Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation
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Statistics from Lichess
647,722 games: White 47.8% / Draw 4.8% / Black 47.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 488,301488K | ||
| Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit, Andreaschek Gambit | 122,561123K | |
| 26,48926K | ||
| 8,3048,304 | ||
| 664664 | ||
| 550550 | ||
| 176176 | ||
| 156156 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 8, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.01 The position is about equal
Best play: 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. cxd4 exd4 6. Nxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Nxc6 bxc6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 50% under 1400, 51% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 95K | |
| 1400–1799 | 383K | |
| 1800–2199 | 375K | |
| 2200 and up | 33K | |
| Masters, over the board | 26 |
Master games
- Muzychuk, M. – Harika, D.
- Ardelean, G. C. – Baratosi, D.
- De Vleeschauwer, M. – Svane, F.
- Eliseev, A. – Lovkov, R.
- Jeet, J. – Rathanvel, V.
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 Declined, Center Formation (ECO B21, Semi-Open Games) is a declined gambit in the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 e5 (3 moves).
In 647,722 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.8%, Black 47.4% and 4.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. cxd4, in 75% 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 Declined, Center Formation
4. Nf3 (Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit, Andreaschek Gambit) scores best for White: 54.1%, with White winning 51.8% and Black 43.7% of 123K games. The most played answer, 4. cxd4, scores lowest: 49.1% in 488K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. Nf3.
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
Popularity by year
The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation has gained ground since 2016: 0.029% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.023%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.023% | 8,127 |
| 2017 | 0.022% | 12,315 |
| 2018 | 0.022% | 17,625 |
| 2019 | 0.024% | 29,973 |
| 2020 | 0.021% | 62,656 |
| 2021 | 0.023% | 90,489 |
| 2022 | 0.024% | 89,403 |
| 2023 | 0.026% | 97,779 |
| 2024 | 0.027% | 95,089 |
| 2025 | 0.029% | 99,747 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.03% | 32,441 |
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
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Declined, Center Formation (B21)”. Lichess data as of 8 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-smith-morra-gambit-declined-center-formation