French Defense: McCutcheon Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4

ECO C12

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation is a chess opening line in the French Defense complex, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4.

It is catalogued under code C12 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Bb4 is chosen by Black on move 4.

12 named continuations branch from this position, including the Advance Variation and the Bernstein Variation.

Named variations

• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bogoljubow Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Duras Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Exchange Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Grigoriev Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation — ECO C12
• French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit — ECO C15

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Beat the French with 3.Nc3 course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.