Caissa Codex
B28

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line after 4. c3

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.

Statistics from Lichess

129,426 games: White 50.7% / Draw 4.6% / Black 44.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
70,27570K
17,10117K
11,81712K
9,2309,230
5,7325,732
5,7195,719
3,4603,460
1,8151,815

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.09 The position is about equal

Best play: 4... dxc3 5. Nxc3 e6 6. Bf4 Nc6 7. Be2 Bb4 8. O-O d6 9. e5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line (ECO B28, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. d4 cxd4 4. c3 (4 moves).

In 129,426 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.7%, Black 44.7% and 4.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…dxc3, in 54% of those games.

Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.

Write a description or report a mistake
What would you like to send?

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.

How to play against the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line

4…d3 scores best for Black: 48.0%, with Black winning 45.3% and White 49.3% of 17K games. The most played, 4…dxc3, scores 47.2% in 70K games, and 4…Nf6 scores lowest: 44.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 4…dxc3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…cxd4 4. c3, the position after Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Normal System, Smith-Morra Line (B28)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation-normal-system-smith-morra-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-okelly-variation-normal-system-smith-morra-line