On a chessboard called New York City

blacks and whites clash in the biggest game

in town-with the biggest stakes. The

whites, a powerful Sicilian Family which

has long monopolized the New York crime

scene, must meet the challenge of insurgent

blacks no longer willing to share the big

money in Harlem.

Four days of tumultuous action are pre-

cipitated when black gang leaders pull off

a daring and dramatic kidnaping, snatch-

ing the Don, Sal Angeletti, himself.

Sicilian Defense offers a rare picture of

the New York underworld in crisis. As Sal

Angeletti s lieutenants, led by the hot-

headed Frankie the Pig, fight against time

to get their Don back alive, new and pre-

carious alliances must be formed, deals

must be made, money must change hands.

The search for Sal is directed by Gianni

Aquilino, one-time Boss of Bosses, now a

legitimate real estate dealer. Gianni s at-

tempts to locate and release Sal are com-

plicated by the efforts of the police to

intervene and a Senator out to break him.

John Nicholas Iannuzzi s experience as

an active trial lawyer lends unusual authen-

ticity to a taut, suspenseful no~ of today s

battling underworld.