The book is available for purchase  from Quality Chess.

Esserman has many beautiful Morra victories to his name, but by far his most famous triumph is the following brilliancy over GM Loek Van Wely. We leave you with this inspirational game with Esserman's notes from "Mayhem in the Morra" and the following piece of advice: "Don't permit Nd5!"