B21 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Tal Gambit
6/6
1.e4c52.f4d53.exd5Nf6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Tal Gambit247k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
42%103k43%
29%72k45%
17%42k45%
5.9%15k51%
3.6%8.8k47%
1%2.6k44%
0.7%1.7k38%
0.5%1.1k40%
0.3%73840%
0.1%26638%
Famous games in this line475 master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2753) – Giri, Anish (2734)Short, Nigel D (2635) – Kasparov, Garry (2800)Navara, D. (2727) – Moiseenko, A1. (2692)Sulskis, S. (2531) – Shirov, A. (2713)Campora, Daniel Hugo (2550) – Shirov, Alexei (2670)Tkachiev, Vladislav (2605) – Milov, Vadim (2570)Psakhis, Lev (2534) – Sutovsky, Emil (2624)Yudasin, Leonid (2556) – Miton, Kamil (2597)Heroes of this opening Giri, Anish · Short, Nigel D · Navara, D. · Yudasin, Leonid
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B21
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Nf6
GambitAggressive
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
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From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
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