ECO C12 · French Defense

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Nfd7

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

7. Qg4+0.87

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation (C12), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Nfd7, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. Qg4 for White. White is clearly better (+0.87).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.877. Qg4 Bf8 8. Nf3 c5 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Be3 Ncd7 11. Bd3 Nc6
  2. +0.767. Bd3 c5 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 c4 10. Be2 Nb6 11. Nh3 Bd7
  3. +0.647. Qf3 Bf8 8. Qg3 a6 9. Bd3 c5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Ne2 cxd4

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Nfd7, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. Qg4 for White, continuing Bf8 8. Nf3 c5 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Be3 Ncd7 11. Bd3 Nc6. White is clearly better (+0.87). The next best moves are 7. Bd3 (+0.76) and 7. Qf3 (+0.64).
Is the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.87: white is clearly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation?
C12. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).