Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense Deferred
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Statistics from Lichess
13,081 games: White 51.4% / Draw 3.8% / Black 44.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,5546,554 | ||
| 1,5501,550 | ||
| 1,4271,427 | ||
| 1,2731,273 | ||
| 797797 | ||
| 524524 | ||
| 329329 | ||
| 229229 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.11 The position is about equal
Best play: 9. e5 f5 10. Ng5 Bb7 11. Bxe6 dxe6 12. Nxe6 Qxd1 13. Rxd1 Ba7
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, Morphy Defense Deferred (ECO B21, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Paulsen Formation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 a6 7. O-O b5 8. Bb3 Bc5 (8 moves).
In 13,081 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.4%, Black 44.8% and 3.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. Qe2, in 50% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense Deferred
9. e5 scores best for White: 61.9%, with White winning 60.0% and Black 36.2% of 1,427 games. The most played answer, 9. Qe2, scores lowest: 51.2% in 6,554 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 9. 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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense Deferred (B21)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-smith-morra-gambit-accepted-morphy-defense-deferred