French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation
1.7K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
55.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 57.9%.
Measured over 1.7K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 4.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.7K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 1.7K
- Best context
- 57.5% at 2200-2499 Blitz
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.1%
- Draws
- 4.9%
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 gets better as the rating rises: 21.5% at 1000-1199, 54.1% 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
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 60.4% expected score (13 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (56 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (112 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 60.4% expected score (13 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 57.8% expected score (134 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (391 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (26 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 62.4% expected score (208 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 57.5% expected score (511 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 64.1% expected score (27 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (148 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (51 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation scores 55.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.9% and 57.9% — from 1.7K 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
- 1.7K+ 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, Janowski Variation win rate?
Playing the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation, White wins 53.4%, draws 4.9% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 1.7K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation perform best?
The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation performs best for White at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 59.3% (747 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 54.5% in Blitz (1.1K games) against 56.4% in Rapid (69 games).
How sharp is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation?
The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation has a sharpness score of 95.1 (very decisive), meaning 95.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 49.6%, draws 4.7% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 181 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 51.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 554 Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 56.2%, draws 6.1% and loses 37.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.3%. It rests on 747 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 52.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 199 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 56.7%, draws 3.0% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.2%. It rests on 557 Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 51.5%, draws 6.0% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.
Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation a good opening?
The French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 53.4% of its games and loses 41.7%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.