Caissa Codex
B21

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense after 7…a6

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.

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Statistics from Lichess

77,139 games: White 51.6% / Draw 4.5% / Black 44.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
50,07350K
8,1398,139
6,3446,344
2,8502,850
2,6792,679
2,5492,549
1,3171,317
728728

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.01 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. e5 dxe5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Nxe5 Ke8 11. Be2 Nc6 12. Nc4 Bd7

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

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense (ECO B21, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. O-O a6 (7 moves).

In 77,139 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.6%, Black 44.0% and 4.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Qe2, in 65% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense

The most played answer, 8. Qe2, also scores best for White: 56.6%, with White winning 54.5% and Black 41.3% of 50K games. Of the main answers, 8. Bg5 scores lowest: 45.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. e5.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White'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 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. O-O a6, the position after Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Chicago Defense (B21)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-smith-morra-gambit-accepted-chicago-defense

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-smith-morra-gambit-accepted-chicago-defense