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French Defense: McCutcheon Variation

3.0K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.4%

45%55%
Floor48.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.9%.

Measured over 3.0K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.0K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
3.0K
Best context
52.5% at 2000-2199 Blitz
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.5%
Draws
4.5%

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 · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 59.9% at 0-999, 49.7% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
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: 59.6% expected score (9 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 56.4% expected score (53 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 63.6% expected score (28 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 24.4% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 36.1% expected score (38 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 55.8% expected score (42 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 64.6% expected score (26 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (71 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 40.9% expected score (59 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 42.5% expected score (25 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (86 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (53 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (64 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (163 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (51 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (135 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (341 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (44 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (211 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (619 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 62.7% expected score (54 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.5% expected score (308 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (318 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (24 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (104 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (18 games)

Related Openings

Parent
French Defense
45.7%
Variations (5)
French Defense: Knight Variation
48.3%
French Defense: Exchange Variation
47.7%
French Defense: Normal Variation
50.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation
48.0%
French Defense: Queen's Knight
48.5%
Continuations (10)
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation
47.7%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation
43.0%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation
54.8%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit
49.7%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation
45.9%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Exchange Variation
49.7%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation
53.4%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation
51.0%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation
52.9%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Grigoriev Variation
45.2%
Analyze French Defense: McCutcheon Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation scores 50.4% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.9% and 51.9% — from 3.0K 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
3.0K+ 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: McCutcheon Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Black wins 48.2%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 3.0K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation perform best?

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 59.3% (90 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 51.5% in Blitz (1.7K games) against 50.3% in Rapid (355 games).

How sharp is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation?

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation has a sharpness score of 95.5 (very decisive), meaning 95.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 40.9%, draws 2.5% and loses 56.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.1%. It rests on 100 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 44.3%, draws 5.3% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 160 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 49.6%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 169 Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 50.3%, draws 2.7% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 280 Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.6%, draws 5.6% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 523 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 51.0%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 885 Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.3%, draws 6.8% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 650 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 46.6%, draws 2.0% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 122 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.7% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 900 Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 49.0%, draws 4.9% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 48.1%, draws 4.3% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 355 Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation a good opening?

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.2% of its games and loses 47.4%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.