McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation
- 1.e4e6
- 2.d4d5
- 3.Nc3Nf6
- 4.Bg5Bb4
- 5.e5h6
- 6.Bh4
303 games
A McCutcheon French sideline in which White retreats 6. Bh4 to keep the pin on f6, usually met by the sharp 6...g5 with roughly balanced play.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Bernstein Variation
The Bernstein Variation is White's sixth-move alternative in the McCutcheon. Instead of 6. Bd2, White retreats 6. Bh4 and keeps the pin on the f6-knight. Black almost always replies 6...g5, chasing the bishop once more at the cost of loosening the kingside. The rare alternative is 6...Bxc3+. Engines judge the position to be balanced. The line is seldom played, and in Lichess games Black has scored clearly better.