Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack (1… c5 2. f4)
1. e4 c5 2. f4
The Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO B21, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. f4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 59,996 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nc6 (42% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 65; best line 2… d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxd5 5. Nxd5)
- ECO
- B21
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/4PP2/8/PPPP2PP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. f4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 9,478 | |
| 1500-1999 | 42,679 | |
| 2000+ | 7,839 | |
| All | 59,996 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nc6 | 25,071 (42%) | |
| 2… d6 | 10,920 (18%) | |
| 2… e6 | 10,581 (18%) | |
| 2… d5 | 7,556 (13%) | |
| 2… g6 | 2,870 (5%) | |
| 2… a6 | 895 (1%) | |
| 2… e5 Mafia Defense | 817 (1%) | |
| 2… Nf6 | 437 (1%) |
Master games
1,646 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 34%, draw 16%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- ScorpioNN 3.0.7.1 (3812) – Komodo 2503.05 (3912) 0-1 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-03-29
- Komodo 2503.05 (3912) – ScorpioNN 3.0.7.1 (3812) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-03-25
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2863) – GM Liren Ding (2791) 1-0 · Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2020-04-30
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2767) 1-0 · Saint Louis Blitz 2024 · 2024-08-16
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2755) 0-1 · Titled Tue 10th Sep Early · 2024-09-10
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Brave_spirit_07 (2742) – MeeTion01 (2860) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- TigerSiberian (2856) – Johnizard (2714) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- IM Jamorris94 (2785) – Robert_E2009 (2612) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) 1. e4 c5
Continuations
- King's Gambit Declined: Mafia Defense C30 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 e5
- Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3
- Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4
- Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack (3. Nf3 e6) B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 e6
- Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Tal Gambit B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack (4. Bb5 Bg7) B21 · 1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
- Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.