C12 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation
9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Bb45.e5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation288k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
95%272k52%
4.7%14k41%
0.2%47111%
0.1%33227%
0.1%25433%
0.1%21817%
0.1%18529%
0.1%18325%
0.1%15410%
0%630%
Famous games in this line3.6k master games
Anand, Viswanathan (2817) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2774)Anand, Viswanathan (2800) – Shirov, Alexei (2749)Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2774)Anand, Viswanathan (2779) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2659)Leko, Peter (2749) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)Leko, Peter (2749) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)Leko, Peter (2749) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2711)Heroes of this opening Nakamura, Hikaru · Leko, Peter
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C12
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin VariationC12 5…h6 6.exf6 · 1 deeper lineFrench Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski VariationC12 5…h6 6.Be3French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein VariationC12 5…h6 6.Bh4French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland VariationC12 5…h6 6.Bc1
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
In 1834 the city of Paris beat the city of London in a correspondence match opening with 1...e6, and the defense has carried the name ever since. Botvinnik and Korchnoi built careers on its cramped-then-counterpunch character: concede space, then break with ...c5 or ...f6 at the right moment.
Study this opening