Caissa Codex
B21

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation after 6…Qc7

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

118,966 games: White 46.6% / Draw 3.5% / Black 49.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
65,82466K
35,68236K
8,0798,079
4,2254,225
1,7111,711
728728
527527
522522

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

Engine evaluation

+0.29 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. O-O a6 8. Re1 Bd6 9. Be3 Nf6 10. Bb6 Qxb6 11. Qxd6 Qb4

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, Siberian 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. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7 (6 moves).

In 118,966 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.6%, Black 49.9% and 3.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 55% of those games.

It branches into 2 named variations; the most played are Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation, Siberian Trap and Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Larsen Defense.

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: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation

The most played answer, 7. O-O, also scores best for White: 49.6%, with White winning 47.8% and Black 48.7% of 66K games. Of the main answers, 7. Qe2 scores lowest: 46.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. O-O.

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

Variations (2)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 Qc7, the position after Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted also goes on to:

Cite this page

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

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