Counters to Smith morra and alapin.

I recommend the early e5 "center counter" against the smith morra as it leads to double edge play which suit dragon players:

For alpain, I recommend the d5 counter which leads to open play:

Remember to always play Nc6 before Bg4 to avoid Qa4+ fork tricks.

Or, if you want a single line that you can use against both (because it nearly always transposes), try this:

1 e4 c5 2 c3 d5
1 e4 c5 2 d4 cxd4 3 c3 d5

1 e4 c5 2 c3 Nf6
1 e4 c5 2 d4 cxd4 3 c3 Nf6

decline smith morra with d3, ignore the alapin, d4 e4 center wont help them against the dragon

I didn't know (or had forgotten) that you can use these two lines together, the way you can with the Nf6 lines.

From the database, it looks like White gets a few extra options in the Mora that don't transpose to the Alapin (4. Qxd4) but it's not obvious to me that they're anything special.

Against smith morra i think e6 is playable if you dont want to learn so much theory and it will confuse your opponent beacuse if you just take the pawn they will know what to do but if you dont know how to play in middle game you will probably lose and against alapin just play the main line with d5

Against SM I use the setup that Larry Evans used to defeat Ken Smith with d6 Nc6 a6 etc. In theory white has a path there to an equal game but most lines lead to black with a plus.

Against Alapin I've been trying the lines with d5, Nc6 and Bf5 [not Bg4] that I summarized in Comment #12 here https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/alapin-c3-forum

I'm sure neither is best but so far they have been 'good enough'. Bill

against the Morra there are a few decent options, I personally like not taking the second pawn with either 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 or 3... e5 you'll have to learn a bunch of lines but nowhere near as much as biting the bullet and accepting the second pawn

if you already have a decent repertoire it's worth it to book up and train the mainline as well, it's the most critical line

Against the Alapin pick one of the two mainlines and study it. The Alapin is super-solid so there won't be any easy fixes for it and it's very popular as well. I have a couple trash gambits that have worked well for me in OTB blitz but I would never recommend them as a serious alternative.

They are both Alapins if you play Nf6:

Alapin

Smith Morra:

Thank you, GM Har Zvi.

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 and you're in an Advanced French

you arent in advance french yet

Only if 5. e5 is played (I think)

IMO

a : the Smith Morra can be a weak opening against bots but it is not weak against humans and it can be really dangerous. 1) e4 c5 2) d4 cxd4 3) c3 d3

b : The alapin is I think above all a psychological difficulty which leads us to lose because "take too much risk" by fear that it ends in a draw.

1 : If our adversary is much weaker 1) e4 c5 2) c3 Nf6

2 : If our opponent is not too weak (of our strengh or higher) 1) e4 c5 2) c3 d5 3) exd5 Qxd5 and we'll look for above all not to lose then if White takes too much risk etc. we are ready to punish him and win but in any case it is important not to play with the fear of making a draw.

Unlike most gambits where you end up defending an unusual situation I like to accept this gambit as it's not so hard to learn the mainlines to defend and it's still very much within normal sicilian structures. Due to this I think it gives good training in defending Sicilian positions in general. All avenues should be defended and black should come out with an advantage, in practice difficult for non-titled players at least.

I premove accepting the knight pseudosacrifice and taking back with your own knight. No big shock to see that move from me.