Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack
3/3
1.e4c52.f4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack19.2M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
40%7.7M50%
21%4.0M49%
17%3.3M51%
13%2.4M53%
4.6%889k52%
1.5%279k50%
0.7%134k51%
0.5%97k51%
0.5%90k49%
Famous games in this line2.7k master games
Carlsen, Magnus (2863) – Ding, Liren (2791)Nakamura, Hi (2802) – Aronian, L. (2729)Nakamura, Hi (2802) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2721)Polgar, Judit (2722) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2777)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2753) – Giri, Anish (2734)Grischuk, Alexander (2717) – Svidler, Peter (2765)Morozevich, Alexander (2741) – Grischuk, Alexander (2710)Morozevich, Alexander (2736) – Wang, Yue (2705)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Giri, Anish · Svidler, Peter · Grischuk, Alexander
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B21
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. f4
Aggressive
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
King's Gambit Declined: Mafia Defense2…e5Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation2…d5 3.Nc3Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit2…d5 3.Nf3 dxe4Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Tal Gambit2…d5 3.exd5 Nf6
Nearby lines in the family
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