The McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation is a variation of the French Defense, catalogued as ECO C12. The line runs 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bc1, reaching the position shown below after 11 half-moves.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4 and e5, Black on d5). Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move after six moves.
On the French Defense generally: A solid defense where Black builds a strong pawn chain. Leads to strategic middlegames with clear plans.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
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The McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation goes 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bc1. It is a variation of the French Defense and is catalogued as ECO C12.
The McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation is ECO C12. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the French Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bc1 at -0.01 at depth 18, which is balanced. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4 and e5, Black on d5). Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move.