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Another Sicilian Defense, another Smith-Morra Gambit! This has rapidly become one of my favourite openings! What I enjoy is how this opening seems to take the game down highly tactical lines that I enjoy, whether I win or lose! This game went epically well for me, and some interesting positions occurred.

We had a relatively regular Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted opening, with book moves all the way to move 6 (1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3). Black then advanced the g-pawn (6… g6) in the style of a Dragon Sicilian, with a plan to fianchetto the king’s bishop. The curious thing here is that in this position, this was an inaccuracy/mistake according to Stockfish that shifted the evaluation firmly to White [+1.3].

What I find very interesting is that this move isn’t obviously a mistake, and perhaps indicates the subtle and complex nature of the Sicilian. It also gives us an insight on why the Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted is so effective despite giving an small evaluation advantage to Black – it’s potentially easier to play and is more straightforward for White!

A few moves later as we moved into the end of the opening and beginning of the middle game, the potential problem for Black starts to clarify. I’ve fully developed while Black is behind on development. The d-file is semi-open and controlled by my queen. Black has some dark square weaknesses around their king. To exploit my advantage, Stockfish identified that tactically, I had to immediately infiltrate with my pieces in Black’s dark square weaknesses.

I missed an opportunity, but although we technically equalised [0.00] on move 9, Black’s lines were like a tightrope – one good line or disaster, while White’s lines had a lot more latitude. On move 10, an attack along the weak dark squares on Black’s queen induced my opponent to make a mistake. Although (10… Qc7) escaped the attack on Black’s queen, and Black ostensibly counterattacked my pawn on e5 with two pieces, it was practically a blunder [+6.5]. My advantage in development now allowed me to now chase Black’s queen with development, and infiltration into Black’s position, giving me an even greater developmental advantage. My knight takes an outpost on move 12 with check (12. Nd6+) and I win a further concession from Black with their king forced to move and losing the right to castle.

On move 16, Black was facing a potentially checkmate, lashes out with a pawn advance, but it doesn’t work due to en passant (16. Qf3 f5 17. exf6)! Black probably calculated this as they blitzed out (17… Nxd4) in a few seconds, capturing my bishop and counterattacking my queen with their knight. It looks like I’ve over-extended myself with four of my pieces seemingly hanging in this position!

However, Black missed that I had the ultimate trump card… double check! I played (18. fxg7+), capturing not only Black’s bishop, but now check by the pawn on g7, and a discovered check by queen on the opened f-file! Double-check makes the impossible, possible and none of my hanging pieces could be captured. Black’s king had only one move that was not immediately disastrous, which was to capture the pawn with the king, but this now allows my queen to infiltrate (18… Kxg7 19. Qf7+) and Black’s defences are smashed [+14].

On move 21, I didn’t see in game a beautiful [+M5] line with a “windmill”, where my knight captures material while giving check and the king is forced to alternate between squares. Check this out in the video and the PGN (21. Ngf7+ Kg7 22. Nxh8+ Kh6 23. Nhf7+ Kg7 24. Ne8+ Kg8 25. Nh6+ Kh8 26. Qg7#).

I play a less optimal line and Black commits one last desperate attack where they could win by checkmate if I blunder a move. However, I see it, sidestep the risk, and on move 28, Black resigns. An EPIC WIN against the Sicilian with the Smith-Morra Gambit! GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/73194835931

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.03.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "JK9926"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "B21"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Sicilian-Defense-Smith-Morra-Gambit-Accepted-4.Nxc3-Nc6-5.Nf3-e6-6.Bc4"]
[UTCDate "2023.03.22"]
[UTCTime "03:28:17"]
[WhiteElo "1407"]
[BlackElo "1524"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "03:28:17"]
[EndDate "2023.03.22"]
[EndTime "03:54:20"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/73194835931"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/73287702.75180039.50x50o.2b25453676f9.jpeg"]
[BlackCountry "213"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:30:00]} 1... c5 {[%clk 0:29:59.7]} 2. d4 {[%clk 0:29:54.6]} 2...
cxd4 {[%clk 0:29:56.9]} 3. c3 {[%clk 0:29:53.7]} 3... dxc3 {[%clk 0:29:52.8]
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted [-0.2]} 4. Nxc3 {[%clk 0:29:53.3]}
4... Nc6 {[%clk 0:29:51.1]} 5. Bc4 {[%clk 0:29:52.1]} 5... e6 {[%clk 0:29:44.1]}
6. Nf3 {[%clk 0:29:50.4]} 6... g6 $6 {[%clk 0:29:42.7][%c_effect
g6;square;g6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a7a6;keyPressed;none;from;a7;opacity;0.8;to;a6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a6;persistent;false] A relatively subtle
inaccuracy that isn't obviously so [+1.3] with a potential weakness to the dark
squares around the king} 7. O-O {[%clk 0:29:39.6]} 7... Bg7 $2 {[%clk
0:29:41.2][%c_effect g7;square;g7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A mistake [+2.5]
- again, related to the dark squares} 8. Bf4 $6 {[%clk 0:29:20][%c_arrow
c3b5;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;b5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b5;persistent;false][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy as I didn't
immediately take advantage of the dark square weakness [+1.2]} 8... Nf6 $6 {[%clk
0:29:38.7][%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a7a6;keyPressed;none;from;a7;opacity;0.8;to;a6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a6;persistent;false] An inaccuracy [+2.5]}
9. e5 $2 {[%clk 0:29:18.9][%c_arrow
f4d6;keyPressed;none;from;f4;opacity;0.8;to;d6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] I missed an opportunity as
infiltration with Bd6 stops Black's ability to develop. This move brings us back
to equality [0.00]} 9... Nh5 {[%clk 0:29:33.5]} 10. Bg5 {[%clk 0:29:01]} 10...
Qc7 $2 {[%clk 0:29:29.8][%c_effect
c7;square;c7;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f7f6;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false] A mistake [+6.5].
Black's attempt to avoid further damaging their pawn structure is the wrong
approach.} 11. Nb5 $1 {[%clk 0:28:25.9][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 11... Qb6 {[%clk 0:29:04.1]} 12.
Nd6+ {[%clk 0:28:18.6]} 12... Kf8 {[%clk 0:29:00.3] The king is forced to move
and loses the right to castle} 13. Be3 {[%clk 0:26:04]} 13... Qc7 {[%clk
0:28:41.2]} 14. Bd4 $2 {[%clk 0:25:13.1][%c_arrow
a1c1;keyPressed;none;from;a1;opacity;0.8;to;c1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c1;persistent;false][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] My logic was to allow the knight on
f3 to move forward and attack. Although this does work, Stockfish doesn't
believe that this is the best approach [+4].} 14... a6 {[%clk 0:27:48.6]} 15.
Ng5 {[%clk 0:25:08.8]} 15... b5 $6 {[%clk 0:27:28.2][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c6e5;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] Stockfish rates this
an inaccuracy [+7] but the top engine move is difficult to understand  $1} 16. Qf3
{[%clk 0:24:31]} 16... f5 $6 {[%clk 0:26:52.7][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g7f6;keyPressed;none;from;g7;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false,c6d8;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;d8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false,d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false]
An inaccuracy [+11]} 17. exf6 {[%clk 0:24:24.2]} 17... Nxd4 {[%clk 0:26:47]} 18.
fxg7+ {[%clk 0:24:19][%c_arrow
f3f8;keyPressed;none;from;f3;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false,g7f8;keyPressed;none;from;g7;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f8;persistent;false] Double-check  $1} 18...
Kxg7 {[%clk 0:26:43.4]} 19. Qf7+ $1 {[%clk 0:24:16.5][%c_effect
f7;square;f7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] And my queen infiltrates into
Black's position  $1 [+14]} 19... Kh6 {[%clk 0:26:42.3]} 20. Qe7 $1 {[%clk
0:22:57.8][%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 20... Nf4
{[%clk 0:25:24]} 21. Ndf7+ {[%clk 0:22:31.5][%c_arrow
g5f7;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false]} ({Missed beautiful
[+M5] line...} 21. Ngf7+ {[%c_arrow
f7g5;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false,e7g5;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g5;persistent;false]} 21... Kg7 22. Nxh8+
{[%c_arrow
e7f8;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f8;persistent;false]} 22... Kh6 23. Nhf7+
{[%c_arrow
e7g5;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false,f7g5;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g5;persistent;false]} 23... Kg7 24. Ne8+
Kg8 25. Nh6+ Kh8 26. Qg7#) 21... Kh5 {[%clk 0:25:22.2]} 22. Nxh7 $6 {[%clk
0:20:35.3][%c_effect h7;square;h7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g5e4;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false] A relatively
inaccuracy [+8] as Stockfish identifies a [+M13] line with Ne4} 22... Nh3+
{[%clk 0:23:34.2] Black commits to a desperate attack where there is an
opportunity for me to blunder...} 23. gxh3 {[%clk 0:19:38.5]} 23... Nf3+ {[%clk
0:22:16.9]} 24. Kg2 $1 {[%clk 0:19:17.5][%c_effect
g2;square;g2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] But I see it and do not blunder
mate} 24... Qxh2+ $2 {[%clk 0:20:52.1][%c_effect
h2;square;h2;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h8h7;keyPressed;none;from;h8;opacity;0.8;to;h7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h7;persistent;false] This doesn't work
[+M7]} 25. Kxf3 {[%clk 0:19:13.7]} 25... Qxh3+ {[%clk 0:19:34.8]} 26. Ke2 {[%clk
0:19:00.3]} 26... Qg4+ {[%clk 0:19:21.5]} 27. Ke3 {[%clk 0:17:44.6]} 27... Qh3+
{[%clk 0:18:18.6]} 28. Kd2 {[%clk 0:16:36.6][%c_effect
d2;square;d2;type;Winner,h5;square;h5;type;ResignBlack] Black now resigns as
mate is unavoidable} 1-0