Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation

With 6...e6 Black shuts the a2–g8 diagonal before the bishop on c4 can cause trouble. This builds the small d6/e6 center familiar from the Open Sicilian's Scheveningen Variation. The position can also arise from 5...e6 6. Bc4 d6. The move is prophylactic. The immediate 6...e5 looks more economical but allows 7. Ng5, hitting f7. Black therefore first develops with ...Nf6, ...Be7 and ...O-O. Only when a rook defends f7 does the e-pawn advance a second time, and the lost tempo is the cost of neutralizing the bishop.

White castles in the large majority of games. A typical sequence is 7. O-O Nf6 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Rd1 e5 10. Be3 O-O 11. Rac1. White's rooks take the c- and d-files and the pieces bear down on Black's d-pawn, while Black aims to finish development and keep the extra pawn. 7. Qe2 and 7. Bf4 are much less common. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, and Lichess results are nearly even.