Hello, i have to prepare a game for an OTB tournement, my opponent usually play the morra-smith gambit, i don't usually play the sicilian defence but the french or the Nimzowitsch. My opponent is actually stronger than me, he is a Master rated over 2170, so i am thinking about to try to focus my preparation for the game on what i am almost sure he will play: the morra-smith gambit. I have started to watch a video of GM Roman Dzindzichashvili, but it wasn't fully unlocked, that suggest to face the morra-smith gambit with the line 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 g6 4. cxd4 d5, i think he could be surprised about this line, but even stockfish evaluation is not clear here and it seems inferior of accepting the morra and play fot example the Taylor variation ( 4...d6 5...e6...and 6...a6 ) In this line even if the pc evaluation is good for black i fell too under-developped and don't feel very confortable. Finally i remebered to have seen some line like the siberian trap against the morra but after some try, when i play Qc7 always found my self in troulble, due to the sacrifice of the Knigth on d5 and/or the rook on c1/the bishop on f4 and really can't find nothing of promising for black.
So i would like to ask wich line do you consider the best against the morra-smith gambit? And wich line can be easilly played with just few days of studing it, i have the tournement round thursday!
Meanwhile Morra gambit is more alive than ever I would never, never, never dare to take the pawn. Amateurs win against GMs when they take the pawn, all said.
(Don’t listen to people who claim it is „refuted“. Here is picture where they gathered:
de.freeimages.com/photo/normandy-american-cemetery-1-1310695 )
PS: I successfully went for the Alapin with ... Nf6
The easy thing to do is just decline the gambit with 3...d3 4.Bxd3 Nc6 5.Nf3 g6; Play for a dragon setup. White will likely play c4 at some point and it'll be like a Marcozy Bind, but black is comfortable, especially if white puts their knight on f3. Stockfish gives +0.5
The riskier but more rewarding thing to do would be to take the pawn. I suggest the line 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6
5. Nf3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ne7 7. O-O O-O. Getting castled quickly like this avoids a lot of trouble, like those pesky Nd5 tricks you were talking about. Stockfish gives -0.3. This would be my suggestion, especially considering you have a few days to look these lines over. But the choice is up to you :)
Wow
@Sarg0n I didn't know that the smith morra gambit was so scary(I think you are the first person that I see making such a statement)! Meanwhile, in the opening lessons on
chess.com they say that it's dubious, I don't know what to believe ^^.
It‘s up to you to challenge a MG devotee. But don’t complain if it turns out that he has n+1 tricks at stock.
I'm not saying that the morra is refuted but I honestly find the open sicilian scarier.
I play the smith-morra in blitz games and otb against higher rated players who are under ECF 175. I ALWAYS get a good game if my opponent takes the pawn. Nf6 is the move that causes the most concern for me. If that helps.
Thanks you guys, Very helpfull,
@Sarg0n don't you Think the AlaPin requires too much theory for a drawish line? instead of it i May prefer my usual repertoire. I would like to play the morra-Smith jus to have some extra chances depending on the fact that i know He Well play that, in the AlaPin i have no idea of what He Can answer...
@jposthuma really thank you so much, this line May be my answer, giving me chances of having a Good game without risking so much, onestly a draw world be a fine result for me
@noobforlife i also have Read some article and have done the lessons, Well i also come to the conclusion that amomg other way against the sicilian m-s gambit could be not that effettive, But practly i have seen a Lot of crushing attacks for White and Very Good Games, Black Can easily go wrong or not Just sta passive for the whole game
If you know everything beforehand why asking in the forum? Good luck and good-bye!
