Tree path 6 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Smith-Morra Gambit › Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit › Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted › Finegold Defense
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Finegold Defense
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Finegold Defense is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO B21 in the Semi-Open Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
It is reached after 16 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 Nf6.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- B21
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 16
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
85,090 games · White 53.1% / Draw 4.6% / Black 42.3%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Rd1 | 75,047 | |
| e5 | 2,239 | |
| Bf4 | 2,195 | |
| a4 | 1,783 | |
| Bg5 | 1,457 | |
| a3 | 947 | |
| h3 | 502 | |
| Be3 | 441 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 03:09:20
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