The Smith-Morra Gambit Lecture by GM Ben Finegold

Check out Ben's Chessable courses here! www.chessable.com/author/BenF... GM Ben Finegold discusses the Smith-Morra Gambit and how it is rarely seen at the Grandmaster level, it remains a strong opening for white against the Sicilian Defense.
REUPLOAD FOR CHANNEL CONSOLIDATION: Originally posted on the CCSCATL Channel on September 10th, 2021. Yes. You've probably seen this before.
This lecture was recorded on September 8th, 2021, at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Atlanta (CCSCATL) in Roswell, Georgia.
9:20 Marc Esserman vs Loek van Wely, US Open 2011
25:25 David Arenas Vanegas vs Leider Andres Diaz Herrera, Bogota McGregor Open 2010
33:07 Jesper Morck Lauridsen vs Ni Hua, Montpellier, Montpellier Open 2014
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#benfinegold #chess #siciliandefense #smithmorragambit

[@DocUK123]

'Knife f5' is a sharp move.

[@kmarasin]

Can confirm Ben's ~9% Dragon prediction. In 1105 Blitz games on lichess, I've had black 555 times. In 328 cases, White opened with 1.e4, and in 118 cases, this led to the start of the Dragon after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6: that's 118/1105=0.1068 or 10.68%. Can also confirm that I have mental problems

[@lukacalov1988]

Bruh if you are below 2000 dont play dragon

[@unit104]

@@lukacalov1988 why? Who cares? I'm below 2000 and will play whatever stupid opening that I want. Do you think that my under 2000 rated opponent will know the refutation?

[@kmarasin]

2000 is probably my USCF rating ceiling, but I haven't played rated chess in 25 years

[@howboutdis3908]

@@unit104 The refutation can come quite naturally if you just play your dragon structure after whatever your opponent plays after e4. I wouldn't say under 2000 but definitely under 1500 you shouldn't learn dragon theory. If your goal is to improve you should now the ideas behind the opening you're playing. If improving is not your goal, you can just wing with it of course and then you have an opening that sounds cool i guess.

[@griffinbur1118]

The sheer contempt Ben has for van Wely's arrogance in walking into a line that he surely knew Esserman to be a true expert in is delightful.

[@nickd5422]

Analysis begins at 9:04

[@rossdixonellis]

"My opinion on the Smith-Morra is different than what I think about it..." I can only imagine the face Ben made here.

[@kmarasin]

If you're wondering where GM van Wely went wrong, it appears that 15.Qf6 is the blunder. The position is "equal", but the play has been essentially forced, for both sides, for the last four moves. To keep things equal, play continues to be forced for at least another seven moves, for a total of ELEVEN. Forcing lines that long are pretty rare in opening theory. In the game, after 17...Qxg5 the engine announces mate in 14.

[@memphis_RAlNS]

Playing Black in a Smith-Morra against Esserman was where he went wrong.

[@deadvirgin428]

If you have to find a sequence of 19 successive only-moves just to draw the game (it's all in Esserman's book), you already went wrong to begin with, what the computer says doesn't matter at all, no human would actually survive that line unprepared (and no one with any self-respect would actually prepare 34 moves just to draw the game through a miserable line).

[@MatthewClancy1]

I liked this video because Ben told us who wan't Ben, and I appreciate that sort of thing.

[@DrJens-pn5qk]

I can confirm what Ben is saying about coaches and openings. When I was a youngster (about 2000 ELO) my coach told me to play the Spanish exchange. He wanted me to give up my kings bishop in the 4th move. Incredible! I loved my king's bishop and I still do, many years later. I would never ever play the Spanish exchange or similar variations in the Sicilian, where I'm supposed to give my king's bishop for an ugly knight. The only way my opponent will ever get it, would be a sacrifice on h7 or f7. I had a few.

[@bartoszmaniecki1806]

This reuploads are very suspicious...

[@anarchyseeds4406]

maybe it’s to cut out the tech problems

[@kylen6430]

He’s moving videos from CC Atl channel to this one. He mentions it in his recent perpetual chess podcast interview

[@ChristianConspirator]

Always retreat the videos

[@danbrooks5060]

​@@ChristianConspiratoralways repeat?

[@pschneider1968]

Now that's a fun opening. I'll gonna study a bit and try it online in blitz and bullet!

[@GeorgiosMichalopoulos]

Amazing, thank you!

[@samuelfelton6158]

Great video sir.

[@mikemcknight1295]

Interesting stuff Ben. Funny and eye-opening also

[@PsychedelicRealities]

Yee it's Ben! Go Ben. Great lecture.

[@williamodonnell1613]

I appreciated the free pawn joke from the student at the end

[@senorandre2055]

Ben Finegold is from Michigan....so he always plays D12?

[@kantsus]

Thank you.

[@grishnak6162]

Came for the analysis and barely got any. But I stayed because how hilarious this guy is... Also it was fun to learn thanks to Ben that ~2700 rated players have lost to it. Made me nostalgic of the times I still cared to chek 1.e4 theory, about 10 years ago, when the peak of this opening success conssited in games from the 90s. Like Kasparov with black almost getting lost position against much lower opponent and several GM Matulovic games... This opening is immortal even in these computer days... Also, damn I am getting old

[@jjb2004mk2]

"Everybody's banned": nice Esserman reference!

[@AaronBrand]

Thank you so much! I finally understand why the Spanish doesn’t work very well for me!

[@ahrrydepp493]

Aah yes, while im about to have my second lunch Perfect

[@gerryderop2479]

I would love to purchase Ben's book, but shipping to Europe costs 170€! Is there an electronic version for 25 dollars or so?

[@schwebor]

If there is, its sacrifice of a quality

[@ryans9094]

Instead, buy Marc's book where he tears apart the Finegold defence for a whole chapter

[@flpsnk4848]

Any reason why Morphy gambit after 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nf3 isn't played more often? It was quite a surprise for me to face that... expecting the Smith-Morra

[@SahnigReingeloetet]

It‘s pretty whatever, transposes to a normal Open Sicilian with I think one pretty bad unique line

[@kamilhorvat8290]

so ho many opening do i have to learn to have complete repertoire for every game ?

[@emailjwr]

Would love to see a lecture with the refutation!

[@DimebagDerekS]

You'll be waiting a long time. Get Marc Esserman's book Mayhem in the Morra. Best chess book I've ever read by miles. Black can get better positions for sure, but there is not a refutation that I am aware of. Watch Esserman stream on Twitch as well....he a weird one but man he plays exciting chess.

[@anton5646]

@@DimebagDerekS a weird one haha I love it. Marc is great and you are right, there is no "refutation" to the morra

[@Isaac-bb3pj]

There's no necessary refutation. Black can get slightly better positions, ones that would be like -0.3 or what not, but by no means is it refutable.

[@SahnigReingeloetet]

There is no refutation to the Morra Gambit and if you wish to get an acceptable position as Black in the accepted variation against somebody who knows the opening well, be prepared to whip out 20 moves of very sharp theory (not an exaggeration).

[@danbrooks5060]

Ben would prefer if you bought his book on the topic 😅

[@Bhubnipz]

27:31 31:41

[@paparatzz7531]

so there is no actual tempo where you get the pawn back

[@stephanbriem1882]

Qd3?

[@ruthxk7844]

So. I don't know any Sicilian Theory so I tried to dodge it by playing a kind of Scandinavian with white in response to the Sicilian... so far so good, can't complain, managed to survive half the time! Came here cause I figured out I should learn more about this opening (lichess says I play the Smith-Morra) but nothing to do, I don't see 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qd4. lol... anybody plays it like this??

[@SahnigReingeloetet]

No that‘s pretty inoffensive, as Black I‘d love to face this. If you‘re looking for something you can just gun try out the Closed Sicilian 2.Nc3 with a later g3 and Bg2 just playing for a positional grip on the d5 square. It‘s a pretty slow position and if you just don‘t hang anything you should be at least ok.

[@ruthxk7844]

@@SahnigReingeloetet thank you!!

[@Tocinos]

5:30 funniest part of the video was him talking about how there's no finegold defense

[@stephanbriem1882]

g4?

[@scowell]

A woman came up to me and said "I'd like to poison your mind With wrong ideas that appeal to you Though I am not unkind" She looked at me, I looked at something Written across her scalp And these are the words that it faintly said As I tried to call for help There's only one thing that I know how to do well And I've often been told that you only can do What you know how to do well And that's be you, Be what you're like, Be like yourself, And so I'm having a wonderful time But I'd rather be whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark There's only one thing that I like And that is whistling in the dark A man came up to me and said "I'd like to change your mind By hitting it with a rock, " he said, "Though I am not unkind." We laughed at his little joke And then I happily walked away And hit my head on the wall of the jail Where the two of us live today. There's only one thing that I know how to do well And I've often been told that you only can do What you know how to do well And that's be you, Be what you're like, Be like yourself, And so I'm having a wonderful time But I'd rather be whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark There's only one thing that I like And that is whistling in the dark There's only one thing that I know how to do well And I've often been told that you only can do What you know how to do well And that's be you, Be what you're like, Be like yourself, And so I'm having a wonderful time But I'd rather be whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling in the dark Whistling, whistling Whistling in the dark Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark) Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling) Dark (dark), Dark (dark)

[@mohamedshakir1642]

Wtf is this ?

[@mohamedshakir1642]

@_ Nemo I know but how it is rralted to chess ?

[@mohamedshakir1642]

@_ Nemo where are u from ?

[@scowell]

@@mohamedshakir1642 Ask Ben, he brought it up.

[@kdub1242]

Ben, I'm concerned about too much emphasis on opening theory. Remember: opening theory ruined tic tac toe. Don't let that happen to chess.

[@jinjocat]

I'm having a wonderful time, but I'd rather be...

[@scheimong]

Always comment.

[@cobeferraro3464]

Re-upload.

[@luxwutang]

MILLIMETER?

[@m1k4c]

I watched a video plagiarizing this one, by another "GM Ben Finegold", few years ago. This original is much better.

[@dbass4973]

grandmaster Benjamin Finegold, sir, with all due respect, are you still gonna watch the whole chess world's decline into the chaos and corruption? i mean, seriously, you are the face of modern chess for anyone who studied beyond 2. Nf3 Nc6. plz do something

[@KEPerry]

I'm not?

[@griffinbur1118]

mock

[@lrba5524]

why tf is he wearing a gaming headset lmao

[@sovietblobfish]

esserman would beat anyone at tennis? poor spassky!! he can't catch a break

[@cliz1989]

Mental defect 😭

[@michael2244]

I play the O'Kelly Sicilian as black, I'll beat anyone

[@camerondavis6607]

whats ur rating?, also isnt O'Kelly just playing for a trick

[@kmarasin]

3.c3 must be annoying

[@CheapShotFail]

The O'Kelly is a well-respected way to decline the Morra, after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 you play oh wait

[@freddiecrush]

I play the r.kelly and pee on my opponent

[@baalplays7855]

I've noticed that in Europe, the names of openings will often be changed to refer to their places of origin rather than the people who pioneered them (Spanish instead of Ruy Lopez, Volga instead of Benko, Russian instead of Petrov)... To me, this just seems disrespectful to the masters of the past. Here in America, we give our predecessors some respect!