Mafia Defense

The Mafia Defense is a King's Gambit Declined position in which Black has added ...c5 to the usual ...e5. It can be reached from the gambit move order 1. e4 e5 2. f4 c5, but more often it arises from the Sicilian, when Black answers the McDonnell Attack, 1. e4 c5 2. f4, with 2...e5. The extra pawn on c5 adds control of d4 and makes d2–d4 harder for White. The cost is a hole on d5 and a weakened d6-square, and Black spends a tempo on a flank pawn instead of a piece. Reference sources regard the line as dubious, and the engine gives White a slight edge.

The most common reply by far is 3. Nf3, which develops and covers h4 before White thinks about fxe5. The immediate 3. fxe5 opens the e1–h4 diagonal to ...Qh4+, and 3. f5, which gains space on the kingside, both score poorly for White in online play. Overall, Black's results in the position are better than White's.