French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation
4.9K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
53.8%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 55.0%.
Measured over 4.9K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.9K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 4.9K
- Best context
- 55.1% at 2200-2499 Blitz
- Worst context
- 48.8% at 2000-2199 Bullet
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.1%
- Draws
- 3.9%
Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.
Where it holds · White score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 78.6% at 0-999, 68.6% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1000-1199 | — | — | — | ||
| 1200-1399 | — | — | |||
| 1400-1599 | — | ||||
| 1600-1799 | — | ||||
| 1800-1999 | — | ||||
| 2000-2199 | — | ||||
| 2200-2499 | — | ||||
| 2500+ | — | — |
Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (17 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (8 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (102 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (122 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (18 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 23.4% expected score (6 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (242 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (698 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 59.5% expected score (83 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (501 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (1,471 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (143 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.8% expected score (436 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.1% expected score (663 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 65.2% expected score (81 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 65.2% expected score (187 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (47 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation scores 53.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.6% and 55.0% — from 4.9K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.
How the figures are made
- Whose games these are
- 4.9K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
- Which games we count
- Rated games only — nothing casual.
- Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
- At least 2 moves played.
- A game is filed under White’s rating.
- Why every number comes with a range
- A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
- How much we need before we say anything
- An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate?
Playing the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation, White wins 51.8%, draws 3.9% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 4.9K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation perform best?
The French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 64.1% (237 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 53.5% in Blitz (3.0K games) against 57.2% in Rapid (339 games).
How sharp is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation?
The French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation has a sharpness score of 96.1 (very decisive), meaning 96.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 46.7%, draws 1.4% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 248 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 52.1%, draws 2.5% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 50.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 53.8%, draws 4.6% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.1%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 61.4%, draws 5.2% and loses 33.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 64.1%. It rests on 237 Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 52.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 51.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 3.0K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 55.1%, draws 4.3% and loses 40.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 339 Lichess games.
Is the French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation a good opening?
The French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.8% of its games and loses 44.3%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.