@Sarg0n actually i don't know Very much on it, And have find Very helpfull the suggest of the M jpost, you May be confused bwtween my and @noobforlife Who Said the morra-Smith gambit is not that danGerous, i do believe it is dangerous and that why i am aking wich line is more suitable to play against a devotee
The thing that really changed my view on the Morra is looking at correspondence games where it's played. It still does very well. It gives white a lot of initiative and if that cannot be routinely refuted in correspondence, then it seems just illogical to accept it in otb chess.
@GodotWontCome the line you mention with 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 g6 4. cxd4 d5 is quite nice, but there's 0 chance your opponent will be surprised by it. It is, by far, the most common idea after 3. .. g6 4. cxd4. In fact I'd be surprised if you can't find numerous games he's played against it. It's also probably doubly nice as a french player since you often just kind of get 'super french' structures in the line e.g. after 5. e5 Nc6 6. Nf3?! Bg4 planning to play Bxf3 (perhaps even immediately after Be2 - the bishop being on f3 really ruins white's coordination), Bg7, e6, Ne7, etc. with pressure on d4 as well as an f6 break at your leisure.
@GodotWontCome the line you mention with 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 g6 4. cxd4 d5 is quite nice, but there's 0 chance your opponent will be surprised by it. It is, by far, the most common idea after 3. .. g6 4. cxd4. In fact I'd be surprised if you can't find numerous games he's played against it. It's also probably doubly nice as a french player since you often just kind of get 'super french' structures in the line e.g. after 5. e5 Nc6 6. Nf3?! Bg4 planning to play Bxf3 (perhaps even immediately after Be2 - the bishop being on f3 really ruins white's coordination), Bg7, e6, Ne7, etc. with pressure on d4 as well as an f6 break at your leisure.
The Morra is, in my opinion, the most principled response to the Sicilian after the Open. With c5 Black doesn't develop, and White offers a pawn to take full advantage of that.
After 3. c3 I usually play Nf6 and transpose into an Alapin; you can also go d3, as JPosthuma said, and play for g6 setups. However, I think Nf6 is the best practical choice, as it cuts down the amount of theory you have to learn - the Morra and Alapin become one set of lines.
After 3. c3 I usually play Nf6 and transpose into an Alapin; you can also go d3, as JPosthuma said, and play for g6 setups. However, I think Nf6 is the best practical choice, as it cuts down the amount of theory you have to learn - the Morra and Alapin become one set of lines.
The Morra is my favourite opening by far : i got the book "Mayhem in the Morra" which covers almost everything.
The line with ...d3 refusing the gambit is the one who leads to position which aren't "Morra-Like".
If you're oppenent is stronger and well prepared, i think you shouldn't accept it :D
The line with ...d3 refusing the gambit is the one who leads to position which aren't "Morra-Like".
If you're oppenent is stronger and well prepared, i think you shouldn't accept it :D
well you should believe the pros like john bartholomew, greg shahade etc. they never accept the morra in their games
Transposing into an alapin or even just pushing the pawn to d3 are their weapons against it.
Transposing into an alapin or even just pushing the pawn to d3 are their weapons against it.
Awhile back I came up with a funny kinda of positional trap preying on the mood smith morra players are usually in.....but ONLY BLITZ id play this 1.e5 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Qa5?! not allowing cxd4 and if 4.b4 Qb6 5. a4 e5(this is the positional trap) games have gone 6. a5 Qg6! and blacks just much better because of e4.
#2 says it all.
By the way, the „computer“ (ai) has put initiative > material to never conceivable levels. E.g. many gambits have been elaborated, the ai boosted the attacking possibilities to a larger extent than the defending potential. Alas, the reputation („refutation“) dies hard.
Wanna accept the Morra against AlphaZero?
By the way, the „computer“ (ai) has put initiative > material to never conceivable levels. E.g. many gambits have been elaborated, the ai boosted the attacking possibilities to a larger extent than the defending potential. Alas, the reputation („refutation“) dies hard.
Wanna accept the Morra against AlphaZero?
Damn all the strong players in the post respect the SMG, I might actually change my mind and start playing it :).
Old habits die hard. I remember that I showed a declined MG game (nice Alapin win though) to an IM 10 years ago and he look somewhat bewildered as I hadn’t taken the pawn... like I refused a donated penalty.
@Sarg0n I think some people have a natural ability to defend though positions, maybe that's why some masters say that the smg is unsound and other respect it. As for my case, I have a bad habit of taking whatever material is thrown in my direction :).
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