Pterodactyl Defense
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6
6. d5+0.86
White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.
Analyze this positionIn the Pterodactyl Defense (A42), reached after 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6, Stockfish 18 recommends 6. d5 for White. White is clearly better (+0.86).
Top engine moves
- +0.866. d5 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Bg4 8. Qc2 Bxf3 9. gxf3 Nd7 10. Rb1 Rb8
- +0.596. Be2 Nc6 7. d5 Nd4 8. O-O Bg4 9. Bd2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nf6
- +0.496. h3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Be2 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Bxd4
All Pterodactyl Defense variations (32)
- Central, Benoni Beefeater PterodactylA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qa5
- Central, Benoni PterodactylA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Qa5+
- Fianchetto, Queen Benoni PterodactylA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Qa5
- Fianchetto, Queen PteranodonA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5
- Fianchetto, Queen PterodactylA401. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Qa5+
- Queen Pterodactyl, Quiet LineA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3
- Central, BogoluboviaA421. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Nc3 c5 5. Nge2 Qa5
- Austrian, Austriadactylus WesternB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+
- Austrian, Grand Prix PterodactylB061. e4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5
- Austrian, PteranodonB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. c3 Qa5
- Central, AnhangueraB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 d6 5. Be3 Qa5
- Central, Benoni QuetzalcoatlusB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Qa5
- Central, Quetzalcoatlus GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 d6 5. dxc5 Qa5
- Eastern, AnhangueraB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Be3
- Eastern, BenoniB061. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5
- Eastern, Benoni PteranodonB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5
- Eastern, Benoni PterodactylB061. d4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Qa5
- Eastern, PteranodonB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5
- Eastern, RhamphorhynchusB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Qa5
- Fianchetto, King PterodactylB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+
- Fianchetto, RhamphorhynchusB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. dxc5 Qa5+
- Sicilian, QuetzalcoatlusB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5 5. Be2 d6
- Sicilian, SiroccopteryxB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5 5. Bc4
- Western, AnhangueraB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. Be3 Qa5+
- Western, SiroccopteryxB061. e4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. d4 c5 4. Bc4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qa5+
- Sicilian, AnhangueraB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Be3
- Sicilian, Benoni GambitB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. d5
- Sicilian, PteranodonB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
- Sicilian, RhamphorhynchusB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3
- Sicilian, UnpinB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Bd2
- Western, PterodactylB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. d4 Qa5
- Western, RhamphorhynchusB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move in the Pterodactyl Defense?
After 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6. d5 for White, continuing Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Bg4 8. Qc2 Bxf3 9. gxf3 Nd7 10. Rb1 Rb8. White is clearly better (+0.86). The next best moves are 6. Be2 (+0.59) and 6. h3 (+0.49).
Is the Pterodactyl Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.86: 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 Pterodactyl Defense?
A42. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.
Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).