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French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation

7.6K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

45.8%

40%55%
Floor44.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.7%.

Measured over 7.6K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

White comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for White

Draw 5.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 7.6K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
7.6K
Best context
48.8% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Worst context
42.9% at 1800-1999 Blitz
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
94.6%
Draws
5.4%

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 holds about the same all the way up, near 59.6%.

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: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 27.8% expected score (12 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 36.7% expected score (21 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.5% expected score (8 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (25 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 62.5% expected score (75 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 68.0% expected score (18 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 45.0% expected score (68 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (215 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 59.5% expected score (62 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 65.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (169 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (537 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (132 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 45.1% expected score (379 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (1,331 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 39.9% expected score (264 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 35.4% expected score (19 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 44.2% expected score (520 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 44.5% expected score (1,654 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.4% expected score (266 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.2% expected score (9 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (654 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (838 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 45.7% expected score (80 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (155 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (51 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 72.3% expected score (3 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%
Analyze French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation scores 45.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 44.8% and 46.7% — from 7.6K 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
7.6K+ 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, Chigorin Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation, White wins 43.0%, draws 5.4% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 7.6K rated games from Lichess.

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

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation performs best for White at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 61.7% (118 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 45.8% in Blitz (4.7K games) against 45.9% in Rapid (834 games).

How sharp is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation?

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation has a sharpness score of 94.6 (decisive), meaning 94.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 59.0%, draws 5.4% and loses 35.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 61.7%. It rests on 118 Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 350 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 45.2%, draws 4.1% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 849 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 40.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 55.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.8%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 41.6%, draws 5.8% and loses 52.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.5%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 43.7%, draws 7.3% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 49.2%, draws 7.8% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 209 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

In Bullet, White wins 44.0%, draws 3.6% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 42.7%, draws 6.1% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 42.9%, draws 5.9% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 834 Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation a good opening?

The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation is hard work for White — it favours Black. Across all ratings, White wins 43.0% of its games and loses 51.5%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.