Smith–Morra Gambit
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| Moves | 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | B20 or B21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Ken Smith Pierre Morra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Sicilian Defence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym(s) | Morra Gambit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In chess, the Smith–Morra Gambit (or simply Morra Gambit) is an opening gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves:
White sacrifices a pawn to develop quickly and create attacking chances. In exchange for the gambit pawn, White has a piece developed after 4.Nxc3 and a pawn in the center, while Black has an extra pawn and a central pawn majority. The plan for White is straightforward and consists of placing his bishop on c4 to attack the f7-square, and controlling both the c- and d-files with rooks, taking advantage of rapid development, open lines, and Black's difficulty in finding a good square for the queen.
The Smith–Morra is popular at the club level and played occasionally by masters.