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)20130–1Short, Nigel D (2635) – Kasparov, Garry (2800)19901–0Navara, D. (2727) – Moiseenko, A1. (2692)20141–0Sulskis, S. (2531) – Shirov, A. (2713)2014½–½Campora, Daniel Hugo (2550) – Shirov, Alexei (2670)1993½–½Tkachiev, Vladislav (2605) – Milov, Vadim (2570)1995½–½Psakhis, Lev (2534) – Sutovsky, Emil (2624)2006½–½Yudasin, Leonid (2556) – Miton, Kamil (2597)20041–0
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 →
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Kotov Gambit2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 b5Sicilian Defense: Acton Extension2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bh6Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 a6
From the archives

No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.

Study this opening
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