ECO D02 · Queen's Pawn Game

Queen's Pawn Game: London System, Pterodactyl Variation

1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Qa5+

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

6. Bd2+0.64

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Pawn Game: London System, Pterodactyl Variation (D02), reached after 1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Qa5+, Stockfish 18 recommends 6. Bd2 for White. White is slightly better (+0.64).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.646. Bd2 Qf5 7. h3 d5 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. g4 Qe6 10. Bg2 O-O
  2. +0.426. Nbd2 d5 7. e3 Nf6 8. h3 Qb6 9. Qb3 O-O 10. Bd3 Nc6
  3. +0.296. Nc3 Nf6 7. Qd2 Nd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. e3 O-O 10. Bd3 Nc6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Pawn Game: London System, Pterodactyl Variation?
After 1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 cxd4 5. cxd4 Qa5+, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6. Bd2 for White, continuing Qf5 7. h3 d5 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. g4 Qe6 10. Bg2 O-O. White is slightly better (+0.64). The next best moves are 6. Nbd2 (+0.42) and 6. Nc3 (+0.29).
Is the Queen's Pawn Game: London System, Pterodactyl Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.64: white is slightly 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 Queen's Pawn Game: London System, Pterodactyl Variation?
D02. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; D is the volume for closed and semi-closed games.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).