Caissa Codex
B21

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish Variation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish Variation after 4. Nf3

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Statistics from Lichess

193,516 games: White 50.2% / Draw 3.4% / Black 46.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
93,56994K
45,72746K
22,57323K
13,67114K
6,6336,633
3,8993,899
2,3712,371
2,3392,339

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

Engine evaluation

−1.22 Black is better

Best play: 4... cxb2 5. Bxb2 e6 6. Bc4 Na6 7. O-O Nc5 8. Nc3 b6 9. Re1

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

By rating

Rating changes little here: White scores 52% under 1400, 50% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).

PlayersGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400 17K
1400–1799 104K
1800–2199 111K
2200 and up 15K
Masters, over the board 3

Master games

Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish Variation (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. Nf3 (4 moves).

In 193,516 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.2%, Black 46.4% and 3.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…cxb2, in 48% of those games.

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

4…Nc6 scores best for Black: 50.3%, with Black winning 48.4% and White 47.8% of 46K games. The most played answer, 4…cxb2, scores lowest: 46.6% in 94K games. Stockfish's first choice is 4…cxb2.

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

Popularity by year

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish Variation has stayed between 0.0064% and 0.0077% of Lichess games a year since 2016 (0.0074% in 2025).

Numbers by year
YearShare of gamesGames
20160.0064%2,275
20170.0066%3,649
20180.0066%5,186
20190.0075%9,386
20200.0076%22,304
20210.0077%29,991
20220.0075%28,226
20230.0076%28,534
20240.0075%26,992
20250.0074%25,564
2026 (Jan–Apr)0.0079%8,660

Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. Nf3, the position after Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted also goes on to:

Cite this page

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

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