THE MODERN MORRA GAMBIT: A Dynamic Weapon Against the Sicilian
Author: Hannes Langrock
Russell Enterprises (2006)
334 pages
$24.95

Reviewed by John Donaldson

Vegans and Vegetarians beware, chess troglodytes everywhere smack your lips with delight, the definitive guide to the Smith-Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3) is here. FM Hannes Langrock of Germany has produced a massive 334 page tome titled THE MODERN MORRA GAMBIT that espouses the caveman approach to the Smith-Morra that is well researched and features a great deal of original analysis.
 
All of Black's major defenses are examined, including traditional "refutations" to the gambit like the Chicago Defense (an early ...a6, ...b5 and sometimes ...Ra7-d7), the ...Bd7 variation (where Black holds back on ...Nf6) and the Siberian system - sometimes called the Novosibirsk (...e6, ...Nc6, ...Nf6, ...Qc7). Each gets a detailed examination and, while Langrock is clearly a supporter of White's chances, he tries to maintain his objectivity -- i.e. he doesn't claim a forced win after 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3. One example that Langrock is not a "foamer" is his evaluation of the ...Qc7 variation where he judges chances to be equal after the best sequence: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 a6 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Rac1 0-0 12.Bb3 Qb8.
 
One line that is certain to provoke discussion is Langrock's evaluation of what he calls the "Notorious 6...a6!?" (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4). This line is located near the end of the book but Langrock recognizes it is not to be ignored. Indeed after 7.0-0?! (Langrock's notation) 7...Nf6! (Langrock) he feels Black is already is doing well. The solution according to him is 7.Bg5! He then gives the sequence 7...Nf6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.0-0 e6 10.Nd4! praising the last move as offering White excellent chances.

Remember this position. Now visualize the sequence 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Bc4 a6 9.0-0. Look at the two positions. A quick glance will show they are almost identical and that Black is to move in both sequences. What is the difference? Yes, in the first example White is missing a pawn on c2! Now I realize that this might well be useful if Black castles queenside but what if he doesn't? I would not expect a Classical Sicilian player to fret at White's Richter-Rauzer/Sozin hybrid or to argue if he handed over his c-pawn after the opening. Langrock offers 10...Qc7, 10...Nxd4 and 10...Bd7 but what about the simple 10...Be7 planning ...0-0, ...Kh8 and ...Rg8. I'm not a Richter-Rauzer man but doesn't Black just stand well here? I see Nxc6, Qh5 and a Rook lift to h3 but at worst can't Black return the f7 pawn and end up in an ending with the two Bishops and a huge center?
 
FM Langrock has clearly produced a labor of love and if his beloved Morra falls short it is not through any lack of diligence on his part. I would add that THE MODERN MORRA GAMBIT is well organized with the material clearly laid out. The physical production of the book is first rate and the cover quite colorful. But wait, who is that on the cover? None other than the Frenchman Pierre Morra. The Oxford Companion to Chess writes that Morra (1900-1969) advocated the gambit in the 1940s and that the sequence of moves was first played by Blackburne in 1870. Well and good, but did Morra ever play the opening? It would seem he must have, and the fact that there are no games of his in Mega2006 is not too surprising, but it is odd that none appear in Sicilian: Theory of the Smith-Morra Gambit in Games 1846 -1967 by Ken Smith. Note that the Companion uses the word "advocated".  That suggests that Morra probably wrote some articles, and likely they would have had to have appeared in the mid to late 1940s.

I raise these points because in North America the opening is usually referred to as the Smith-Morra in deference to the late Texas Master Ken Smith who poured much energy and a fair amount of money into promoting the gambit. Smith published numerous articles and booklets and paid strong players to analyze it, the latter evoking memories of Professor Rice -- remember professional players have to eat! Smith-Morra seems a fairer name and we mustn't forget the contributions of feature Grandmaster Milan Matulovic whose games in the early 1950s first put the gambit on the map. We have the Tartakover-Bondarevsky-Makagonov variation in the Queen's Gambit Declined. How about the Smith-Morra-Matulovic?

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