Caissa Codex
B21

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Taimanov Formation

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Taimanov Formation after 6…Ne7

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

45,577 games: White 44.7% / Draw 4.1% / Black 51.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
24,08024K
12,59813K
3,1523,152
1,8791,879
1,0171,017
759759
628628
459459

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

0.00 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. O-O b5 8. Bb3 Nbc6 9. Be3 Na5 10. Rc1 Nxb3 11. Qxb3 Nc6

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, Taimanov Formation (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 e6 5. Bc4 a6 6. Nf3 Ne7 (6 moves).

In 45,577 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.7%, Black 51.2% and 4.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 53% of those games.

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

7. Bg5 scores best for White: 52.0%, with White winning 49.8% and Black 45.8% of 13K games. The most played answer, 7. O-O, scores lowest: 44.5% in 24K games. Stockfish's first choice is 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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Bc4 a6 6. Nf3 Ne7, the position after Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Taimanov Formation (B21)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-smith-morra-gambit-accepted-taimanov-formation

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