The McCutcheon Variation, Duras Variation is a variation of the French Defense, catalogued as ECO C12. The line runs 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Bc1, reaching the position shown below after 17 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 nine moves. White has doubled pawns on the c-file; White’s a-file pawn is isolated; White has the bishop pair.
On the French Defense generally: A solid defense where Black builds a strong pawn chain. Leads to strategic middlegames with clear plans.
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The McCutcheon Variation, Duras Variation goes 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Bc1. It is a variation of the French Defense and is catalogued as ECO C12.
The McCutcheon Variation, Duras 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. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Bc1 at +0.23 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. White has doubled pawns on the c-file; White’s a-file pawn is isolated; White has the bishop pair.