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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. Bg5/4...Bb4

McCutcheon variation
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b
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8
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1
8
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4
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1
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4

The McCutcheon variation first became well-known as the result of an 1885 simultaneous exhibition game played in New York by World Champion Steinitz as White against John Lindsay McCutcheon, a lawyer from Pennsylvania. McCutcheon won convincingly in just 28 moves, and thus brought attention to the variation. It is still (2024) considered to be a completely sound defense for Black. There is no record of a previous game with this variation, so it is possible (though impossible to prove) that McCutcheon created a true novelty.


v · t · e
Chess Opening Theory
1. e4 e5
Open games
3. Bb5
Spanish
3. Bc4
Italian
3. Nc3 Nf6
Four knights
Other
2...Nf6
Russian
2...d6
Philidor
Other
2. f4
King's gambit
2. Nc3
Vienna
1. e4 c5
Sicilian
1. e4 e6
French
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann
1. e4 other
?/??
1. d4 d5
Closed games
1. d4 Nf6
Indian
1. d4 f5
Dutch
1. d4 ...other:
Flank
Unorthodox