Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Quetzalcoatlus
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Qa5
The Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Quetzalcoatlus is a chess opening classified as ECO B06, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Qa5. It is a line of the Pterodactyl Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2 times by this move order. White won 50%, 0% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 6. Qc2 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.96 (Stockfish, depth 33; best line 6. Bd2 Nf6 7. h3 Qc7 8. Be2 O-O)
- ECO
- B06
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp2ppbp/3p2p1/q1pP4/2P1P3/2N5/PP3PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 6- PGN
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Qa5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1 | |
| All | 2 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Qc2 | 1 (50%) | |
| 6. Bd2 | 1 (50%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- HAOS65 (1582) – marslan30 (1566) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 300 + 3s
- BatraZZers (1421) – eagleman24 (1428) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Modern Defense (2. d4 Bg7) 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7
More Pterodactyl Defense lines (all)
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Beefeater Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Benoni Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Queen Pterodactyl, Quiet Line A40
- Pterodactyl Defense A42
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Bogolubovia A42
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Grand Prix Pterodactyl B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Pteranodon B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Anhanguera B06
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.