Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
119,248 games: White 47.7% / Draw 4.3% / Black 48.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 63,74564K | ||
| 46,89647K | ||
| 3,8353,835 | ||
| 3,6713,671 | ||
| 696696 | ||
| 8787 | ||
| 7777 | ||
| 7373 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... d4 4. Bb5+ Nd7 5. Nce2 a6 6. Bxd7+ Bxd7 7. d3 e6 8. Nf3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation (ECO B21, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3 (3 moves).
In 119,248 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.7%, Black 48.0% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…d4, in 53% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation
3…dxe4 scores best for Black: 53.1%, with Black winning 50.6% and White 44.4% of 47K games. The most played answer, 3…d4, scores lowest: 48.0% in 64K games. Stockfish's first choice is 3…d4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack, Toilet Variation (B21)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-mcdonnell-attack-toilet-variation